Colts Make Final Decision on Anthony Richardson For Season Finale vs Jaguars

Joe Flacco will be getting a second straight start for the Indianapolis Colts in their season finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

Anthony Richardson has been ruled out because of an ongoing back injury according to NFL insider Adam Schefter.

"Colts ruled out QB Anthony Richardson for Sunday's regular-season finale vs. the Jaguars due to his back injury. One final start this season for Colts QB Joe Flacco," said Schefter on X.

Richardson missed Week 17 because of his back issues while Flacco took over to throw for 330 yards, two scores, and two turnovers in a 45-33 shootout loss to the New York Giants.

The second-year quarterback revealed this week that he has been having spasms in his back that have been hindering his everyday routine.

"Last week was tough,' Richardson said Wednesday. "I couldn't even stand up on Tuesday, could barely even walk. ... But I'm here, I'm standing now. If I can do everything in my power to get on the field, I'm going to do so."

Richardson was never able to make it back into practice throughout the course of the week. He hasn't officially practiced since Week 16.

"Just didn't make enough progress this week with the back," head coach Shane Steichen said.

At 39 years old, Flacco has had plenty of experience in this league to know how to prepare for any situation.

"I think that's what you always do," Flacco said Wednesday. "I think even when you're not (starting) and you know you're not, you still try to put yourself in that mindset and do those things anyway."

The reigning Comeback Player of the Year award winner has played in seven games this season, starting five of them. On the whole campaign, Flacco has completed 66.8% of his passes for 1,497 yards, 11 touchdowns, seven interceptions, and a passer rating of 91.4.

The Colts still had a chance to crack the postseason as the final seed until their loss to the then-last-place Giants last week, which effectively eliminated them.

"It's embarrassing. It's disappointing. We got flat-out beat," linebacker Zaire Franklin said. "The performance we put out defensively, just beyond unacceptable. You can't play like that when you're planning on being a playoff team. So we ain't a playoff team."

Coaches and players felt they showed the right urgency and effort leading up to Sunday's game, but ultimately let it all go down the drain in a winnable game.

"I think the standard has to be raised," running back Jonathan Taylor said. "And we spoke about it, it's the playoffs have to be the standard. The teams that get in, year in and year out, that's their standard. That's the bottom floor, like listen, we got to get in. And they know it's tough, but they know, hey, we're going to fight, scratch, and claw to make sure every year that is the standard that you uphold."

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