Sad News: Indianapolis Colts fear the worst as star suffers serious injury

Indianapolis Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson is set to miss the rest of the 2023 campaign after undergoing injury on his shoulder; Gardner Minshew has replaced the first-round pick at quarterback.

Indianapolis Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson had season-ending surgery on his throwing shoulder Tuesday, team owner Jim Irsay said on social media.

Irsay wrote that the lengthy procedure took place in Los Angeles and doctors found what they expected, adding that Richardson is doing well but there is no scheduled date for his return to Indy.

“No new surprises were found during surgery – they just repaired what was expected. Anthony is doing well and thanks everyone for the support,” Irsay wrote.

The Colts drafted Richardson out of Florida with the fourth overall pick in April.

He made four promising starts but only finished one game because of a variety of injuries. A bruised knee and sore ankle forced him to sit out the final minute of Indy’s season opener, and he was knocked out of a Week Two win at Houston when he entered the concussion protocol. He didn’t play in Week Three and then went to the ground awkwardly in Week Six, resulting in a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder.

Initially, the Colts (3-4) put Richardson on injured reserve. The team and Richardson agreed last week that surgery was the best option.

Gardner Minshew has replaced Richardson as the starter, appearing in all three of the Colts’ wins including a start in the Week Three win at Baltimore. But since Richardson went down, Minshew has thrown four interceptions, lost four fumbles and been sacked seven times in two straight losses.

The latest loss – to Cleveland last Sunday – included back-to-back questionable calls against cornerback Darrell Baker Jr. with the first erasing what would likely have been a game-sealing turnover and the second moving the ball to the 1-yard line.

“The NFL admits and understands that they did not make the correct calls at end of Sunday’s Colts/Browns Game,” Irsay also wrote. “I believe we need to institute Instant Replay for all calls, including Penalties, in the last two minutes of All Games.”

NFL Locals: Colts defense steps up, Gardner Minshew does enough to beat Patriots in Germany

Gardner Minshew (Washington State) didn’t have to do much to be the best quarterback in Germany.

Frankly, most NFL-caliber QBs could’ve led the Indianapolis Colts past the New England Patriots in Frankfurt on Sunday.

Minshew completed 18 of 28 attempts for 194 yards and an interception during the Colts’ 10-6 win over the Patriots.

Minshew did most of his work on the Colts’ opening drive. He hit Isaiah McKenzie for a 30-yard pass to convert a third-and-6, and found Michael Pittman on a 10-yard completion down to the Patriots’ 1, where Johnathan Taylor eventually scored on fourth down.

That was the only score the Colts (5-5) would need, given the way their defense played.

After surrendering a field goal drive on the Patriots’ first possession, Samson Ebukam (Eastern Washington) and the Colts held New England (2-8) to four straight punts in the first half.

New England cut the lead to 7-6 with a field goal early in the fourth quarter. The Patriots had two more drives to try to take the lead, both led by different quarterbacks and both ending in interceptions.

Mac Jones threw a pass well short of his intended target, which was intercepted by Justin Blackmon in the red zone. He was promptly benched for Bailey Zappe, who came in and threw a game-clinching interception with 36 seconds left.

Ebukam finished with three tackles.

The Colts go into their bye week in third place in the AFC South, a 1/2-game behind the Houston Texans and 11/2-games behind the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“We’re fired up,” Minshew said. “We’ve got some free time coming, we’re 5-5, we’ve got everything in front of us. It’s a great opportunity to go home and get healthy, and hit this back half of the season with a lot of confidence.”

• Andre Dillard (WSU) exited the Tennessee Titans’ road loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in concussion protocol.

Dillard, who was benched earlier in the season and led the NFL in sacks allowed (eight) entering Week 10, was thrust back into action due to other injuries in the Titans line.

Dillard was beaten for two more sacks before leaving the 20-6 loss to the Buccaneers.

• Quarterback Kyler Murray made his return from a knee injury that held him out for nearly a year and Jalen Thompson (WSU) and the Arizona Cardinals returned to the win column.

Murray led a two-minute drill that set kicker Matt Prater up for a game-winning field goal during a 25-23 win over the visiting Atlanta Falcons in Glendale, Arizona.

Atlanta linebacker Kaden Elliss (Idaho) did everything he could to slow down the Cardinals.

Elliss was second on the team with 11 tackles and a sack. He’s had a stellar first season with the Falcons (4-6). Elliss is tied for Atlanta’s team lead with 73 tackles.

Thompson had three tackles for the Cardinals (2-8), who won their first game since Sept. 24.