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Joe Flacco Rescues Colts in Anthony Richardson’s Stead to Top Steelers

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Joe Flacco Rescues Colts in Anthony Richardson’s Stead to Top Steelers


With 5:42 left in the first quarter on Sunday, Lucas Oil Stadium fell silent.

Not again.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson lay on the field in pain after a 14-yard scramble. Richardson was tackled by Pittsburgh Steelers safeties DeShon Elliott and Minkah Fitzpatrick, with Fitzpatrick’s hit landing directly to the hip of the Colts’ quarterback. Trainers surrounded Richardson as the crowd intently watched on.

Eventually, Richardson got up and walked off under his own power. Richardson did return for one more play, but his hip was not right, and the Colts held him out for the rest of the game.

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With Richardson sidelined, it was up to Joe Flacco to take the offense’s reins and help lead the Colts to victory. The veteran quarterback did just that, as Flacco steadied the offense, and the Colts took down the undefeated Steelers 27-24.

“It was different. It definitely took a little bit of time for me to kind of just settle down,” Flacco admitted. “And it’s kind of like I kept telling myself, just do the simple things. And it’s definitely a different experience when you come in like that.”

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Joe Flacco throws a pass in a blue jersey.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Joe Flacco (15) throws a pass during the second quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Flacco has been a starting quarterback for most of his 17-year career. Out of 189 games, Flacco has started 185 of them. Coming off the bench has been a fairly new experience for the former Super Bowl MVP.

But Flacco hardly has any experience being thrown into the fire mid-game, especially as a backup who hardly receives any reps throughout the week. Backup quarterbacks always have to be ready in case this situation occurs. Flacco’s secret to staying ready is not to overthink things and rely on his countless years of throwing the football.

“You can’t overthink it,” Flacco explained. “It’s football. And I think everybody’s personality is a little bit different. So, some guys love to think about every little thing and everything that can go right, everything that can go wrong, and that’s how they play best. That’s how they stay locked in. I think my personality probably lends itself decent to this type of situation because yeah, it’s like, don’t overthink it, don’t overdo it. It’s just a game of football.”

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Flacco finished 16-of-26 (62%) for 168 yards and two touchdowns to help bring the Colts to 2-2 on the year. Just like he has done over the years, Flacco came up huge in the biggest moments of the game. The Colts were 8-of-15 on third down, sustaining drives that gave Indy their longest time of possession this season.

Flacco often found Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs to convert those crucial third downs. Pittman had easily his best game with six catches for 113 yards after struggling to get going over the first three games. Downs looked back to his old self after the high ankle sprain with eight catches for 82 yards and a touchdown of his own.

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Combine the performances of Flacco, Pittman, and Downs with Jonathan Taylor adding 88 yards and a touchdown on the ground, and the major pieces of the Colts’ offense came together to pull out a victory in Richardson’s absence.

“The third down conversions were huge,” Flacco said. “I think I hit Pitt on the first one. Hit Josh on the next one. … I think everybody came up big. That’s what you’ve got to do it. I mean, when you’re me, when you kind of come in and you get thrown into those situations, you just trust your guys to do the right thing and see what happens in the end.”

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“Obviously, he’s played a lot of football,” head coach Shane Steichen mentioned about Flacco. “Went in there and operated pretty darn good – threw two touchdowns. Moved the offense up and down the field. Did a nice job for us, for sure.”

While Flacco kept the offense moving, all eyes will be on Richardson throughout the week as he deals with the hip injury. Early indications are Richardson suffered a hip pointer and that it is not a serious injury. Richardson tried to return to the game but could not accelerate like he wished. The Colts took a cautious approach and decided to hold Richardson out, trusting Flacco could bring home the win.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson talks with head coach Shane Steichen in a blue jersey.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) talks with Indianapolis Colts Shane Steichen on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. / Christine Tannous/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Richardson was off to a great start before the injury, going 3-of-4 (75%) for 71 yards with 24 yards on the ground. He looked much calmer than in the previous three games, leading to accurate throws to all areas of the field. Richardson was trending towards his best game of the year, and the type of performance he showed early is what the Colts want to see consistently out of their QB1.

Richardson did offer encouraging words on his injury after the game, suggesting he could return as early as Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“I’m feeling a little sore but feeling good we got the W today,” Richardson said. “Great execution by everyone on the field today. I think I’m going to be good, just a little soreness.”

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If Richardson cannot go next week or has to miss time in the future, the Colts now have proof Flacco can come in and handle the job. Sunday was a big win for the Colts over the Steelers as the team is beginning to grow momentum. But now is not the time to rest on their laurels, as the team will need to continue finding ways to improve throughout the long season.

“You really do have to take each week individually in this league,” Flacco remarked. “There’s really no – not much correlation. I mean, when you get on a roll, you can obviously get on a roll, but I kind of alluded to it a little bit earlier, it’s still so early in the season, four weeks in. We’re still trying to figure things out both ways, deal with what we have to deal with, and then go out there and get a victory.”

On a day when the Colts had to roll with the punches, they overcame adversity and beat one of the lone undefeated teams left in the NFL. So no, thankfully, it does not look like Richardson suffered a major injury.

But if his number has to be called again, Flacco is ready to come to the rescue.

Want more Colts content? Check out the latest episode of the Horseshoe Huddle Podcast!

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INDOT says Clear Path 465 nears major milestone with final bridge beams

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INDOT says Clear Path 465 nears major milestone with final bridge beams


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indiana Department of Transportation says the Clear Path 465 project is nearing one of its last major milestones.

On Monday, the state agency announced that 10 bridge beams for construction work are scheduled to be delivered and set this week. It marks the final beams required and the 14th bridge on the project.

The beams will be installed for a bridge on I-69, northbound, over 82nd Street. Drivers should expect closures from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. through early next week as crews complete the overhead work.

  • Wednesday, April 15 & Thursday, April 16
    • 82nd Street is closed in both directions under I-69
  • Friday, April 17 – Monday, April 20
    • Eastbound 82nd Street closed under I-69
  • Tuesday, April 21 – Thursday, April 23
    • Westbound 82nd Street is closed under I-69.

Scheduled work is pending weather conditions in the area.

The mainline portion of Clear Path is still expected to finish this spring. INDOT says drivers should expect traffic shifts on I-465. The shifts will open the interstate to three lanes in each direction.

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Crews will install noise barriers and other final touches later this year. When that step is completed, I-465 will open to four lanes from the White River to Fall Creek.



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Pike Township leaders plan to address issues with N Zone bar after weekend shootout

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Pike Township leaders plan to address issues with N Zone bar after weekend shootout


INDIANAPOLIS — A shootout at a troubled bar near 86th Street and Michigan Road sent two people to nearby St. Vincent Hospital early Sunday morning and has now prompted a review by IMPD’s Nuisance and Abatement Unit. 

Police were dispatched to N Zone Bar and Grill shortly before 2 a.m. after a security guard called 911 and reported the shootout between a man at the bar and a person in a car in the parking lot. 

Photo of the N Zone Bar and Grill in Indianapolis captured by a FOX59/CBS4 crew on April 13, 2026.

Later that morning, two different people walked into St. Vincent Hospital on the north side of Indianapolis with gunshot wounds. The victims who checked into the hospital Sunday morning are believed to have been involved in the shooting.

“No one is immune, things are going to jump off in different areas,” Pike Township Trustee Annette Johnson said. “But I would say (I’m) concern(ed).”

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That concern from Johnson stems from the fact that the bar has been the subject of several complaints from people who live in the area, including homeowners associations. Those people have been reporting a host of issues at the establishment. 

“Late-night fights, break-outs,” Johnson said. “To the left of that area, you have apartments that have been there in this community forever, and then you have a housing addition directly across the street.”

A neighboring business told FOX59/CBS4 they were not surprised to hear another incident had occurred given the bar’s past. 

Just recently, video circulated on social media of a large brawl between several women in the parking lot of the bar. Reports made by IMPD show numerous calls to the location in recent years for things like gun crimes and fights. 

In May 2022, a man was shot and critically wounded outside the bar. The establishment was shut down following that incident after officials discovered it did not have the proper permits. 

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Johnson said the fire department has been called to the bar at least 20 times since it opened, which she believes is a lot for a business like that. 

“If you have too many complaints, you know what happens with those types of situations where residents will complain,” Johnson said. “Zoning and making reports on that that go downtown, and sometimes, you’re served papers that you may not be a business anymore.”

Johnson said she doesn’t want to see that happen and hopes to intervene so things don’t reach that level with N Zone. She said her next step will be reaching out for a conversation with the bar’s owners to try and give some best practices for them moving forward. 

The facility appeared to be closed Sunday and Monday. 

Police have not publicly announced if they identified or detained any suspects or persons of interest during their investigation of Sunday morning’s shooting.

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IMPD said its nuisance and abatement team is aware of the location and working to determine if any enforcement action should be taken. 



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Indianapolis Colts Under Fire Following Daniel Jones Decision

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Indianapolis Colts Under Fire Following Daniel Jones Decision



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Daniel Jones #17 of the Indianapolis Colts in action against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

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The Indianapolis Colts entered the 2026 NFL offseason needing to make a decision about the future of quarterback Daniel Jones.

After signing Jones last offseason to a one-year deal in free agency, the Colts liked what they saw from him in 2025. Unfortunately, his season came to an end early after he went down with a torn Achilles.

Before suffering that injury, Jones played in 13 games. He completed 68 percent of his pass attempts for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, while also running for 164 yards and five more touchdowns.

Jones was a free agent entering the offseason. Indianapolis moved quickly to lock him in. The Colts signed the veteran quarterback to a massive two-year, $88 million contract.

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Whether or not the move will pay off remains to be seen. It’s a big risk for Indianapolis, but Jones showed the potential of being a legitimate franchise quarterback before the injury occurred.


Colts Under Fire After Huge Daniel Jones Contract Decision

Chris Ballard and the Colts may be confident in Jones’ ability to be their starter moving forward. Not everyone agrees with the contract the team gave him.

Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport has named the move as one of the worst of the NFL offseason.

“Maybe Jones will be ready for Week 1 despite the severity of the injury. Maybe he can repeat last year’s success despite his struggles in New York. Maybe he’s the next Sam Darnold,” Davenport wrote.

“Or maybe the Colts should have let Jones play out the 2026 season on the transition tag while they saw how all those ‘maybes’ played out.”

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Last season, Jones faced a lot of doubt as well. After his rocky tenure with the New York Giants, no one could be blamed for having reservations about the quarterback. However, after the way he played in 2025, Indianapolis feels good about its decision.


Indianapolis Has Had a Wild NFL Offseason So Far

Outside of the Jones move, the Colts have been very busy this offseason.

Along with re-signing Jones, the team also brought back wide receiver Alec Pierce. In order to make that move happen, they had to pay out a four-year deal worth $114 million.

Plenty of other moves have been made as well. Indianapolis traded star linebacker Zaire Franklin to the Green Bay Packers and added pieces like defensive end Arden Key, defensive end Micheal Clemons, defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi, and cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt, among others.

Most recently, the Colts have been hit with a trade request from cornerback Kenny Moore.

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Only time will tell how the team’s offseason moves pan out. Indianapolis has taken some risk this offseason and still has holes to fill. However, the Colts looked like one of the best teams in the NFL during the first half of the 2025 season and may not be far off from Super Bowl contention.

Evan Massey Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst located in Indianapolis, Indiana who covers the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, and college sports. He has been featured on many publications, including Newsweek, Athlon Sports, ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Sporting News, and many others. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son. More about Evan Massey





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