BALTIMORE (AP) — The plan was for Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson to play about 1 1/2 quarters. Then Daniel Jones would play half a quarter.
Instead, those figures ended up reversed after Richardson took a crunching sack from David Ojabo.
Richardson had to leave Indianapolis’ preseason opener Thursday night with a dislocated pinky on his throwing hand, and Jones replaced him earlier than expected in a 24-16 loss to Baltimore.
Richardson was confident afterward that this wouldn’t be a serious injury — but the Colts announced another one. Rookie cornerback Justin Walley didn’t play Thursday because of a torn ACL.
Richardson started and led the Colts to a field goal on their first offensive possession. On the next one, Ojabo had a clean run at him, and after the sack, Richardson jogged to the sideline and was replaced by Jones.
“I just looked down and I see my finger, different direction, and I’m like, ‘Maybe I’m tripping,’” Richardson said. “I looked at it again, and it was definitely like that.”
Richardson tried to test whether he could throw after the injury.
“I tried immediately after, but I couldn’t get the right squeeze on the ball,” Richardson said. “So I got it taped up.”
That helped a little, but Richardson was ruled out.
Jones was supposed to start the second preseason game — against Green Bay on Aug. 16 — and get more of the playing time, but that could change after he played more than planned against the Ravens.
The Colts drafted Walley in the third round, and he seemed on his way to being a significant contributor before this injury.
“Huge blow,” coach Shane Steichen said. “He was making a ton of plays in practice too, before it happened. Just an unfortunate situation for him, obviously being a rookie and going through that.”
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