QUARTERBACK ANTHONY RICHARDSON
What is it like when you see Jonathan Taylor get into the second and third levels of the defense and you just watch him pull away?
"That's amazing, man. I know he's been looking to have one of these types of games all year. I know our o-line has been looking to be able to help him out like that. But just seeing it happening isn't surprising, because like, man, that guy is really good. So, I'm glad we were able to make the happen for him."
How did it feel for you and Jonathan Taylor to run as much as you did today?
"It felt good just doing whatever we had to do just to get the W, but it turned out way better than we expected. The o-line did a great job opening up the holes and JT (Jonathan Taylor) did the rest. So, it feels good whenever we can just move the ball as an offense and just play complementary football."
Do you remember the last time you only threw 11 passes in a game?
"I'm not sure. I normally don't keep track of how many attempts I have, but I'm glad we were able to run the ball today and get the dub."
With what happened with Jonathan Taylor last week, how big was it for you guys to rally around him this week?
"It's great. We never think about the past too, too much, because it's football, it's life – adversity is going to hit you one way or another. So, it's about how you bounce back from it, and I feel like we did a great job with that this week. Shoutout to JT (Jonathan Taylor) and the o-line for doing their thing."
What happened on the interception play?
"We had vertical routes. They kind of shifted into like a Cover-2 look – backside safety wasn't held. I probably could have done a better job with my eyes with that, but I could have hit it. I just pulled him too far in the middle and gave the safety a chance to intercept it."
What did you think of Josh Downs' 'tightrope act' catch to get you in there?
"That was surprising as well because I thought he was about to go out of bounds and then I just see him keep running. I'm like, 'All right, well, thanks for that.'"
What does it say about the offense that you were able to kind of reset after an early interception and get rolling on the ground and obviously take off?
"I think it's just finding ways just to make it work. Of course, we don't want to have early turnovers. We don't want to have turnovers at all. But Shane (Steichen) did a great job calling it. O-line did a great job of executing the blocking scheme upfront and then JT (Jonathan Taylor) took advantage and did the rest. So, it's good when we get to do things like that."
Obviously, as the quarterback, your main job is to throw the ball, but is it any less fun when you win this way?
"No, because I know Shane's (Steichen) going to give me a chance to go out there and run myself. So, I'm not mad at it at all. It gives the o-line a chance to work their game and perfect some of their blocking moves up there. So, they did a great job with that. Shane did a great job calling it. So long as we get the W, I'm not mad at it."
When you have a game like that when you have long stretches without throwing it, how do you find a way to stay ready for a moment like you had at the end when you have to get that third-and-eight?
"Like you just said, being a quarterback, my job is to pass the ball, deliver the ball. So, whenever there's an opportunity to do so, I'm expected to complete passes and make them happen, regardless of how long I've been without throwing the pass. So, I'm just trying to do my job the best way I can."
What's it like to squeeze the life out of the opposing team on a play like that and then you get the run right after to bleed the block and know if we get the ball back, it's over."
"It's good to execute our situations. That's the main thing because we always harp on situations – being in situations like that where we've got to manage the clock, take advantage of it. So, it's great whenever we get to put that product on the field and do so. It's not more so about the opponent because we feel like if there's anybody on either side of the ball, as long as we do our job, we should be good."
The TV camera showed you warming up with a rugby ball. How long have you done that and what's the purpose behind that?
"I started doing that probably like a month, a month and a half ago maybe. I actually saw Jayden Daniels doing something with a basketball and I heard something about like his hands adjusting to the bigger elements. So, I thought about getting a rugby ball – it's kind of football shaped. Just allowing my hands to adjust to the football, or the rugby ball with it being bigger. So, once I get the football, it's kind of like a Nerf ball in my hand. I could just do whatever I need to do."
Do you feel like it's helped?
"Oh yeah, for sure. Sam (Ehlinger) and Joe (Flacco), they've been using it with me a little bit. So, we feel like it's been helping."
With a ground performance like this and all of the changes upfront, how impressed are you with the offensive line and how they've been able to respond to all the changes and adversity?
"Next man mentality – that's what we always have. Regardless of who's in there, we expect them to do their job the right way. Just them dominating today, I know it's good for their morale. It boosts them, just to let them know that they are the greatest o-line in NFL right now. So, it's great just to see those guys take advantage of the opportunity and do so."
A couple weeks ago you were talking about how you need to get Jonathan Taylor rolling. How refreshing was it to see what he's done these past couple of weeks?
"It's great. It just lets us know that we have the offense to put up numbers like that in the rushing game. We've just got to match it with the pass game and just be a complete offense. So, we're still working on that, but we know our run game is great. We've just got to complement everything else."
I know you look at every game and approach it with a high level of seriousness, but to still be playing for the playoffs, what does that mean?
"We still have an opportunity with some help from other people, but we're just taking it one game at a time because it doesn't do us any good if everybody else does what they have to do to help us out and then we don't go out there and take advantage of it. So, we're just thinking about just winning each and every game that we have left and just leaving the rest up to God."
Kenny Moore II had two takeaways today. What's special about him that helps elevate the whole team?
"That's great. He's a great leader, a great ball player. He always finds a way to be where the football is. He put out some hurdle moves today I've never seen him do before. It's just great just to see our defense rally together, play strong and physical football and just be out there making plays. It gives us a chance to go out there and do what we do. And just a blessing to have those guys doing their job the right way."
You've had the most prolific rushing season as a Colts quarterback. What's that mean to you?
"It's great. I feel like that's expected. Everybody knows I can do decently well on the ground with my legs. That's a blessing and all, but I want to make sure I'm a complete quarterback, so the turnovers – I've got to limit those. And passing the ball, delivering the ball – I'm still trying to grow and be better at that. But it is a blessing for me to have opportunities to get on the ground and make something happen."
When you first got here, it was kind of expected that you thought you would probably achieve something like that at some point by having this type of season as a runner, right?
"I always want to be able to make plays whenever I can. If it is on the ground, that's what I got to do. The team expects it of them, so I've got to go out there and do it. But like I said, I want to be a complete quarterback for the squad and hopefully I can pair the running with the passing attack and just make it happen."
Did you try to get down short of the goal line to give the touchdown to Jonathan Taylor?
"I did not actually. I actually thought I got in, but I'm not mad at it. Man, he had a great day today, so he deserves it and I'm glad he was able to get his numbers up."
