When the Denver Broncos host the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, they will face one of the best rushing quarterbacks in the NFL.
Through his first 13 games in the league, Anthony Richardson has rushed 95 times for 519 yards and eight touchdowns, an average of about 40 yards on the ground each week and a touchdown at least every other game.
Richardson can make plays on scrambles and on designed runs, creating headaches for opponents.
“It brings a lot of challenges,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said earlier this week when asked about Richardson’s designed runs. “You kind of get your 11th man back [on offense]. There are zone schemes, there are gap schemes, there’s a number of things that can stress you.
“We had the benefit of that a little bit with Taysom Hill the same way. He’s got great arm strength down the field. Part of — a big part of their run game — is both he and the halfback. So it presents a completely type different challenge than weeks prior.”
Indy’s offense also features Jonathan Taylor, one of the best running backs in the NFL. Together, they form a dynamic rushing duo that can cause trouble for any defense. Through 14 weeks this season, the Broncos have the eighth-best rushing defense in the NFL, but Sunday’s game will be a big test.
