The Indianapolis Colts absolutely looked rough in their second preseason game on August 22, and honestly, if you told me there was a quarterback battle going on, I’d think the winner had to fight a dragon because neither man looked like they wanted the job. This wasn’t just a little shaky, folks, it was a collective mess that saw the Falcons’ second and third units looking way too comfortable.
Offensive Line Was a Sieve, QBs Were Stuck in Neutral
It wasn’t just Riley Leonard or Anthony Richardson looking uncomfortable out there. Both struggled against the Falcons’ lesser units. Leonard and Richardson couldn’t get anything going, and you’ve gotta put a lot of that on the offensive line. That thing was a straight-up sieve, giving up pressure left and right. And when the QBs did get a pass off, the receivers weren’t doing them any favors. We’re talking balls bouncing right off their chests! It’s tough to make a case for a starting spot when the whole unit is looking so out of sync. The only real bright spot on offense was Deion Burks, who was out there making plays and solidifying his position using the return game. He’s earned that roster spot, no doubt.
Mr. Yellow and the Missing Pressure
On the defensive side, things weren’t much better. Mekhi Blackmon, man, what’s going on? He’s going to get a new nickname: Mr. Yellow. The penalties were flying, and if he doesn’t get those down, his spot with the Colts is gone. You can’t be that much of a liability with the flags. Beyond Blackmon’s penalty parade, the rest of the defense got little to no push or pressure on the Falcons’ offense. It truly looked like the Falcons were wearing those red quarterback non-contact jerseys at times, just going untouched. While it was tough to watch overall, some of the rookies and linebackers did stand out with their play.
Look, this was just preseason. It doesn’t count for the standings, and it will be a blip on the 2026 season. But for these guys trying to make the roster? It meant everything. A game like this, even if it was a collective effort, sure doesn’t help. It won’t undo all the positives from training camp, but it’s a chance to show what you can do against real competition, and for many, that performance was a real head-scratcher. They gotta clean that up, fast.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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