Quit while you're behind: Anthony Richardson gives Colts no reason to move off Joe Flacco

Several factors likely played a role in Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen's decision to bench former number four overall pick Anthony Richardson. When under center, Richardson just does not seem as prepared as an NFL-starting quarterback should be. Could Richardson be the latest signal-caller to suffer from the trend of young quarterbacks being benched or moved on from in a short amount of time?

After an injury-riddled rookie season that brought excitement to the Colts fanbase, Richardson entered year two appearing as the franchise's future and even an MVP candidate to some. Still, the team signed Joe Flacco to back him up. Richardson's talent was showcased time and again in the Colts' social media posts during the offseason.

His ability was even shown in Week 1 when he tossed a 60-yard touchdown to Alec Pierce. But since then, his performance has been less than superb. It didn't get any better when he tapped himself out of a divisional game against the Houston Texans because he needed a breather.

Anthony Richardson isn't giving Colts a reason to put him back in over Joe Flacco

To make it worse, when asked about the act after the game, Richardson laughed it off and told the media he was tired. This could've been the last straw for Steichen, who opted for Comeback Player of the Year Joe Flacco for the Week 9 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. Flacco had a less-than-stellar game himself throwing for 179 yards with no touchdowns and an interception in the Colts' 13-21 loss in primetime.

Flacco's lackluster performance prompted the question, "Was benching Anthony Richardson the right move?" Then, while on the sideline, Richardson made another error when he appeared to be yawning, which doesn't exactly show an eagerness to play.

Given that part of Richardson's benching was because of his decision to pull himself out of the game, it's not a good look at all for him to be at least appearing this disengaged while on the sidelines. Flacco certainly didn't perform like a quarterback entrenched in the job but the optics of the situation remain unfortunate for the second-year quarterback.

The Colts are now 4-5. The playoffs are still in reach, but they will have to string together a series of wins to make the postseason in a stacked AFC.