Michael David Smith ,
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Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is preparing his team to play the Vikings, who have veteran backup Carson Wentz starting at quarterback in place of the injured J.J. McCarthy. In discussing the challenge they face with Wentz, Tomlin indicated that the Steelers didn’t think much of Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson when preparing to face him last year.
Tomlin started by saying he thinks the Vikings will be dangerous opponents with Wentz in place of McCarthy.
“I don’t necessarily view it as a negative thing for the Minnesota Vikings, at least in the short term, that Carson is playing for them,” Tomlin said.
But then Tomlin veered into a discussion of facing the Colts last season. In the Steelers-Colts game, Richardson got injured and replaced by veteran backup Joe Flacco, who led the Colts to a win. Tomlin thought Flacco was the tougher quarterback to play against, and would have preferred that his defense not knock Richardson out of the game.
“We were in a similar situation, a year ago we were playing in Indianapolis, and I commented to the guys, ‘Keep Richardson upright. Don’t put Flacco in the game.’ And Flacco ended up in the game. And I think that’s oftentimes one of the things you can run into when you run into a veteran guy,” Tomlin said.
Tomlin made clear that he was commenting about the respect he has for Wentz, not about disrespect for Richardson. But it’s the reality that Richardson, the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, hasn’t shown himself to be a capable starting quarterback. Whether it was Gardner Minshew in Richardson’s rookie year, Flacco last year or Daniel Jones this year, the Colts have usually been better off with a more experienced quarterback than Richardson on the field.
Tomlin hopes the Vikings don’t prove to be better with Wentz on the field.
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