Indianapolis Colts

ANTHONY RICHARDSON

POSTGAME VIDEO CONFERENCE

December 1, 2024


Colts - 25, Patriots - 24

Q. ... fourth quarter comeback.

AR: Whatever it takes. Whatever it takes.

Q. The two-point conversion, took a second effort, right, for you to get in there. Felt like you probably wouldn't be denied. Can you just tell us about the attitude going into that play?

AR: It was a two-way option on that. I know Shane called that play for a certain reason. I was reading the outside guys on it, but once I looked in the middle, I just decided I was going to take it and put it in my hands and try to make a decision right there and try to make it work. We made it happen.

Q. The play before that to get the touchdown, can you walk through what you saw and what made that play work?

AR: We were working that play throughout practice. Man-to-man looks. We have fast guys that can run away from defenders. I just trust A.P. and Pitt to get across the field. I was waiting for one of those guys to pop open and I threw it to A.P.

Q. To have a guy like Alec, what does he do for you and your game?

AR: He gets it in his head, get the ball in my hand. He's a deep threat. He has the speed to get the ball. He also told me before the game that every time he wears Panic (phonetic) cleats, he scores a touchdown. It was pretty cool to see him score a touchdown.

Q. 19 plays on that last drive. How did you stay patient even though you had opportunities that didn't go your way?

AR: I just play football one play at a time. Although some of those plays didn't go with plan, it's all good, we have to stick with it, each play. Because we had a play to work on each and every moment, so just stick with it.

Q. Your role as a quarterback, facing fourth down after fourth down, 19 plays throughout that power drive, to keep everyone else on the same page there?

AR: Just keeping all the guys rallied up and just make it work. Despite any of the down and distances, just try to make it work, keep the guys rallied and just fight.

Q. You grow in these moments a little bit. The experience two weeks ago, did that help maybe make you stay calm and patient and stay ready for a moment like this?

AR: I believe so. I think it just allows me to play confident and free and fast, trust my teammates, trust the coaches and trust the process and go out there and play.

Q. Do you embrace situations like this, like want ball in your hands?

AR: No doubt. Whenever we're in that situation, I'd like the ball in my hands. I feel like I can make a play. But it's up to the coach, it's not up to me, to make the decision at some point. But if he believes I can make a play, make a change, I'll do it. If not, somebody else has to do it.

Q. When did you know that he was going to go for two?

AR: I think right before he even told us. I was just trying to make sure we got points on the board, honestly. When he told me, okay, here's the chance to win it, we've got to fight to make it work.

Q. As a player, obviously it's kind of going fast, you're probably not thinking about it. Is that what you want, even the chance to want to go for the win?

AR: Always. You want to win. It's hard to get wins in this league. That's a pretty good team over there. They fought. They battled throughout the whole game. We did as well. One of us had to win it today.

Q. Did you decide during the week, or was it today to bring back the 360 spike?

AR: I've been thinking about it all year. I've been telling my teammates I want to do it for them. I was telling some of my family as well. Kind of took me a second to process that I was going to do it. But I made it happen.

Q. Couple of backup offensive linemen in there. What did you think about their performance?

AR: Did a great job. I don't think they allowed a sack today. Shout-out to those guys.

Q. What's the emotion, obviously you have to win a game, but walking up the field, what's the joy like to know you're still in this thing as far as the season goes after that win?

AR: I don't know, honestly. We're not even thinking about the long run, honestly, right now. We're just trying to take it one game at a time, because earlier in the season that was our thought process, win, win, every game.

But we know that now we've just got to focus on the moment, focus on the present and focus on each and every game, but right now we're trying to get healthy throughout this bye week and just back it up.

Q. Did you know on that drive that you were guys were going to go for two?

AR: Yeah and no. I really just left it up to Shane, honestly. If he felt comfortable with us going for 2 and getting the W, I was rocking with it. If he felt comfortable enough for Matt to go kick the field goal, I was rocking with it. I feel we had a chance the whole game.

Q. When he said keep those guys out there, what does that do for you inside?

AR: Builds a little bit of confidence, lets us know that he trusts us and the offense to go make a play. Put ourselves on the line to get a W.

Q. How important is it to get this win going into a bye week, for you guys to come back, have that drive and then go get the win and now you get a little bit of time to kind of recover and get ready for those final four games of the season?

AR: This is good for our morale obviously. Obviously there's a lot of excitement in the locker room right now. But we're looking forward to this bye week. Some guys need to rest up their bodies. Some guys need to go see their families. We're just taking it one day at a time looking forward to this next game.

Q. That fourth down to Mo Alie-Cox, how big was that, what does he mean for you?

AR: Shane was in my ear telling me, you've got to have it right here, make it work, find a way. And luckily I looked down the field and Mo is basically right there in my face. I've got to get him the ball right here. I was glad he was able to catch it.

Q. You get a couple of deep balls there that you really put it where guys could get it and they didn't come up with it. How tough is it to bounce back from those?

AR: In the moment you may think it's tough, but you've got another play after that to make it work.

I don't throw a great pass every chance there's a few passes I missed today. It is what it is. Our guys know they're supposed to catch the ball in that moment, and I'm pretty sure they're hard on themselves right now.

So, yes, it's up to me to let them know they've got to catch the ball, but I'm pretty sure they're beating themselves up already. So I've got to be that piece for them.

Q. Take us through the two interceptions and the mindset to keep playing.

AR: The first one, they had a pretty good zone coverage right there. The end dropped right into it. I saw them, but I feel like I was able to rip it in there. He got his hand up on it.

The second one, man-to-man routes, cross routes right there, I try to fit it in there to A.P., but the DB was able to cut underneath it. So I just gotta find a way to throw better passes.

Q. You don't always have the opportunity to redeem yourself when you do make a mistake, but you did today. How validating is it to have the opportunity and make good on it?

AR: It's just a lot of love for our defense. I threw the interception. They went out there. I think it was 35 seconds. They got the ball back to us really quick. Just gave us a chance to go out and win again. And I definitely appreciate the defense and the offense for sticking with me.

Q. Throughout the season, how do you think you've changed?

AR: I don't think I've changed much. I've just, honestly, been myself throughout the whole process, but I think I've been able to relax, stay calm a little bit more. Take it day-by-day. Try not to focus too much on the future and try not to focus too much on the past. Take it day-by-day, try to get better each and every day.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
151019-1-1045 2024-12-01 22:00:00 GMT

ASAP sports

tech 129