Blue's clues, after one week

 The numbers don't look bad, except for the only one that matters. Let's start with that this morning.

Let's start with Jacksonville 31, Indianapolis 21 and move on quickly on from there, because Jacksonville 31, Indianapolis 21 was about what the more rational among us expected. Ditto the fourth quarter, in which Jacksonville outscored the home team 14-0 and won the game with two touchdowns in the last five minutes.

Travis Etienne got the clincher with 4:08 to play on a 26-yard run garnished with several missed tackles by the Colts. Again, about what the more rational expected.

Anthony Richardson?

The kid did all right, but Colts head coach Shane Steichen wisely didn't ask a lot of him. The game plan for Richardson was very restrained; a few designed runs and a quick-hit passing game that didn't require AR to stretch the field or make a lot of extended reads. 

He finished 24-of-37 for 223 yards and a touchdown to Michael Pittman Jr., who caught eight of Richardson's throws for 97 yards. That worked out to 12.1 yards per catch; all told, Richardson went to nine different receivers for 9.3 yards per reception. Not exactly Air Steichen.

Oh, yeah: Richardson also ran 10 times for 40 yards and another score. And came up limping after his longest run of the day, a 12-yarder.

Turns out it was just a small bruise on his knee, but it was like a small cloud passing over the sun. The more Richardson runs, it seemed to tell us, the more he's likely to get banged up. Especially behind an offensive line that still remains devoid of its mojo, allowing four sacks and coming up empty on that crucial fourth down in the final minute.

The Colts were down 10 at the time, which means Steichen should have taken the field goal and then onside-kicked it. Strategy 101. But an O-line that's being paid what this one can't get less than a yard when it matters?

Revealing stat of the day: The Colts running game averaged 2.5 yards per tote. Their best available option at running back, Deon Jackson, ran 13 times for 14 yards and lost two fumbles. And his backup, rookie Evan Hull, got dinged up.

Conclusion: Jonathan Taylor's bargaining position just got waaay better.

And the Blob's further conclusion?

The Colts are a work in progress. Or just a work.

The progress part remains to be seen.