Joe Flacco has had nothing to do with The Streak.
Or The Drought.
Or the Indianapolis Colts’ annual failed business trip to Jacksonville.
Call it what you will.
Flacco hasn’t been around for the nine consecutive road losses to the Jaguars – eight in Jacksonville and one in London – but might have an opportunity to help end the streak.
That’ll be determined later in the week, perhaps as late as Saturday, when Anthony Richardson’s availability is determined. He was a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice as he deals with a strained oblique, which is the byproduct of a wicked hit by safety Minkah Fitzpatrick in the first quarter of Sunday’s win over Pittsburgh.
Flacco’s possible insertion into the Colts-Jaguars mix is interesting.
First, the NFL’s second-oldest quarterback – Flacco, 39, trails only the Jets’ 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers – could replace the league’s youngest quarterback. That would be Richardson, 22.
Flacco is the third-oldest quarterback to play for the Colts, behind a pair of 40-year-olds: Joe Ferguson (in 1990) and Matt Hasselbeck (in 2015).
And then there’s the fun fact Flacco has won in Jacksonville more recently than the Colts. He led the Baltimore Ravens to a 19-17 victory in Florida in week 3 of the 2016 season.
“Man, well, I was going to say it was a long time ago,’’ Flacco said Wednesday. “I only remember because I was throwing to Steve Smith. Jalen Ramsey was there.
“It was a while ago. I mean, 2016. I mean, shoot, I don’t think there’s probably many guys that were in the league back then.’’
The only current Colts around in 2016 are center Ryan Kelly, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, long-snapper Luke Rhodes and defensive tackle Adam Gotsis.
Shane Steichen was quarterbacks coach with the San Diego Chargers.
Flacco was 31.
Richardson was 14.
“There is such an age gap there,’’ Flacco said of Richardson. “I mean, he’s probably always going to look at me a little bit different because of that.
“But he’s a great young kid and it’s been a lot of fun.’’
The trip to Jacksonville hasn’t been fun for the Colts since week 3 of 2014 when Andrew Luck passed for 370 yards and four touchdowns in a 44-17 demolition of the Jaguars.
Since then, the Colts have lost nine straight road meetings, many of them unsightly. They’ve been outscored 87-31 in the last three.
Flacco experienced a similar oddity in Baltimore. From 2009-18, the Ravens were 2-8 against the Bengals in Cincinnati.
His advice: Recognize the futility, but don’t dwell on it.
“I know that I’ve heard what it’s been like going down there for a little bit of a stretch of time now,’’ Flacco said. “So, I don’t know. I don’t think you ever want to make anything of it, but at the same time, it’s tough not to. You definitely have to at least pay attention to it, bring it up and try to nip it in the bud.
“I think the more aware of that stuff you are, it can kind of help you focus even if it really is just something that, you know, who knows what it is?’’
There’s every chance Richardson makes the required progress in the coming days and is back under center against Jacksonville. The University of Florida product would embrace the opportunity.
“For sure,’’ Richardson said. “Then I also heard about how we haven’t won down there in however long. We want to change that.
“If I am out there, we’re definitely working to change that.’’
Until there’s clarity regarding Richardson, it’s Flacco’s show. He’ll get all the reps with the No. 1 offense, which is in stark contrast to last week’s prep work for the Steelers.
Richardson got ‘em all. Flacco got zero, then had to make the best of it when he replaced Richardson late in the first quarter.
“You’ve just got to kind of wing it a little bit and make sure you study all week,’’ Flacco said. “Just kind of approach it just like I always have the last couple of weeks, with the added benefit of getting a few practice reps in case something like that needs to happen.’’
The difference in being pressed into a game after no work with the 1s during a practice week and getting a day or two with one of the NFL’s most efficient offensive lines and supporting cast can’t be overstated.
“Yeah, it’s tough to talk about it and I don’t think you really can kind of grasp the difference until you’ve had to do it both ways,’’ Flacco said.
He’s with his fifth team in 17 seasons and experienced virtually everything. He’s started 185 regular-season games. Sunday’s relief stint against the Steelers was just the fourth time Flacco has come off the bench, the first since replacing Mike White in a New York Jets’ loss at Buffalo in week 14 of 2022.
Each backup, regardless of position, must treat every practice as if he’s going to start in the upcoming game. Injuries show no preference for the day of the week, or time in a game.
As important as mental reps are, they pale in comparison to being on the field with the starters.
“Just calling the plays on a daily (basis),’’ Flacco said. “Like, we just did a walk-thru and I got to call the plays. You go out to practice today, you get to call the plays. That little bit right there, just how much more familiar you are with the game plan.
“You can sit in the house and call them to your wife or whatever you want to do, but it’s still just not quite the same as going out there and doing it and then running it and seeing it and all those things.’’
It’s entirely possible Richardson is limited again Thursday, even Friday. Steichen said determining a player’s status is “case-by-case, to be honest.
“I’ve got a lot of faith in him, regardless of how much he practices.’’
Richardson must prove to Steichen and the medical staff he’s capable of handling his strenuous responsibilities as a dual-threat quarterback.
He missed two plays after the wicked hit by Fitzpatrick at the end of a 14-yard run, then returned for one play which proved to be a mistake.
On first-and-goal at the 6, Richardson headed around the left edge but essentially gave himself up when he couldn’t accelerate because of the injury. He again left the game and didn’t return.
His rehab has included testing the acceleration part of his game.
“I worked out today, so that was a plus,’’ Richardson said. “Definitely a lot of progress from yesterday. Yesterday it was giving me a little bit of soreness, but I’ve been progressing day-by-day.
“So, we’re just trying to see what it’s going to be like the rest of the week.’’
Until Richardson is truly back, Flacco must be ready. Just in case.
“The one thing you can think about if just today,’’ he said. “Everybody on this team has a role and my role right now is to just kind of go out there and take it day-by-day and make sure that we can go from there and have a good practice.
Flacco finished what Richardson couldn’t Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium. He passed for 168 yards and touchdowns to Drew Ogletree and Josh Downs.
His 4-yard TD pass to Downs completed the drive that saw Richardson forced from the game, and Flacco would generate points on three of his other eight possessions – the TD to Ogletree and a pair of Matt Gay field goals. A fourth drive ended with Gay pulling a 54-yard field goal attempt wide left.
“Hopefully Anthony’s out there. That’s the plan,’’ Steichen said. “But if he has to do it again, we have faith in Joe to go do it.’’
You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.