Colts to Bench Richardson, League May Fine Tomlin, Steelers for Ravens Game Action

After receiving the support of his coach Chuck Pagano last week, Indianapolis Colts (7-4) running back Trent Richardson has now been benched for this week’s game against the Tennessee Titans (5-6). In his place, running back Donald Brown will get the starting nod. He was previously the team’s No. 3 back.

Trent Richardson

In his nine games with the Colts, Richardson has averaged 2.8 yards per carry while Brown has a 5.7 yard per carry average. Against the Titans in his last three games, Brown has 321 yards (a 7.3 per carry average) and three touchdowns. But last week against the Arizona Cardinals (7-4), he had two carries for one yard.

According to NFL.com, a source said of the change, “It’s a bottom-line biz. Change needed to be made. Donald is our most productive guy.”

The Colts have also made a change on the offensive line–attempting to shake things up–with right guard Jeffrey Linkenbach replacing Mike McGlynn.

This week against the Titans, the Colts will again try to end their recent trend of starting out slowly. In their four previous games during the first half, they have been outscored 93-12. Rewind to their last game against the Titans on Nov. 14, and the Colts had a 17-3 deficit but rallied for a 30-27 win.

In that game, Colts quarterback Andrew Luck was 23 of 36, 232 yards and one touchdown but in last week’s 40-11 loss, he had 163 passing yards–his second lowest number in his almost two-year NFL career. In his last three games, he’s had two touchdowns and four picks versus 13 touchdowns and three interceptions in the first eight games.

Questions keep swirling whether the loss of wide receiver Reggie Wayne is really hitting this team’s offense.

Meanwhile the Titans don’t seem to be struggling with their passing game. Backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who will start the rest of the season as Jake Locker is out with an injury, went 30 of 42, 320 yards (a season high) and two touchdowns in last week’s 23-19 win over the Oakland Raiders (4-8).

Wide receiver Kendall Wright had six receptions for a career-high 103 yards, while the rookie receiver Justin Hunter had a great game with his six catches for 109 yards. For the Titans, it represented their first 300-yard passing game with two 100-yard wide receivers since the 2004 season, according to ESPN.

As for the playoffs, even with losing five of their last six games, after last week’s win, the Titans are sitting in control of the AFC’s sixth and last spot.

For the Colts, they lead the AFC South but owner Jim Irsay is not happy about the team’s recent play and took to Twitter recently to complain about it including the language, “get our heads out of r butts-WAKE UP!”

Pagano knows this needs to happen and said this week, “We have to figure out a way, because something’s missing, and it certainly isn’t our players and their effort and the way they practice and the way that they prepare and the time they put in.”

Fortunately, the Colts have defeated the Titans five straight times on their home field. With a win on Sunday, they could pretty much wrap up the division win. Vegas sees them getting the victory (-3.5, 46 o/u) and 18/1 odds to win the 2014 Super Bowl.

In other AFC news…

Mike Tomlin

In response to the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-7) head coach Mike Tomlin’s actions on the field Thursday in the Baltimore Ravens (6-6) game against its wide receiver Jacoby Jones, the NFL is considering a six-figure fine against Tomlin and the Steelers organization. It is also mulling removing a draft pick for the team, reported ESPN.

The league may announced its disciplinary action early this week.

Previously, the league fined the New York Jets (5-6) $100,000 in the 2010 season after its strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi had tripped a player from the Miami Dolphins (5-6).

In this week’s matchup between the Jets and the Dolphins, New York gets the win (-1.5, 40 o/u).