INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Only Anthony Richardson knows for sure whether two weeks in exile led to his strong performance in the Colts’ Sunday win over the Jets in New York, but Daybreak Colts contributor Heather Lloyd said it’s clear something clicked.

“If nothing else, it was certainly a wakeup call,” Lloyd said during her weekly Monday morning appearance. “Richardson talked after the game about managing his emotions during the game and how he really tried to relax and calm his mind down the last two weeks, and I think you could see that play out on the field on Sunday, specifically during that final drive he executed so well.”

Mindset Matters

“Whether it was his preparation, his concentration, or his newfound sense of relaxation, Richardson was able to come up with some big plays in big moments,” Lloyd said in her review of the quarterback’s performance.

“The Jets… have a very talented defense, which showed up in the second half of the game. But the guessing game between Richardson and [Jonathan] Taylor kept them on the their toes all day.”

Grounded Jets

“For the first time this season, the Colts offense and defense had a good game! Not a perfect game, but a good game!” Heather enthused. “Complementary football changes everything; When the offense doesn’t turn the ball back over, the defense isn’t on the field all day, and the Colts don’t get killed in time of possession like they have so many times this season.”

The Colts held the ball for nearly 10 more minutes than New York, keeping a Jets offense, led by a future Hall of Famer, largely off the field.

“And Kwity Paye had some well-timed sacks on Aaron Rodgers, which kept what was supposed to be a star-studded offense out of the end zone.”

She ain’t Lion

“The Lions come to town on Sunday,” Lloyd cautioned. “They’re 9-1 and one of the best teams in the NFL. So, don’t rest on the laurels of beating one of the the worst teams in the NFL.”

Lloyd lauds the promising return of Richardson, but urges him to keep up whatever worked in his preparation for the Jets.

“…there’s the behind the scenes work: the meetings, the studying, the note taking, the effort,” she said. “Shane Steichen talked about the strides [Richardson] made the last two weeks in all of those areas, and maybe that added to his confidence going into this week. But football is a week-to-week game, so that effort is going to have to continue and he’s going to have to keep that drive and focus and intensity over the next seven weeks to finish the season strong and send a message that he’s ready to be a pro deserving of the (captain’s) ‘C’ on his chest.”