{
  "id": 2642488,
  "title": "Thoughts on everything that went wrong in Colts 34-6 preseason loss to Falcons",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/22/thoughts-on-everything-that-went-wrong-in-colts-34-6-preseason-loss",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-22T20:27:33.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/thoughts-everything-went-wrong-colts-202733172.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Indianapolis Colts suffered a 34-6 preseason loss to the Atlanta Falcons, with few players performing well and several raising questions about their roster eligibility. Riley Leonard, the starting quarterback, struggled throughout the game, even when given advantageous opportunities to showcase his skills. Leonard finished the game 7-for-14 for 62 yards, failing to demonstrate the spark and competence needed to secure a starting position. Anthony Richardson, the former first-round pick, was present but didn't capitalize on the chance to prove himself as a potential starter. The Colts' defensive line struggled, with linebacker C.J. Allen playing like a rookie who missed significant time with injuries and lacking the necessary instincts and positioning. Additionally, the cornerbacks showed poor depth, with Mekhi Blackmon committing numerous pass interference penalties and being consistently beaten in coverage. The uncertainty surrounding second-round pick C.J. Allen's starting position and the potential absence of Tyler Goodson, the team's leading rusher, adds to the concerns for the upcoming season.",
  "summary": "Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard struggle in battle to be Colts backup QB, and rookie LB CJ Allen raises questions about starting Week 1",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Colts and Falcons engage in 'a little friendly banter' on second day of joint workouts",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/colts-and-falcons-engage-in-a-little-friendly-banter-on-second-day-of",
        "published": "2026-08-20T23:59:32.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}