Is Anthony Richardson playing tonight? Latest on Colts QB for Week 3 NFL preseason vs Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals and Indianapolis Colts are set to play in their last preseason game tonight, and while the Bengals are not expected to play any starters, the Colts are planning to go in the other direction.

Head coach Shane Steichen said after joint practice on Tuesday that the majority of the Colts' key players, including quarterback Anthony Richardson, will play in the game on Thursday at Paycor Stadium for a short while.

"Some guys might play less, some guys might play more, but want to get those guys out there and run around on Thursday night," Steichen said. "Obviously you want to be smart with these guys in the preseason because we got a long season ahead of us, but we're excited to get those guys out there on Thursday.”

There are advantages and disadvantages to playing starters in the preseason's last game, and both sides can be justified. While it is good to give the starters more playing time and an opportunity to build rapport before the first game of the regular season, it also makes sense to prevent injuries to key players in a game that will ultimately have no significance.

The practice reps Richardson will receive under center against the Bengals before the regular season begins will be immensely helpful for a player who is still fairly untested. Richardson missed most of the previous season due to a shoulder ailment, and such games also enable him to continue refining the connection he has already created from training camp with his offensive weapons.

Richardson’s only preseason action so far has come against the Denver Broncos, where he participated in two series and seven plays in Week 1.

The Colts and quarterback Anthony Richardson are scheduled to open up their regular season campaign against the Houston Texans on Sunday, Sept. 8.

NFL Preseason Week 3: How to watch Cincinnati Bengals vs Indianapolis Colts?

The Week 3 preseason game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Cincinnati Bengals is scheduled to take place on Thursday, Aug. 22 at 8:00 p.m. ET at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The game will be nationally televised on Amazon Prime, so fans with a subscription can watch it without any problems. You can sign up for a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime if you don't already have one. Al Michaels will call plays, and Kirk Herbstreit will provide game color commentary. Kaylee Hartung will be in charge of sideline commentary for the game.

For those who prefer not to watch on Amazon Prime, the Bengals vs. Colts game will also be available for streaming on popular services like NFL+, Sling TV and FuboTV.

Below are all the details you need to watch the preseason finale:

Date and Time: Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024 at 8:00 p.m. ET

Location: Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio

Network: Amazon Prime

Live stream: FuboTV, SlingTV

Announcers: Al Michaels (Play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (color analyst), Kaylee Hartung (sideline commentator)