Doug Pederson compares preparing for Anthony Richardson to Cam Newton
The Jaguars will be the first team to play against Anthony Richardson, as the No. 4 overall pick makes his professional debut on Sunday for the Colts.
The rookie presents inherent challenges for a defense and the young quarterback's skillset reminds Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson of a former MVP.
"I mean, it's tough. You think of him, you think of Cam Newton — these are big, physical, strong quarterbacks that can also throw the football. And they're athletic." Pederson said in his Wednesday press conference. "It is a challenge. So each quarterback who can — when you watch the tape, he can break arm tackles. And then he can run for 15, 20, 30, 40 yards and beat you with his legs.
"So, we’ve got to stay disciplined, obviously, defensively. We've got to be a good tackle football team against guys like this."
Richardson is also playing for a first-time head coach in Shane Steichen, so that makes exactly what to prepare for that much more of a mystery.
"You definitely go back and watch [college tape], just to see who he is and how [Richardson] operates," Pederson said. "And then you go back and watch his preseason tape. And then you go back and watch some of the Philly stuff — what they did with Jalen [Hurts]. Maybe you even go back and watch a little bit of Daniel Jones a little bit because some of their coaches have worked with him. And just see how these different QB runs can affect the game."
Pederson and the Jaguars will see how the Richardson, Steichen, and the Colts attack them at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.
