Colts offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton said he will not hesitate to use running back Trent Richardson against the Patriots on Saturday. He certainly hesitated to use him last week after Richardson fumbled away his only carry. It proved to be his last rushing attempt of the game, though Hamilton has an explanation.
"The game itself, after the fumble, really dictated that we went more into an attack mode," Hamilton told the Indianapolis Star. "Trent actually did a great job of playing without the ball. His ability to take on those linebackers and handle all of the different blitzes that we started to see, especially late in the game, was a big part of our success."
Richardson hopes his playing time at New England will not be limited to blocking.
"You feel like you've got to redeem yourself for it," he said about the fumble. "You feel like you've got to make a statement. That's one thing my brother has told me ... the fastest way to get yourself on the bench is fumbling the ball. And that replays in my head every day when I come out to work."
Richardson has been a disaster since the Colts traded a 2014 first-round pick to Cleveland for him in late September. He averaged just 2.9 yards per carry with Indianapolis.