Falcons Blow Out Colts 34-6: Tyler Goodson and Cash Jones Star, Anthony Richardson Struggles

Atlanta beat Indianapolis 34-6 in Week 2 of the preseason in a game that neither team's presumed Week 1 starting quarterback dressed up for. Michael Penix Jr. never appeared for Atlanta at all, which turned this into a showcase for two Falcons skill players and a rough data point for Indianapolis's real starter.

Tyler Goodson and Cash Jones did all of Atlanta's damage

Goodson was the most explosive player on the field: six carries for 59 yards, a 9.8 average, capped by a 49-yard touchdown run. Cash Jones was Atlanta's most versatile weapon, a genuine dual threat: four catches for 62 yards and a 13-yard receiving touchdown, plus seven carries for 41 yards on the ground. Nathan Carter did the goal-line grunt work, finding the end zone but needing 17 carries to get to 42 yards.

Atlanta's real starters didn't play; Jack Strand and Cooper Rush ran the offense

Jack Strand threw for 212 yards and a touchdown on 12 of 17 passing, a 132.5 rating, while Cooper Rush was nearly as efficient in relief (10 of 11, 86 yards, 99.2 rating). Both quarterbacks were the backups' backups, which is exactly why Atlanta piled up 34 points against a Colts defense that was doing the same thing on the other side.

Anthony Richardson Sr.'s Week 2 line was rough

Richardson went 3 of 9 for 24 yards and was sacked twice, a 42.4 rating. Riley Leonard got the more extended run and wasn't much better statistically: 7 of 14 for 62 yards, a 62.2 rating. Neither line says anything definitive about Week 1, but with the Colts' quarterback job still genuinely open, Richardson's specific numbers here are worth remembering exactly as they are, without embellishment.

What to do with this

Tyler Goodson's per-carry burst and Cash Jones' dual-threat usage are the real fantasy-relevant signals from this blowout. Check the best ball tool to see how Atlanta's backfield is currently valued, and run Indianapolis's quarterback situation through the mock draft simulator if Richardson's rough outing has you second-guessing his ADP. Full box score: ESPN.