Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who’s had his team in position to win two games, will be the X-factor when they face the Falcons at 1 p.m. Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Brissett was shoved into the limelight after Andrew Luck announced his surprise retirement on Aug. 24.
The Colts lost to the Chargers in overtime, 30-24, when kicker Adam Vinatieri missed two field goals and an extra point (potentially seven points and enough for the win). In Week Two, the Colts out-lasted the Titans in a 19-17 slugfest.
Brissett is taking good care of the football as he has completed 38 of 55 passes for 336 yards, five touchdowns and one interception. He has a passer rating of 107.8.
“He’s doing really well,” Colts coach Frank Reich said. “He’s playing good situational football. Good football in general. He’s had two really solid games.”
Brissett, who played at Florida and N.C. State, was selected in the third round (91st overall) of the 2016 NFL draft. He was traded to the Colts on Sept. 2, 2017 for wide receiver Phillip Dorsett.
When Luck retired, the Colts handed the ball to Brissett.
“The good news is that even though it was a sudden announcement on the retirement, Jacoby had gotten all of the work in the offseason because Andrew didn’t practice in the offseason,” Reich said. “He had spent plenty of time preparing and was ready for this opportunity.”
Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett sees a savvy veteran quarterback in Brissett.
“We have to give him the respect that he’s earned,” Jarrett said. “We want to put a good defense out there and put a good product on the field.”
The Falcons are impressed with Brissett’s 5-to-1, touchdown to interception ratio.
“The biggest thing you see from him is that he’s taking care of the football,” Falcons defensive passing game coordinator Jerome Henderson said. “He’s not putting the football at risk very often. He’s making good decisions and allowing his run game to help him. Using play-action and taking the throws that are there.”
Brissett had three redzone touchdown passes of 3, 4, and 12 yards against the Titans.
“He has some guys that are playmakers for them,” Henderson said. “When you look at the tight end (Eric Ebron), he’s a problem down there.”
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