MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts got their win midseason quarterback switch to Anthony Richardson’s Joe Flacco with a sole focus on the present, turning to the steady hand and still-strong arm of a 17-year veteran for their best chance to catch the vulnerable Houston Texans in the division race.

If the Colts can’t find a way to score more than this, the future will soon dawn.

Flacco had a tough return to the starting role against Minnesota’s defense on Sunday night, with one interception, three late sacks and just 179 yards on 16-for-27 passing in a 21-13 victory by the Vikings.

“They were definitely after us,” Flacco said. “They did what they were going to do the whole game. We played a game here and there, but then we shot ourselves in the foot.”

The Colts (4-5) had just two Matt Gay field goals to show for their second half. Kenny Moore II’s fumbled return touchdown was the extent of their first half production. Over their last three games, they have totaled three offensive touchdowns.

“They did a lot of good things defensively. They mixed up their coverage, blitz looks. We knew it was going to be a tough challenge in the game. That’s a good football team we played against, but in the end it wasn’t good enough. I have to get better,” said coach Shane Steichen, who vowed to continue to thoroughly assess the program.

That’s the priority for the coming week, not shuffling the lineup. Steichen said he didn’t think about using Richardson again during the game and that Flacco would remain the starter for now.

“There might have been some wins here and there that we could have had, but he’s a quiet guy who has been playing at a high level for a long time,” Steichen said. “I can say that I have a lot of confidence in him.”

The Colts, who host Buffalo (7-2) next week, ran just 49 plays and totaled 227 yards.

“We’d go over 50 a lot and just hang where it was just too far to be a field goal,” wide receiver Alec Pierce said. “We need to better maintain these drivers.”

That starts on the ground, where Jonathan Taylor had nothing against a defense that entered the game with the third-best average in the NFL in yards allowed per rushing play. Taylor lost a fumble on the opening drive that Harrison Smith recovered and finished with 13 carries for 48 yards with a long of 13 yards. He had three catches for 11 yards.

“We didn’t necessarily have to stack the box too much,” Smith said. “I think it was just guys up front coming out of the blocks and making plays.”

Taylor rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries against the Texans the week before.

“We’re going to clean that up,” Steichen said. “I have complete confidence that we will clean that up.”

Richardson, the fourth overall pick in the 2023 draft, missed two games earlier this season with an oblique muscle injury. He was sidelined for the final twelve games of his rookie year due to a shoulder injury.

His running ability gives the Colts a very different look, but Steichen dismissed questions about whether the abrupt change in style has disrupted the players.

“It’s like any position, right? You have to work on it,” Steichen said. “Next man.”

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