Anthony Richardson can throw a football 70 yards off his back foot.
It's an incredible feat to watch him do it too, and he has actually done it in a game this season in this year's season opener.
"The throw he made against Houston was like 70 yards in the air falling backwards," Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said. "That was incredible."
But what the Indianapolis Colts' second-year quarterback can't do is read an NFL defense quickly, and there's no shame in that considering it usually takes college standouts a minute, or 20 or so games to get adjusted to the speed and complexity of NFL defenses like the one Weaver runs, which comes into Sunday's road game ranked fifth in yards per game allowed.
And that's the journey this former University of Florida standout the Colts selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft is on, and the reason he's returning to the starting lineup despite Joe Flacco's impressive showing as Indianapolis' starter.
Forced into the lineup in the second quarter against Pittsburgh, Flacco, a 17-year veteran, has tossed seven touchdowns, one interception, completed 65.7% of his passes and posted a 102.2 quarterback rating, helping lead the Colts (3-3) to two wins during his time on the field.
The Dolphins would prefer to face Flacco because of his statuesque presence on the field. But they likely won't be that fortunate because selling hope is what the NFL's about, and Richardson's upside provides that.
Getting to that upside requires a continued investment in playing time. And that's why the 6-foot-4, 244-pounder who runs a 4.43 40-yard dash time is back in the starting lineup.
"I'm able to move better without any worry. I'm confident in all of my movement. And I'm throwing the ball normally," Richardson told the media this week. "I'm excited to get back in the groove, get back rolling."
Richardson flashed playmaking ability as a rookie last season, leading the Colts to a 2-2 record after winning the starting spot during training camp. But his run as a starter only lasted four games because of an AC joint sprain he suffered to his throwing shoulder.
He was having a promising second season, then he tore an oblique muscle.
Through Week 6 Richardson has completed 39 of 77 passes (50.6%), throwing for 654 yards, with three touchdowns, and six interceptions. He has been sacked four times and has gained 141 rushing yards and scored one rushing touchdown on 21 carries.
Oddly, or maybe not, Richardson has been knocked out of four of his eight starts in the NFL, always because of a hit at the end of a running play.
The 22-year-old suffered a bruised knee in his NFL debut, a concussion against the Texans, a season-ending shoulder injury against the Titans last season and now the oblique injury, which was previously labeled as a hip injury.
Maybe his style, which is reminiscent to former Carolina Panthers starter Cam Newton, a dual-threat quarterback, has plenty to do with it.
"When he pulls the ball down to run he looks like John Riggins. He's enormous. He runs through people," Weaver said, referring to the Hall of Fame running back who thrived while playing in Washington behind an offensive line known as The Hogs. "His skill set. His physical attributes. He is certainly still maturing as a player, but I think his ceiling is incredibly high."
The Dolphins have annually struggled against quarterbacks who present challenges with their legs, and this Sunday's contest will put Weaver's defense to that test for the second time this season (Buffalo's Josh Allen was the first).
According to Weaver, he has instructed his defenders on the unique approaches they need to take defending Richardson. For instance, even when he's in an empty backfield they need to play him as if he's a Wildcat runner because every snap can easily be transformed into a quarterback keeper.
But Miami's advantage is the fact they can consistently switch up the defense's Richardson seeing, keeping the relatively inexperienced quarterback, who has completed more than 60 percent of his passes in a game three times, on his toes.
That's how defenses typically force young, inexperienced quarterbacks into making mistakes.
"It's going to be fun. He's got a strong arm. He can make plays with his feet," said safety Jevon Holland, whose unit is in the most danger because of how far Richardson can throw a football.
"He can extend plays and keep his eyes downfield, we've got to cover for longer, so just that and even in the front, they've got to keep their run lanes and that's hard for them because a lot of the time, there are gaps where they can go make plays on the quarterback," Holland continued. "Because he's so athletic it's easy for him to evade and get into open lanes."