Why Colts choosing Daniel Jones over Anthony Richardson is a mistake; Texas an easy choice in SEC expert picks

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This is an article version of the CBS Sports HQ AM Newsletter, the ultimate guide to every day in sports. You can sign up to get it in your inbox every weekday morning here.

🏈 Good morning to all but especially to …

CJ CARR

No. 6 Notre Dame has its new starting quarterback. CJ Carr, the grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, will get the keys to a talented Fighting Irish offense. Notre Dame opens at No. 10 Miami on Aug. 31.

• Carr was a four-star recruit (No. 45 overall, No. 6 QB per 247Sports’ rankings) in the 2024 class. He played in just one game last year, rushing for a touchdown in a 66-7 shellacking of Purdue.
• Carr beat out Kenny Minchey, who has four career games under his belt and performed well throughout the offseason and preseason.
• Notre Dame lost last year’s starter, Riley Leonard, to the NFL Draft and last year’s backup, Steve Angeli, went to Syracuse.

Carr gets a tough test to start against the Hurricanes. It doesn’t get much easier when Texas A&M comes to South Bend in Week 3 and the Irish then go to Arkansas in Week 5. It’s a good thing he’ll have one of sport’s best players by his side, Chip Patterson notes.

• Patterson: “Jeremiyah Love is a preseason All-American at running back after posting 1,125 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns at 6.9 yards per attempt in 2024. And not only that, but Love has a talented group of backups with Jadarian Price and Aneyas Williams also expected to get opportunities carrying the football. With Notre Dame’s strength at running back and along the offensive line, the quarterback position in South Bend might just need a bus driver who can get everyone where they need to go on time. “

Elsewhere, BYU announced Bear Bachmeier as its starter.

😁 Honorable mentions

• Happy retirement, John Wall.
• The Yankees tied a franchise record, crushing nine homers against the Rays.
• Arch Manning hasn’t ruled out entering the 2026 NFL Draft, contrary to what his grandfather Archie Manning said.
• Matthew Stafford (back) took a “step in the right direction” in his second practice, Sean McVay said.
• Malik Nabers (back) returned to practice, and Andrew Thomas (foot) is on his way back, too. 
• Cameron Heyward returned to practice, even absent a new contract.
• The Vikings are ready to contend. Is J.J. McCarthy?
• Chris Trapasso handed out preseason Week 2 grades to every first-round rookie.
• Angel Reese is back.
• Vladimir Guerrero Jr. only has hamstring inflammation and is day-to-day.
• Also, credit these three unlikely contributors for the Blue Jays‘ rise.
• The Phillies reinstated José Alvarado, though he won’t be able to pitch in the postseason.
• Savion Hiter, the top running back in the 2026 class, committed to Michigan.
• The Pacers extended Rick Carlisle.
• Khamzat Chimaev rose in our latest UFC Pound-for-Pound Fighter Rankings.

🏈 And not such a good morning for …

ANTHONY RICHARDSON SR. AND THE INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

The Colts have made their call on their starting quarterback. It’s probably not the one they wanted and certainly not the one they envisioned at this time last year. Coach Shane Steichen announced Daniel Jones as Indianapolis’ starter behind center, with the former Giants and Vikings quarterback beating out Anthony Richardson Sr.

• Jones, 28, got a one-year, $14 million deal this offseason only months after being benched for Tommy DeVito in New York. After being released, Jones landed in Minnesota, where he did not appear in a game.
• Now, despite a 3-13 record and just 10 passing touchdowns compared to 13 interceptions over the past two years, he’s a starter.

This is a massive indictment of Richardson and of the Colts. Indianapolis took Richardson, a historically raw but historically athletic prospect, fourth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. He played in just four games before season-ending shoulder surgery in 2023 and played in 11 games last year due to a combination of injuries and a benching amid major struggles.

But, really, is Jones the answer? Steichen pointed out Jones’ 2022 season — when he made the playoffs and got a four-year, $160 million extension — but really, that’s not anything to strive for. That year, Jones ranked …

• 33rd (dead last) in explosive passing rate
• 32nd in air yards per attempt
• 24th in yards per attempt

He played in a very basic, play-action heavy offense that limited both mistakes and chances for big plays. And that was Jones at his best, before multiple injuries that have seemingly sapped his athleticism and arm strength. This decision has zero upside, Jared Dubin writes.

• Dubin: “Jones is not a safe, reliable option under center. If that were the case, it would be easier to spin this type of decision. But he’s a volatile player with no real ceiling potential to make up for the tremendous downside. … The downside potential of the two players is the same: inaccurate passing, sacks and turnovers … With Richardson, though, at least there is the allure of the unknown, and due to his outrageous athleticism and arm strength, the potential to outweigh the negatives with extreme positives. That doesn’t exist with Jones.”

I couldn’t say it better. Steichen and GM Chris Ballard hitched their wagon to Richardson two years ago. Then they showed very little patience — to be fair, Richardson’s injuries didn’t help — with a player who needed it as much as any highly picked quarterback ever. Now, they’re trying to save their jobs with a player who has been one of the NFL’s worst quarterbacks recently.

Richardson said he respects the decision, though his agent suggested it’s not that straightforward. In all likelihood, another season going nowhere — despite a solid core — is ahead for Indianapolis.

😟 Not so honorable mentions

🏈 SEC expert picks, bold predictions

It’s SEC time in our power conference previews, and in the conference where It Just Means More™, there’s much more agreement regarding conference champion pick. No. 1 Texas topped seven of our nine expert predictions, though LSU earned the other two nods. Chris Hummer explained why the Tigers are his pick.

• Hummer: “LSU is built to win a championship this season. The Tigers have one of the best quarterbacks in the country, elite skill talent and a revamped defense that should jump from liability to strength. It will likely take some time for the Tigers to fully come together with so many new pieces on both sides of the ball, which is why I think a Week 1 loss to Clemson is likely. But this is a team by season’s end that will be able to score on anyone in the SEC and — perhaps more importantly — stop them.”

There’s pretty much a consensus top four in Texas, LSU, Georgia and Alabama, but after that? Opinions vary. Ole Miss, Florida, Texas A&M and Missouri all got votes to finish fifth, and Chip Patterson even has the Rebels fourth. Our experts’ bold predictions have one thing in common, though: There will be carnage.

🏀 Our NBA Quarter Century awards

Our latest installment in the “NBA Quarter Century” series is the awards, the selections of which I’m sure everyone will agree upon. (Insert sarcasm here.)

There have been many great players this century. Sport-defining players, even. The 3-point shooting of Stephen Curry, the freakish athleticism of Giannis Antetokounmpo, the wizardry of Nikola Jokić, the scoring smoothness of Kevin Durant, the isolation prowess of James Harden.

But LeBron James stands above all as the Quarter Century MVP. The numbers are absurd, and he’s won a title everywhere he’s played. But let Sam Quinn explain why James also earns two other awards, including:

• Quinn: “Clutch Player of the Century: LeBron James — James has scored almost 8,300 playoff points in his career. No other player this century has reached 5,000. He has four game-winning buzzer beaters in the postseason and what is arguably the greatest clutch defensive play in NBA history when he chased down Andre Iguodala in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals.”

We had a tie for second in this category as well as a fierce race for Defensive Player of the Century. Again, if you love basketball, you’ll love these lists.

📺 What we’re watching Wednesday

⚾ Little League World Series: Venezuela vs. Taipei, 1 p.m. on ESPN
⚾ Mariners at Phillies or Astros at Tigers, 1:05 p.m. on MLB Network
⚾ Little League World Series: Las Vegas vs. Fairfield (Conn.), 3 p.m. on ESPN
⚾ Little League World Series: Japan vs. Aruba, 5 p.m. on ESPN
⚾ Little League World Series: Irmo (S.C.) vs. Sioux Falls (S.D.), 7 p.m. on ESPN
⚾ Giants at Padres, 9:40 p.m. on MLB Network

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