Indianapolis Colts linebacker E.J. Speed speaks with the media July 25 after practice at Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield.

WESTFIELD – It might have been the play of the day Monday at Grand Park Sports Campus.

Slot receiver Josh Downs broke free toward the end zone, and quarterback Anthony Richardson recognized the big-play potential instantly.

The pass was slightly underthrown, but it still looked like an imminent touchdown as linebacker E.J. Speed closed in the final seconds. Just as Downs raised his hands to make the catch, Speed burst through the reception zone and broke up the play.

“I think that’s a step of growth for E.J.,” cornerback Kenny Moore II said. “Usually, I call that the red button. Whenever you can’t see the ball (as a defender), (the receiver) can see the ball and you’re pretty much waiting on his hands to come up and you’ve gotta slap and be aggressive through the point of contact.

“So it takes a great level of poise to be able to get the ball down on the ground, and I think E.J. definitely displayed that.”

The play was just one example of how the competition level is starting to accelerate during the Indianapolis Colts’ training camp.

Installs for both the offense and defense are nearly finished, and players are starting to play freer within the schemes.

It led to several entertaining moments during Monday’s 90-minute practice.

Richardson bounced back from the pass breakup on a later two-minute drive to thread the needle for a completion to tight end Kylen Granson at the 2-yard line. Moments later, on fourth-and-goal, the quarterback ran over the goal line for his second rushing touchdown of the day.

“(Defensive coordinator) Gus (Bradley) may tell you that in a critical two-minute drive there at the end where we’ve got to score, then the red-shirt (non-contact) quarterback crosses the line, maybe that’s not legal,” offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said with a smile. “But, hey, he’s playing ball. We’re out there competing. I think it was a touchdown. We’ll have all those discussions behind closed doors.”

Though they might quibble over the details, there was good back-and-forth between the offense and the defense throughout practice.

Richardson finished just 5-for-11, but he threw a red-zone touchdown pass to tight end Mo Alie-Cox in addition to his rushing scores.

The defense was highlighted by a pair of end-zone interceptions by safeties Nick Cross and Rodney Thomas II in addition to Speed’s touchdown-saving play.

Near the end of the session – following Richardson’s second touchdown run – there was a close play along the sideline as the quarterback attempted a 2-point conversion.

Richardson stretched his arm with the football in his hand to try to break the plane of the goal line, but the nearest official ruled he stepped out of bounds first.

The defense celebrated. The offense disputed the call.

Those are the kinds of situations coaches love this time of year.

“To my eyes, as the offensive coordinator, that quarterback sure got across that line, I thought,” Cooter said. “But that’s part of the fun of training camp. If you go to the defensive meeting, they won’t say that. You go to the offensive meeting, we might. But it’s part of the game.”

ROSTER MOVE

Cornerback Chris Lammons was activated from the physically unable to perform list and took reps in every drill during his first practice of the summer.

INJURY REPORT

Linebacker Liam Anderson, defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo, linebacker Jaylon Carlies and tight end Will Mallory did not participate in practice.

Mallory and Odeyingbo did some side work with athletic trainers for the second straight day.

NEXT PRACTICE

Wednesday is “Salute to Service” day.

Practice is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and last until 10:30.

Colts City will be open from 8 to 11 a.m., weather permitting.

Admission is free, but tickets must be downloaded at Colts.com/camp.