The Indianapolis Colts kept things interesting in Philip Rivers‘ first game back in the NFL, but ultimately fell short due to an interception in the dying seconds of the game, 16-18, against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 15. Rivers threw for 120 yards and a pass touchdown on 18 completions.
Indy’s defense was doing much of the bulk of the work to help out an injury-plagued Colts’ offense, only allowing Seattle to score 6 points at halftime. The Colts’ defense also prevented the Seahawks from scoring a touchdown and held their run game to just 50 yards in the loss.
The loss puts Indianapolis’ record at 8-6, further down the list of AFC teams in the hunt for a wildcard spot, and they are now third in the division after being at the top for the first couple of months of the season.
The Colts will need to win out the last three games of the regular season to have a chance of making the playoffs as the seventh seed in the conference, which will be a difficult road ahead. However, head coach Shane Steichen provided an encouraging update that could benefit the team in the long run.
Shane Steichen Delivers News On First-Rounder
GettyColts head coach Shane Steichen delivered some news after the Week 15 loss
The first three quarterbacks on the Indianapolis Colts’ initial 53-man roster to start the roster are dealing with their own respective injuries, but one of those QBs could be on his way back to the roster.
Shane Steichen announced that Anthony Richardson, who was selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, is making major improvements from the fractured orbital bone he suffered earlier in the season and that he will be returning to the “physical activity” of practice.
The head coach said that the team will be look over opening Richardson’s 21-day practice window avaliability and will decide if they will elevate the player from injured reserve.
Getting the former Florida Gator back could give the Colts a positive way to end the season if he were to make his way back to the final 53-man roster and possibly play in the final three games of the season.
Richardson has vast knowledge of the offense Steichen likes to run and is in playing shape, something Rivers lacks since he was in retirement. The former first-round draft pick is a mobile quarterback and could escape the pocket to make some plays happen downfield on a squad that is still in the hunt for the playoffs.
Daniel Jones beat out Richardson for the starting spot for this season, with Jones leading the team to 8 wins this season, but it could be Richardson who seals the Colts’ trip to the postseason.
Starter In Week 16
GettyPhilip Rivers threw a touchdown in his first game back in the NFL
With the positive news surrounding Anthony Richardson, Shane Steichen also announced the starter for the teams’ Week 16 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.
The head coach annouced that Philip Rivers will be the starter for the Week 16 and mentioned that the QB feels good after his return.
“[Rivers] said, ‘I got my normal bruises that I had when I played… But I feel pretty darn good.’ [It] was good for him to come out of the game cleam,” Steichen said.
Steichen believed that even with the the five year retirement, Philip Rivers did good with what he produced on the field.
Anthony Richardson is still recovering from his eye injury, but the clock is ticking for what he is able to contribute for the remainder of the season.
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