Suddenly, there is life within the Indianapolis Colts organization. The team has lost three games in a row and starting quarterback Daniel Jones went down and out for the season with an Achilles injury in their loss last week to the Jacksonville Jaguars. First place had looked so secure a month ago, but the latest loss put them on the outside of the playoff structure looking in.
Just as the situation looked hopeless, the Colts brought back a quarterback from their past. They signed 44-year-old Philip Rivers who had concluded his career during the 2020 season and had retired from the NFL to begin his high school coaching career. Rivers is going to get an opportunity to show he can lead the team and get them back on the winning track.
If head coach Shane Steichen decides that he likes what he sees from Jones this week in practice, Rivers could get his opportunity this week when the Colts go to Seattle. The Seahawks (10-3) are dynamic this season and are battling the Los Angeles Rams for NFC West superiority and have a legitimate chance to earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.
Rivers sounds like a man who would love the opportunity to return to NFL action as soon as possible. “I’ll be ready to go,” Rivers said after the team's mid-week practice, per The Athletic. “I’m going to prepare and push for that. I don’t mean push (the coaches) for that. I mean, push myself to get there. And if that’s what we feel, they feel, we collectively feel is the best decision, then we’ll go.”
Rivers will gain job, but he will throw 2 interceptions
Technically, rookie Riley Leonard is the No. 1 quarterback at this point. However, he simply does not have the savvy or experience to guide the Colts at this point when the schedule gets so challenging. After facing the Seahawks, the Colts have home games against the San Francisco 49ers and Jacksonville Jaguars before a closing road game against the Houston Texans.
Ideally, the Colts can depend on the brilliant play of running back Jonathan Taylor. He has been sensational to this point with 1,356 yards and 16 rushing TDs while averaging 5.49 yards per carry. Steichen knows the running game will almost certainly lose its steam if the passing game is not credible.
The Colts don't have a game-breaking receivers. They have competent pass catchers in Alec Pierce, Michael Pittman and Tyler Warren. If Rivers can show that he can still play at an NFL level — fairly doubtful at age 44 — the Colts have a chance to end their losing streak and get back on track.
However, the Seahawks will come at Rivers with significant pressure in the form of Byron Murphy, Leonard Williams, Uchenna Nwosu and DeMarcus Lawrence. They will force Rivers into throwing at least 2 interceptions that will hurt the Colts badly.
Darnold will throw for 250-plus yards and 2 TDs
The Seahawks have been consistent all season and they are playing their best football right now as they have 7 of their last 8 games and 3 in a row.
Head coach Mike Macdonald has a team that is solid on both sides of the ball, and Sam Darnold is the triggerman of the team's dependable offense. Darnold remains a QB1 who can diagnose the opposing defense's coverage plans fairly easily and deliver a pass that will get the best of that coverage. He has completed 241 of 354 passes for 3,162 yards with 22 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
He has a great 1-2 receiving punch with Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp, much as he did last year in Minnesota with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Smith-Njigba has caught 89 passes for 1,428 yards and has 9 TD receptions. Kupp is an outstanding 3rd-down target.
In addition to Darnold's passing attack, the running of Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet complements what Darnold can do through the air. Walker is fast and explosive and has 762 rushing yards and a 4.48 yards per carry mark. Charbonnet can get the tough yards between the tackles and is a key contributor. His 483 rushing yards and 3.66 yards per carry mark don't tell the full story. He can punish defenses on short-yardage plays and he has scored 8 rushing touchdowns.
Look for the Darnold to do plenty of damage through the air and throw TD passes for Smith-Njigba and Kupp.
Seahawks have too much momentum and will dominate in second half
The Seahawks are getting close to the finish line and they know they have to keep up with the Rams. They can't afford to let a slumping team with a 44-year-old grandfather under center beat them.
Unless they are looking past the Colts at the Week 16 home game against the Rams, the Seahawks will impose their will and put the Colts away in the second half. They will win this game by at least two touchdowns.
