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Stephen Holder
SEATTLE — Philip Rivers gave the Indianapolis Colts a chance.
In his stunning return after nearly five full seasons in retirement, Rivers started at quarterback for the Colts and positioned them to win before a late collapse by Indy in an 18-16 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
Rivers led the Colts on a would-be game-winning drive that was capped by a team-record 60-yard field goal by Blake Grupe with 47 seconds remaining. But the Seahawks responded with a game-winning drive that Jason Myers punctuated with his 56-yard field goal.
But given the circumstances — Rivers was with Indianapolis just five days before suiting up for the game — he might have demonstrated that his comeback is viable.
Rivers completed 18 of 27 passes for 120 yards with a touchdown and an interception, managing the offense with precision and helping the Colts navigate the Seattle defensive front while playing alongside two backup offensive tackles.
Though he joined the Colts in less than peak game shape, Rivers showed he could still handle the rigors of the NFL. He took several big hits in the game and emerged seemingly unscathed, including on a fourth-quarter play where he corralled a high snap but couldn’t get a pass off and was taken down by two defenders.
Rivers threw his first touchdown since the 2020 season when he connected with receiver Josh Downs for a 7-yard crosser in the second quarter. That play gave the Colts a 13-3 lead and created uneasiness for the home crowd at Lumen Field. The Seahawks’ defense had allowed just nine combined points in its previous two games against the Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons.
