Philip Rivers Battled Father Time, but the Colts Defense Couldn’t Battle Anyone
You almost have to laugh to keep from crying if you’re a Colts fan right now.
It’s the kind of script that usually gets rejected by Hollywood for being too on-the-nose. The old gunslinger, Philip Rivers—44 years young, fresh off the couch, likely smelling of icy hot and determination—walks back into Lucas Oil Stadium to save the season. And the wildest part? He actually almost pulled it off.
Monday night wasn’t just a football game; it was a tragic comedy in four quarters. While Rivers was busy turning back the clock to 2013, the Indianapolis defense decided to fast-forward straight to the offseason. The result was a 48-27 drubbing at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers that wasted a vintage performance from the old man and pushed the Colts’ playoff hopes to the brink of extinction.
The Old Man Still Has the Juice
Let’s be honest: nobody expected this. When Rivers was signed off the street last week to plug the hole left by Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson, we all expected a few wobblers, maybe a turnover or two, and a lot of “veteran leadership” on the sideline.
Instead, we got a clinic. Rivers finished 23-for-34 for 277 yards and two touchdowns. He didn’t just manage the game; he was slinging the rock. In the first half alone, he torched Robert Saleh’s defense for 175 yards. He found Alec Pierce for two scores, and for a glorious moment before halftime, with the Colts trailing just 24-17, you could feel the electricity in the building.
The man is 44. Most guys his age are pulling hamstrings getting out of a recliner. Rivers was out there leading a 12-play drive in the fourth quarter that ended with a Jonathan Taylor touchdown run, cutting the deficit to a single score. He did his job. He gave them a chance.
A Defensive “No-Show” for the Ages
And then there was the defense. Oh boy, the defense.
If Rivers was the hero of this tragedy, the Colts’ defense was the villain—or perhaps the comic relief, depending on how dark your sense of humor is. DeForest Buckner summed it up better than any analyst could in the post-game locker room: “We couldn’t stop a nosebleed today.”
That might be an understatement. Just eight days ago, this same unit didn’t allow a single touchdown against the Seahawks. They walked into Monday night allowing the second-fewest rushing yards per attempt in the league. They left with tire tracks on their jerseys.
Christian McCaffrey treated the Colts’ front seven like traffic cones, churning out 117 yards on 24 carries. The 49ers scored touchdowns on their first three possessions. There was no resistance. It was a layup line. Linebacker Zaire Franklin didn’t mince words either: “We got dominated today. It’s really nothing else to talk about.”
When your 44-year-old quarterback puts up 27 points—the offense’s best outing since Week 10—you are supposed to win. You are at least supposed to make it hard for the other guys. Instead, the Colts let Brock Purdy look like prime Joe Montana, allowing him to throw for five touchdowns.
The Playoff Picture is Bleak
This loss stings for more than just the emotional toll on Rivers. The math is getting ugly in Indianapolis.
The Colts have now dropped five straight games. Read that again. They started 8-2. They are now 8-7. They are attempting to become just the sixth team in NFL history to miss the playoffs after starting 8-2, a statistic that no fan base ever wants to be associated with.
They sit two games back of the Texans for the final wild-card spot with only two games left. They need help, and a lot of it. They need the Chargers to beat the Texans on Saturday just to make Sunday’s game against Jacksonville meaningful. If Houston wins, the Colts are eliminated before they even snap the chin straps on Sunday.
The Tragedy of the Return
There is a genuine sadness to this. Rivers didn’t have to come back. He didn’t have to take the hits. He did it because he loves the game, and for 60 minutes on Monday, he played like he never left.
“I feel bad because we let him down,” Buckner admitted. “He’s balling, putting up points and it’s our job to make sure the other team doesn’t score. And we didn’t show up today.”
That’s the headline. Rivers showed up. The defense stayed home. And now, barring a miracle, one of the most intriguing comeback stories of the decade is going to end not with a playoff run, but with a whimper.
