What to expect if Colts start Philip Rivers at QB vs Seahawks

In perhaps the most surprising turn of events in the NFL this season, 44-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers has come out of a retirement that dates back five years and appears to be the likely starter for the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.

Colts say QB Philip Rivers could start against Seahawks on Sunday

A literal grandfather who has already shown up on the Pro Football Hall of Fame ballot, Rivers signed to the Colts’ practice squad after starter Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending Achilles injury on Sunday and backup Riley Leonard hurt his knee after entering Indy’s loss Sunday at Jacksonville.

Leonard has been a full participant in practice this week, but all signs have been pointing to Rivers being the choice to start for a Colts team that started with a 7-1 record but has since fallen to 8-5.

What can be expected if Rivers does indeed face a 10-3 Seahawks team that is fourth in the NFL with 41 sacks this year?

“Well, it’s going to be must-see TV,” NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said Thursday on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk. “… It’s going to be awesome. I was talking to somebody and they said this is going to be like a Disney movie or it’s going to be like a horror flick. Like, there’s no in between. But it’s going to be must-see TV. I can’t wait for it.”

Facing this Seahawks defense in what could be rainy conditions at Seattle’s Lumen Field probably wouldn’t be the first choice for most quarterbacks coming out of a five-year layoff, but Jeremiah knows Rivers well from having covered him as a Chargers broadcaster and believes the eight-time Pro Bowler will still have some tricks up his sleeve.

“I mean, if there was going to be the worst-case scenario of who I’d want to play against, where I’d want to play and weather and all those things, it would probably be what he’s getting ready to walk into,” Jeremiah said. “But I was around Philip for a long time. He’s one of those guys I think will be able to throw a ball into his 80s. He’s got his different way of doing it, but I think he’ll be able to throw the ball OK.

“To me, it’s just going to be a matter of how does he deal with the punishment that he’s going to inevitably get in this game? He’s going to get hit.”

Jeremiah and host Brock Huard, a longtime football analyst and former NFL QB, agreed that screen plays will probably be a big part of the gameplan for Rivers and the Colts on Sunday.

“When I was playing a bazillion years ago, Brock, you remember we used to have like the screen period, which was maybe once a week would be like a 10-minute period in practice?” Jeremiah said. “I think to me, if I were the Colts, it’d be like the screen period would be the practice, and then I would sprinkle in a couple other things for a 10-minute period.”

Responded Huard: “Yeah, get the ball out, right?”

Even with the shock factor that comes with Rivers’ return, there’s a reason the Colts are turning to him as they try to keep their season on track. And he probably won’t be the worst QB seen this year by the Seahawks, who have faced a number of backup QBs recently, including Minnesota’s Max Brosmer, who had just 126 passing yards, no touchdowns and four interceptions in a game the Seahawks won 26-0 on Nov. 30.

“He can’t be worse than Max Brosmer, right?” Huard asked.

“(Rivers) is gonna be better than him,” Jeremiah said. “And you watch – like, even as great as the Seattle front is, they’ll pop a run because he’ll see something early, which he’s really, really good at. He’ll get him in the right check, the right call, and they’ll probably catch a run here or there because of his brain. So that’ll be kind of an underrated aspect of having him in there. I did hear yesterday that he practiced really well, threw the ball well.”

Catch Daniel Jeremiah weekly on Brock and Salk, typically at 8:30 a.m. each Tuesday. Brock and Salk is live from 6-10 a.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• Daniel Jeremiah: Seahawks rookie Grey Zabel ‘an elite guard now’
• Injury Report: Seattle Seahawks in great shape to start week
• Date and time for Seahawks’ Week 17 game at Carolina announced
• Seahawks Notebook: Coach leaves team; two players designated to return
• How much winning No. 1 seed would help Seahawks’ Super Bowl chances

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