Colts Notebook: Philip Rivers Or Riley Leonard Starting Sunday?
- Rivers returns to Colts, bringing energy and experience
- Colts need improved run game and pass rush to win
- Playoff implications as Colts face tough Seahawks defense
INDIANAPOLIS – In the never-ending storylines that surround the Indianapolis Colts, quite the one is here in Week 15.
At 8-5, the Colts could very well be turning to 44-year-old Philip Rivers as they hit the road to take on the Seahawks as a two-touchdown underdog in Week 15.
Here are some takeaways from the Colts first practice of the week:
-Can’t recall the last time I’ve heard Shane Steichien more fired up for a Wednesday press conference. Even prior to realizing Riley Leonard was injured, Steichen was already dialing up Philip Rivers on Sunday night to pitch the idea of joining the Colts. Once Rivers thought it over, he was on a plane headed for Indianapolis. How did Rivers look at Monday’s workout? “He didn’t forget to throw a football,” Shane Steichen said on Wednesday. Unless things look bleak for Rivers in practice this week, I get the impression he will be the starter on Sunday in Seattle. The Colts, having lost 4 of 5 games, need an injection of juice. Steichen fully believes Rivers is bringing that. “His passion and his obsession for the game is unmatched,” the head coach says of Rivers, with the two speaking routinely after years together in San Diego. “For him to come back and want to do this at 44 years old is incredible.”
-Philip Rivers, admittedly a few pounds heavier than when he last played in an NFL game, was watching on Sunday when Daniel Joens went down with a torn Achilles. And the thought did enter the 44-year-old’s mind, if Shane Steichen would call him to gauge his interest on a late-season return. Sure enough, a few hours later, Steichen was calling Rivers. Several times on Wednesday, Rivers acknowledged the doubt about him returning to play 5 years later. He knows moving in the pocket on a Sunday is a far cry from throwing routes vs. air on Monday. These are things he will try to test in practice this week. And Rivers offered the necessary blueprint, no matter who is starting for the Colts on Sunday. “I’m not here to save the day. We have to stinkin’ run the football and play defense.” As Colts players dressed for practice on Wednesday, there was starting center Tanor Bortolini mimicking some snap motions to Rivers. With Jones on injured reserve, it’s Rivers who will wear jersey No. 17. Will that be the man under center when the Colts face a Seattle defense that hasn’t allowed a touchdown in two years? As of Wednesday afternoon, several signs point to Rivers starting, some 1,800 days after he last threw a pass in an NFL game.
-The knee injury for quarterback Riley Leonard isn’t going to keep him off the practice field to start this week. Leonard said he didn’t expect to have any practice limitations on Wednesday. It’s very rare for NFL starting quarterbacks to practice on a Wednesday and not play in that weekend’s game. But when asked if a healthy Leonard would start on Sunday, Shane Steichen offered his patented: “We’ll see.”
-The Colts did bring quarterback Brett Rypien up to the 53-man roster on Wednesday, a sign he will be dressed and serving some QB role on Sunday (backup? 3rd string/emergency?). Rypien has been on the practice squad since his Indy arrival two months ago, yet to be promoted to even the 3rd QB dressing slot on game days.
-With the arrival of Philip Rivers, the Colts had the rare Wednesday practice in the month of December under Shane Steichen. Typically, given the grind and attrition of an NFL season, Steichen has opted for a team walk-through on Wednesdays late in the year. But the Colts changed their schedule once Rivers joined the team. They will now practice 3 straight days, Wednesday-Friday, like they would on a Wednesday earlier in the season. Steichen said the reason for this is he thought the team needed some energy on the practice field earlier in the week, and acknowledging it’s important for Rivers, too.
-The Colts are opening up the 21-day practice window for DeForest Buckner (neck). Now, Buckner hasn’t played or practiced in a month, so we will see how quickly he can ramp it up. But Buckner does play a position where he could play on some limited snaps. Is Sunday possible for Buckner, as the Colts desperately need pass rush help?
-Incredible offensive line health for the Colts this season could have a rare change coming in Week 15. With Braden Smith (neck/concussion) exiting the loss to the Jaguars early and not practicing on Wednesday, it’s looking like rookie Jalen Travis will get his first NFL start at right tackle. The Colts have had the same starting offensive line intact for 12 of the first 13 games this season (Matt Goncalves missed a Week 4 game with the Rams).
-Speaking of Philip Rivers saying the Colts run game is important for Sunday, take a look at Jonathan Taylor during this stretch of 4 of 5 games. These are the yards per carry numbers for Taylor during that stretch: 3.2 (loss), 7.6 (win), 3.6 (loss), 4.0 (loss), 3.5 (loss). Yes, the Colts really need to get Taylor going again.
-It’s looking like the Colts are back to cornerback life with young guys flanking Kenny Moore II. With Sauce Gardner (calf, didn’t practice Wednesday) iffy for Sunday and Mooney Ward (concussion) on injured reserve, are we looking at Jaylon Jones and Mekhi Blackmon as the team’s top two outside corners on Sunday? That’s less than ideal when you are facing the Seahawks, the Colts have the task of defending wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who is currently the major leader in receiving yards (1,428), with his 121 targets ranking 2nd in the league. And now the Colts are likely to see him without their top 2 outside cornerbacks.
-Completely understandably, the tone around Mooney Ward is all about him as a human being right now. And that holds even more after the news on Wednesday with the Colts placing Ward on injured reserve, thus ending his 2025 season. In my 15 years of covering the Colts, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a player in concussion protocol 3 separate times in 3 months. But that’s the case with Ward right now. Best to Ward in resting, healing and getting time away from football. A discussion about ever playing football again can wait for the 29-year-old.
-Oh yeah, the Colts are still very much in the AFC playoff picture. Here’s a closer look at the standings going into Week 15. If the Colts can somehow find a way to 2 or 3 wins in the final 4 weeks, they could very well be in, especially if those 2 wins are the AFC South games against the Jaguars and Texans to finish the year.
-Among the defensive areas for improvement for the Colts, coordinator Lou Anarumo is pointing to too many explosive plays and a lack of a consistent pass rush. Specifically, Anarumo wants to see more 1-on-1, individual wins in the pass rush game. Sacks and pressure have been there at times, but mostly from free blitzers and/or stunts
-The Seahawks defense is arguably the best in the NFL, having yet to allow a touchdown in the last two games. Seattle has struggled in the giveaway department (31st), yet still have 10 wins on the season.
