This is a rare, even unprecedented, situation that has occurred in recent days in the twists and turns of the NFL. Just Sunday, the Colts saw their starting quarterback Daniel Jones, author of a phenomenal redemption this season, fall in action when he tore his Achilles tendon.
Thanks to the fantastic level demonstrated by Jones, who played despite a broken leg bone (fibula), the Indiana squad was in excellent position to reach the playoffs by virtue of a record of eight wins and four losses (they now have five with last Sunday’s defeat).
Called in to relieve Jones when he fell in action in the game which ended in a 36-19 failure against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Riley Leonard also injured a knee ligament.
And with Anthony Richardson, the Colts’ other contracted quarterback, suffering an orbital fracture after a bizarre incident during pregame warmups in October, Indianapolis found itself in a precarious position with not a single healthy quarterback entering the week.
This is why they called Rivers, who had been coaching the football team at St Michael Catholic secondary school for several years, to rush into the team. In the last days, he joined the practice team to remove the rust.
Leaving on Sunday
As Leonard was able to return to full training in the last few days, there was still some uncertainty regarding the identity of the next starter in Indiana.
But hey, Leonard already has a damaged knee, so he could aggravate this injury during Sunday’s duel which will be played against the excellent defensive unit of the Seattle Seahawks.
Furthermore, let’s say that Leonard appears to be a pivot with fairly clear limitations. Replacing Jones against Jacksonville, he completed 18 of 29 pass attempts for 145 yards and one interception.
And with the Colts in an extremely tough race to make the playoffs, they chose to go with Rivers as their starter now.
A future member of the football hall of fame, Rivers is no longer the star he once was, especially not with excess weight and five years of inactivity.
However, it is legitimate to believe that, with a few training sessions and good protection behind the team’s good offensive line, he still has a little something to offer to allow the Colts to advance on the field.
He is also more than capable of throwing handoffs to talented running back Jonathan Taylor.
Qualification now hardly possible
However, we must be honest, the Colts’ chances of taking part in the Super Bowl hunt have taken a hit. Even with Jones, they weren’t guaranteed to make it, especially not in the tough division they’re in.
This famous South division of the American Association has the astonishing Jacksonville Jaguars (9-4) and the Houston Texans (8-5), a team that has possibly the best defense in football. It won’t be easy to win the title of this division.
And as for the three places wildcard, we count on the presence of the Los Angeles Chargers (9-4), the Buffalo Bills (9-4), the Baltimore Ravens (6-7), the Kansas City Chiefs (6-7) and the Miami Dolphins (6-7).
Including the Colts in this, we’re talking about nine clubs that are in the race for four playoff tickets. And Indianapolis has, by far, the most difficult situation at the all-important quarterback position.
Qualification is not impossible, but it is now unlikely.
This is quite a contrast to what was being said in the NFL universe just a few weeks ago. By mid-October, the Indiana representatives were often mentioned as the best team in the American.
They then made a splash by picking up star cornerback from the New York Jets, Ahmad Gardner, for two first-round picks.
Come to think of it, it’s as if all the negative energy that has surrounded the Jets since Methuselah came to the Colts with Gardner. Everything went wrong from there.
And the last straw? Gardner has also been injured for two weeks.
