INDIANAPOLIS --The day before the Indianapolis Colts signed Philip Rivers to help solve their quarterback problem, coach Shane Steichen corralled a group of veteran players to take their temperature on the move.
"Coach pulls some of us in his office and told us he's thinking about bringing Philip in," tight end Mo Alie-Cox revealed a few days later. "It was a shock but also excitement because a lot of us have had success with him before. ... It wasn't a done deal yet, but it ended up becoming a done deal.
"I'm sure y'all have talked to Philip before. He walks in a room, the excitement, the juice, everything is just on a whole other level. So, the energy from Monday has definitely picked up. We don't know what's going to happen, but that's why we play the game."
Well, now the Colts have played a game with Rivers. Their reaction to his performance helps shed light on whether the return of the 44-year-old quarterback, who came out of retirement to join the Colts, still has support in the locker room.
Colts teammates and coaches continue to back Rivers after Sunday's game, his first in nearly five seasons. Rivers was unspectacular but solid in the 18-16 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. The Colts' offense was hardly explosive, generating a season-low 215 total yards. But Rivers completed 18 of 27 passes, avoiding turnovers until a desperation pick on his final attempt of the day as time expired.
But it was no masterpiece. Rivers' 4.4 yards per pass attempt tied for the fifth lowest of his career (245 games), and the Colts' longest play from scrimmage was a 17-yard completion to tight end Tyler Warren in the second quarter.
And the Colts (8-6) are now in an even more difficult situation when it comes to their playoff hopes, sitting in eighth place in the AFC race, fighting for a spot in the seven-team postseason field.
But Rivers will start again in Week 16 against the San Francisco 49ers on "Monday Night Football," according to Steichen. And that decision hasn't been second-guessed.
"He gave us a chance," running back Jonathan Taylor said of Rivers' first outing. "We've just got to make more plays. We got to help him out. Given the circumstances, we still had a chance. I mean right there at the end. So, how do we make those one or two plays to just finish this and end up on the other side of this?"
Linebacker Zaire Franklin described Rivers as "somebody that's going out there, willing to battle, willing to fight." He added, "He came through for us. I think we've just got to play better on [defense]."
One element that will be under scrutiny in Rivers' second game is whether the Colts can be more explosive. It's difficult to win with the ultraconservative offensive approach the Colts employed in Seattle. But players and coaches insist that was an intentional strategy given Rivers' circumstances and a talented Seahawks defense that had not allowed a touchdown in its previous two games.
"That was the game plan," Steichen said. "We wanted to run the ball, control the clock, take easy completions. I thought we did a pretty good job of that."
He added, "I thought he did a hell of a job. Obviously, on the road in a hostile environment, first [game] back in a long time. He did what was necessary to put us in position to win that game."
Offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter suggested there might be a change in approach ahead.
"I think each week is going to look different," he said.
One thing that doesn't figure to change is the view of Rivers' teammates. His ability to stand tall in the pocket in the face of a pass rush -- after not taking a hit in five years -- was particularly impressive to them. The Seahawks registered four quarterback hits and a sack in the game, and Rivers seemed to shake each one off with ease.
"Just his determination, his passion, fire that he played with, it's great to see," cornerback Kenny Moore II said. "And just him putting his body on the line, he doesn't have to do that. And I'm sure every guy in his locker room greatly appreciated it."
