Philip Rivers and the Colts nearly managed an upset win yesterday. The recently unretired passer will receive at least one more look atop the depth chart. 
To little surprise, head coach Shane Steichen confirmed on Monday that Rivers will start in Week 16 against the 49ers. The 44-year-old returned to the NFL five years after his retirement to fill in for Daniel Jones. With Jones recovering from a torn Achilles and rookie Riley Leonard dealing with a PCL sprain, Rivers could finish the year in the QB1 spot. Anthony Richardson could be nearing a return, however.
At the time Rivers signed with the Colts, Richardson had yet to be cleared for football activities. That has now changed, though, as Mike Chappell of Fox59 reports. The former No. 4 pick has been on injured reserve since suffering an orbital bone fracture during warmups in October. The latest update on this situation indicated it was still unclear whether or not a return to action would take place by the end of the season.
On that note, Steichen said (via Joel A Erickson of the Indy Star) it is yet to be determined if Richardson’s practice window will open this week. In the event that were to take place, his 21-day activation period would begin. A return to the fold in Richardson’s case would at least provide Indianapolis with a depth option under center. It could also allow the Florida product – whose future is very much in doubt – to provide a slight boost to his value late in the campaign.
For now, the Colts’ focus will be aimed at preparing Rivers for another start. Taking the reins one week after being contacted by Steichen and Co., he completed 18 of 27 pass attempts for 120 yards against the Seahawks. Indianapolis connected on a go-ahead field goal late in the fourth quarter, but Seattle managed to match it moments later. Rivers then threw an interception on the Colts’ final possession, ending the team’s chances of winning.
Indianapolis now sits at 8-6 as a result. With the Jaguars and Texans both winning yesterday, top spot in the AFC South is increasingly getting out of reach. The Chargers and Bills also won in Week 15, meaning a wild-card berth will challenging to attain as well. In any case, Rivers will look to build off his performance from yesterday as the Colts contemplate their options under center.