The $25 million quandary hanging over the Indianapolis Colts like early morning fog will carry into the offseason no matter how the team fares this weekend.
Spring the upset at Buffalo on Saturday and it will be there. Lose to the second-seeded Bills in the first round of the AFC playoffs, and it will be there:
Should Indy bring back quarterback Philip Rivers for a second season?
Rivers, who turned 39 last month, has been an appreciated element and established vocal leader helping the franchise return to the postseason. This leads me to believe Rivers will be the starting quarterback for the start of the 2021 campaign should he desire to play an 18th NFL season.
Let us pause now to listen to the Rivers non-believers who’ll bellow the following criticisms:
• The old guy’s decision-making can be dreadfully bad with long throws into double- and even triple-coverage;
• Rivers’ passes often seem to take more time to reach the desired target, even on short-yardage throws, than younger, stronger-armed quarterbacks;
• His mobility in the pocket resembles that of Peyton Manning … that is, the statue of Manning outside Lucas Oil Stadium.
Valid, valid — and yes, valid.
But did you know that in his brief stay here, Rivers exceeded 4,000 yards passing for a ninth consecutive year? Or that his 11 interceptions are his third-lowest in a season since he became a full-time starter with the Chargers in 2008?
Rivers is benefiting playing behind one of the league’s elite offensive lines. The 19 times he’s been sacked this season are a noticeable improvement from his per-season norm of 34 over the previous decade. Now factor in the makeshift receiving corps Rivers has not only worked with, but flourished with, after season-ending injuries to would-be targets Marlon Mack and Parris Campbell.
All things considered, Rivers has put together a productive season. It’s not always pretty, but when you’re 11 months from 40 and nearly all the best football moments are supposedly in your rear-view mirror, it rarely is.
The offseason could be intriguing, particularly should the Colts desire to roll the dice on beleaguered Philadelphia quarterback Carson Wentz, 28, who has a previous working relationship with Frank Reich from the latter’s time there as offensive coordinator.
Dallas’ reluctance to pay free agent Dak Prescott accordingly could also paint an interesting scenario locally. As much as I would love to see Prescott playing for the Colts, I’m doubting it happens, as the price tag is likely too high.
Another possibility is Matthew Stafford, 33 next month, whose talents have been wasted in perpetually-rebuilding Detroit with the Lions making the playoffs only three times — each resulting in a road wild-card loss — since Stafford broke into the league as the No. 1 overall pick in 2009.
Stafford has two years remaining on his contract, but the franchise might want to align a new quarterback with their new head coach. Should a big name jump on board and accept the challenge of trying to jump-start the perennial doormats, the likelihood of Stafford sticking around Detroit becomes greater.
Or, again, Rivers returns for a second season. Given his familiarity with Reich, the offense, the city, Colts teammates and so on, that, to me, is the best choice.
<em>Mike Beas is a sportswriter for the Daily Journal. He can be reached at [email protected].</em>
