Philip Rivers Reflects on Colts Return After Loss to 49ers amid AFC Wild-Card Race

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers says he is enjoying his return to the NFL even after losing his first two starts in almost five years.

Rivers reflected on his comeback while speaking to reporters Monday night after the Colts' record dropped to 8-7 following a 48-27 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

"I'm torn of how to express it, because it's been a blast," Rivers told reporters. "It's been a blast to prepare, and to go so you can get ready and go out there and warm up and do at that with these guys again. But again, the name of the game is not to go have a good time. It's to help find a way to lead your team to win, and we've come up short here these first two.

"But I've been a part of less percentage chances of getting in, and got in before. So, you certainly won't hear me losing hope here as we prepare next week."

Rivers also discussed the team's current five-game losing streak that has greatly diminished the Colts' playoff hopes:

"There's no prize for losing," Rivers told reporters. "I know this locker room is hurting again. I've been part of it for a short time, two losses, and I know it's been a long slide now for over a month. I know that's tough because I've been part of those slides. We've just got to find a way to dig deep and find a way to win a football game."

Rivers went 23-for-35 with 277 passing yards and two touchdowns in Monday's loss, which ended with him throwing a pick-six with the Colts already trailing by 14 points late in the fourth quarter.

▶️ Full 49ers-Colts Recap

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The Colts looked like a playoff-bound team and a contender for the AFC title during their 8-2 start to the season through Week 11.

That's when Daniel Jones started to struggle, posting some of his worst stats under pressure of the season in Weeks 12 and 13 before suffering a season-ending Achilles tear in Week 14.

The Colts brought out Rivers to start the following two games, but haven't been able to find a way to win. Monday's loss to the 49ers stretched the team's losing streak to five games and dropped their playoff odds to three percent, per NFL Next Gen Stats.

Rivers, a high school football coach who last played during the 2020 season and had less than a week to prepare for his first start after coming out of retirement, still described Monday's home loss as "special" after his family came out to watch him play.

"They were excited all day. It was special," Rivers said. "And seeing them here, and mom and dad were here too, and his family. No, it was. Like I said, those things, I've learned to really realize that those things, you can appreciate all those things, still although the outcome isn't what it was.

"They did still happen. Those first few drives, where we ended in touchdowns, those did occur. Those memories will be there. But again, at the end of the day, we are here to try to win the ball game. But I guess I've grown up and learned how to handle that a little better."

Rivers was starting for the San Diego Chargers in 2008, when his team rebounded from a 4-8 start to the season to go 8-8, win the AFC West to make the playoffs, and defeat the Colts to make it the divisional round.

He will hope to find a similarly improbable success story— this time, with the Colts on the other side of the win column— when the Colts return to Lucas Oil Stadium for a Week 17 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars next Sunday.