It could be utter insanity — signing a 44-year-old grandfather to your roster after he's been retired for five years. That's what the Indianapolis Colts did, though, in convincing Philip Rivers to come play some emergency football. There is insanity in that, right?
Well, is it as insane to start Rivers against a defense that belongs to the Seattle Seahawks? Yes, the correct answer is yes. Unfortunately, the Colts don't really have the time or the luxury to wait for a softer team, though. They still have the playoffs on their minds, and if Rivers gives them the best chance to make it there, he'll start against one of the NFL's most vaunted defensive squads.
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald doesn't seem to be worked up about it, though, and casually brushed off the Colts' newest quarterback acquisition. Macdonald's focus is on the game more than on who the quarterback is, even though he's preparing for Rivers as if Rivers had never retired.
Seattle Seahawks' Mike Macdonald reacts to the Colts signing Philip Rivers out of retirement
The Seahawks are about to play a game they should likely win. Had Daniel Jones not gotten injured and been playing like he was to begin the season, this Week 15 matchup could have turned out to be a banger. But Jones had trailed off significantly before going down, and it was beginning to look like a potential Seahawks walkover.
Now, with Rivers in play, it could still be a Seahawks walkover, or Rivers could give them a challenge. It’s hard to imagine, though, Rivers outrunning Seattle's charging linebackers. Nevertheless, with the Seahawks set to face Rivers this coming Sunday, Macdonald was recently asked about the Colts' decision to bring the retired veteran in.
Macdonald at first looked like he didn't know what to say, but would eventually compliment Rivers on his established NFL career, and shared how he'll prepare his team for the game.
"...If anybody can pull it off, it's him (Rivers)," Macdonald said. "The guy's probably one of the best competitors in the history of the NFL, and I'm sure he wouldn't do it if he didn't feel like he was ready, so we're getting ready for him like he's been playing the whole time."
Macdonald is preparing his team to face Rivers as the Colts' starter, which means they'll have a game plan in place come Sunday. While this game is out of conference, it still matters significantly to Seattle's playoff positioning. If they fall to the Colts, they will be behind NFC West division rival, the Los Angeles Rams.
As for Sunday's matchup against Rivers, it's another game and another quarterback. That said, you have to imagine the Seahawks' defense will be chomping at the bit to remind Rivers he probably should have stayed retired.