Colts’ desperate move

At first glance, the Colts’ Week 15 quarterback news reads like a plot twist from an alternate universe: Philip Rivers, a candidate for the rocking chair at 44, has been added to the Colts’ 53-man roster and is expected to start today against the Seattle Seahawks. He h

asn’t taken a snap in more than five years; his last game in the National Football League was a January 2021 playoff loss, and now he’s being tapped to lead a postseason push that has taken on an air of desperation. The Colt

s’ quarterback cupboard suddenly became bare when Daniel Jones went down with a season-ending Achilles injury and rookie Riley Leonard continued to suffer from a knee issue. Scrambling

for affinity amid uncertainty, they turned to a familiar face with deep experience and a historic resume. Never mind

that a lifetime’s worth of football intelligence came with questions about mobility and rust. Rivers was a

bout to be eligible for the Hall of Fame. Instead, he

accommodated their entreaties and now finds himself not just in the spotlight, activated from the sidelines and elevated from practice squad to starter. He knows he’

s being asked to play hero, and he believes he can deliver on his promise. To be sure, Co

lts’ head coach Shane Steichen has been careful to frame Rivers’ role sans any expectations. He declined to dec

lare a starter all week, but his praise for his new charge’s command in the huddle and responsiveness in practice was unmistakable. “Fired up for the ch