Philip Rivers Returns, But What Does That Mean for Alec Pierce and the Colts’ Offense?
Week 15 gave us one of the more unexpected storylines of the 2025 NFL season: Philip Rivers, five years removed from his last NFL snap, was back under center for the Indianapolis Colts. And while the Colts came up short against the Seattle Seahawks, Rivers showed flashes of the high-IQ quarterback we remember-just with a very different physical toolbox than the one he had in his prime.
Let’s be clear: Rivers isn’t going to wow anyone with arm strength or mobility at this stage. That part of his game is gone.
But what he does bring is a deep understanding of how to read defenses, get the ball out quickly, and manage the flow of an offense. That’s something Colts head coach Shane Steichen clearly understands, and he's adjusting accordingly.
Rather than pushing the ball downfield, Steichen leaned into a more methodical approach-short passes, quick reads, and a heavy reliance on tight ends and running backs. It’s not flashy, but with a quarterback like Rivers, it’s the path of least resistance.
Against Seattle, 11 of Rivers’ 18 completions went to either running backs or tight end Tyler Warren, totaling just 65 yards. It was dink-and-dunk football, designed to keep the chains moving and minimize mistakes.
But here’s the rub: that style of offense doesn’t mesh well with one of the Colts’ most dynamic weapons-Alec Pierce.
Pierce has been a breakout star this season, and for good reason. He leads the league in yards per reception (20.1), a stat that underscores just how dangerous he is when the ball comes his way downfield.
He’s not just a one-trick deep threat either; he’s shown he can work the sidelines, find soft spots in zone coverage, and make contested catches over the middle. But all of that depends on a quarterback who can push the ball vertically-and that’s not Rivers right now.
In the loss to Seattle, Pierce was targeted just once. He made the most of it, hauling in a 16-yard catch that moved the chains.
But one target for a player of his caliber? That’s not going to cut it, especially for a Colts offense that’s already struggling to generate big plays.
Seattle came into the game with limited film on what Rivers would look like in 2025. Head coach Mike Macdonald had to prepare for a quarterback who hadn’t taken a live NFL snap in half a decade.
But now that the tape is out there, opposing defenses will adjust. They’ll crowd the short zones, force Rivers to beat them over the top, and dare the Colts to get aggressive.
That puts even more pressure on Steichen to find creative ways to get Pierce involved. Whether it’s scheming him open on intermediate crossers, using motion to create mismatches, or dialing up the occasional shot play to keep defenses honest, the Colts can’t afford to let Pierce disappear from the game plan. He’s simply too talented.
This season began with real promise for Indianapolis. Steichen had the offense humming, and Pierce was on pace for a career year. But with Rivers now at the helm, the Colts have shifted into a more conservative gear-one that might help them stay competitive, but also one that risks sidelining their most explosive playmaker.
For the Colts to finish strong-and keep any slim playoff hopes alive-they’ll need to strike a better balance between efficiency and aggression. Rivers can still run an offense, no doubt. But if Alec Pierce is only seeing one target a game, Indianapolis is leaving a whole lot of potential on the table.