The San Francisco 49ers did exactly what they needed to do in Week 15 - take care of business. With a 37-24 win over the Tennessee Titans, they not only padded their playoff resume but kept themselves firmly in the mix for the NFC’s top seed.
Brock Purdy looked sharp, the offense was humming, and the defense did just enough to keep the Titans at bay. But while Kyle Shanahan had plenty to be happy about with his own quarterback, he couldn’t help but notice another one making headlines - and this one’s a blast from the past.
Yes, that Philip Rivers. At 44 years old and five years removed from his last NFL snap, Rivers made his surprise return to the league on Sunday, suiting up for the Indianapolis Colts against the Seattle Seahawks. And while it didn’t end in a win, Rivers turned heads - including Shanahan’s.
“He gives [the Colts] a chance to win,” Shanahan said after the 49ers’ victory, clearly impressed by what he saw from the veteran quarterback. The two even spoke earlier in the week, and Shanahan admitted to having mixed feelings about Rivers’ return. “I was telling him how cool it was that he was coming back… and then I remember we were playing him in 10 days and I told him what a bad idea it was.”
That’s right - Rivers’ second game back will come under the bright lights of Monday Night Football, when the 49ers head to Indianapolis for a Week 16 showdown. And if his first outing was any indication, San Francisco won’t be walking into an easy win.
Rivers nearly led the Colts to an upset over Seattle, orchestrating a clutch seven-play drive that ended with a 60-yard field goal from Blake Grupe to put Indy up by one with just 47 seconds left. But the Seahawks responded quickly, with Sam Darnold moving the ball into field goal range and Jason Myers nailing the game-winner to spoil Rivers’ return.
Still, the performance was enough to earn Rivers another start - and to give the 49ers something extra to prepare for.
Meanwhile, San Francisco looked every bit the contender on Sunday. Purdy was in rhythm all game, throwing for 295 yards and three touchdowns.
The 49ers’ offense was so efficient, they didn’t punt once. Tennessee tacked on a couple of late scores to make the final margin look more respectable, but the reality is San Francisco controlled the game from start to finish.
Now sitting at 10-4, the Niners are in strong position for a playoff berth and still have a shot - albeit a slim one - at the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Every game from here on out matters, and that includes a suddenly intriguing matchup with Rivers and the Colts.
Indianapolis, for its part, is still clinging to postseason hopes. They’ll need to keep stacking wins, and Rivers - with his trademark fire and fast-talking leadership - will try to keep that dream alive against one of the NFC’s best.
So as Week 16 approaches, we’ve got a fascinating quarterback duel on deck: the 24-year-old Purdy, who’s playing with poise and precision beyond his years, against the 44-year-old Rivers, whose comeback story is already one of the wildest twists of the season. Buckle up - this one could be fun.