The Seattle Seahawks and Indianapolis Colts will square off this Sunday at Lumen Field in what, not long ago, looked like a potential Super Bowl LX preview. But as the NFL season tends to remind us, momentum is fragile, and fortunes can flip in a hurry.
For the Colts, that flip has been steep. After a red-hot start that had them looking like legitimate contenders in the AFC, they've hit a wall.
The loss of quarterback Daniel Jones to a season-ending Achilles injury was a major blow, and it’s left Indianapolis scrambling for answers under center. Now, with Jones sidelined and recent trade acquisition Sauce Gardner still nursing a calf injury, the team appears ready to turn to veteran Philip Rivers in a last-ditch effort to keep their postseason hopes alive.
Rivers, who’s been out of the league but never far from the conversation when quarterback depth becomes an issue, brings experience and leadership. But asking a 43-year-old to step into a playoff race this late in the season is no small ask. The Colts are banking on Rivers’ ability to stabilize a suddenly shaky offense and provide just enough spark to keep them in the hunt.
Meanwhile, Seattle is trending in the opposite direction - and at just the right time. After dealing with their own share of injuries earlier in the year, the Seahawks are starting to get healthy, and that could make all the difference down the stretch.
This week, they designated four players - Darke Young, Eric Saubert, Jalen Sundell, and Rylie Mills - to return to practice. That’s a significant boost, particularly as the team eyes a strong finish and a potential postseason run.
The Seahawks also made some roster moves to clear space, waiving a pair of veterans on Thursday, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. That’s a sign Seattle is preparing to activate some of those returning players - and possibly reshuffle their depth chart heading into a critical stretch of the season.
So while this matchup might not carry the same Super Bowl-preview buzz it did a few weeks back, it’s still a pivotal game for both teams. The Colts are trying to stop the bleeding and stay in the playoff picture with a veteran quarterback stepping in under center. The Seahawks, on the other hand, are getting healthy and dangerous at just the right time - and they’ll be looking to make a statement at home.
Sunday’s game might not decide either team’s fate outright, but it will go a long way in shaping the road ahead. And in December, that’s exactly the kind of football we live for.