Jason Myers kicked a franchise-record six field goals, the last a 56-yarder with 18 seconds remaining, as the Seattle Seahawks defeated the visiting Indianapolis Colts 18-16 Sunday, spoiling the return of Philip Rivers.
Rivers, the 44-year-old high school coach and grandfather, an eight-time Pro Bowl participant and Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist who retired after the 2020 season, was signed earlier in the week to replace the injured Daniel Jones.
Rivers completed 18 of 27 passes for 120 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The pick came on a desperation heave with four seconds left.
Indianapolis’ Blake Grupe booted three field goals, with his 60-yarder with 47 seconds to go giving the Colts (8-6) a 16-15 lead.
But Seattle’s Sam Darnold completed a pair of passes to Rashid Shaheed to get the Seahawks (11-3) into range for Myers’ winner. Myers kicked a 30-yarder with 2:27 left to give Seattle its first lead of the day.
Darnold was 22 of 36 for 271 yards, with Jaxon Smith-Njigba making seven receptions for 113 yards as the Seahawks won their fourth game in a row.
The Colts’ Jonathan Taylor rushed for 87 yards on 25 carries, but they suffered their fourth straight defeat.
The Colts took a 13-6 halftime lead, with Rivers throwing an 8-yard scoring strike to Josh Downs on third-and-4 with 1:33 remaining in the second quarter.
The teams traded field goals in the opening quarter, both converting on their second possessions. Grupe made it 3-0 with a 42-yarder and Myers answered from 47 yards.
Rivers’ most awkward moment came early in the second quarter, when he dropped back to pass and slipped on the painted Seahawks’ logo at midfield. He struggled to get back to his feet but scrambled forward to limit his loss on the play to 2 yards. Grupe kicked a 54-yarder later in the drive to give the Colts a 6-3 lead.
The Colts marched 58 yards in 10 plays on the TD drive, with Rivers completing a 9-yard pass to Ameer Abdullah, a 17-yarder to rookie tight end Tyler Warren and a 7-yarder to Taylor before hitting Downs on a crossing route.
Myers kicked a 52-yarder on the final play of the half to pull Seattle within a touchdown.
Myers added a 46-yard field goal on the opening drive of the second half and a 32-yarder early in the fourth quarter as the Seahawks cut their deficit to 13-12.
