It’s official: The 49ers will face off against Philip Rivers on “Monday Night Football” at Lucas Oil Stadium in Week 16.
Colts coach Shane Steichen announced Monday that the 44-year-old Rivers will make his second start this season after starting in Indianapolis’ loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
Rivers, stunningly, came out of retirement last week and got the starting nod in Week 15 after not playing for five years, and in the 18-16 loss to the Seahawks, he completed 18 of 27 passes for 120 yards with one touchdown and one interception in the game.
It’s safe to say Rivers surprised many with his relatively mistake-free performance, keeping the Colts in the game until the final seconds, where his lone interception on Indianapolis’ final drive sealed Seattle’s win.
With another week of practice under his belt, the veteran quarterback will face off against a playoff-hopeful 49ers team, a franchise that Rivers has fared well against over his 17-plus-year career.
However, Rivers’ last win against the 49ers was in Week 4 of the 2018 NFL season, where he completed 25 of 39 passes for 250 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in the Los Angeles Chargers’ 29-27 win over San Francisco.
It’s safe to say a lot has changed, for both Rivers and the 49ers, in the seven-plus years since that game.