Colts: Frank Reich being rewarded for trusting Philip Rivers was stunning
By Jerry Trotta
Colts head coach Frank Reich getting praised for trusting QB Philip Rivers to lead the comeback on Sunday is shocking.
The media generally tends to overreact on the heels of riveting come-from-behind victories, and that unsurprisingly proved to be the case after the Indianapolis Colts’ comeback win over Cincinnati on Sunday.
The Colts trailed by as many as three touchdowns just seconds into the second quarter, but rode a vintage performance by quarterback Philip Rivers and a valiant effort from the defense in the second half to a 31-27 win.
Rivers’ confidence obviously never wavers, so it wasn’t altogether stunning that he bounced back the way he did. However, it doesn’t change the fact that there was a genuine debate among pundits and fans about whether he should be benched after he cost Indianapolis a chance at defeating Cleveland last weekend.
Despite that dismal showing under center in Week 6, head coach Frank Reich asserted that Rivers was playing good football and will continue to start for the Colts. Taking that into consideration, it’s amazing what transpired: Reich is getting praised by reporters for trusting the 38-year-old gunslinger to lead the comeback vs the Bengals. It actually worked. The gambit worked. How?!
Frank Reich says they "kinda put the game in (Rivers') hands."
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) October 18, 2020
And... it worked.
We’re not trying to take anything away from Reich following the potentially season-altering win. After all, the way Indianapolis didn’t roll over against Cincinnati speaks volumes as to how much the players have bought in to his philosophy. We just can’t believe that one week after Rivers had plunged the team into the abyss, the Colts were able to win a rollicking comeback game thanks almost entirely to … Rivers. If we’d told you last week that Reich handed Rivers the keys and told him to go off and it worked, you’d be stunned.
Unleashing an all-out aerial assault was the only way Indy was going to get back into that game, but how did it possibly happen?!
Colts' Frank Reich says Philip Rivers was 'in the zone' https://t.co/AqmCv76wIm
— TheColtsWire (@TheColtsWire) October 19, 2020
The Colts are widely said to be a piece or two away from flaunting a championship-caliber roster, so there’s no time for moral victories and luck in Indy. A true contender would focus on why Indianapolis came out as flat as it did against an evidently rebuilding Bengals side rather than sing Reich’s praises for trusting Rivers to throw the team back into a game in which they were already trailing big.
But, that being said … man, oh man, how did that actually happen? It really did happen. Perhaps there’s something to be learned from this? Some way Rivers’ down-by-a-million bravado can be utilized with the team actually nursing a lead?
Reich, that’s on you.
