Week 16, fighting for their lives to claw their way into a Wild Card spot, this was a game that was just about as close to a must-win as a game can be without truly being win or go home for the Indianapolis Colts. Some players rose to the challenge; others (even entire units of the team) most definitely did not.
The offense of the Indianapolis Colts performed admirably for their part, putting up 27 points with an ancient Philip Rivers acting as the starting quarterback. Unfortunately, in Week 16, the team's defense couldn't stop the 49ers' offense if the world depended on it. Outside of a late interception by Cameron Bynum, the team conceded points on every San Francisco drive.
The outlook for the playoffs for the 2025 iteration of the Indianapolis Colts is growing more grim with every passing game. Yes, the team's ceiling was definitely capped the moment that Daniel Jones tore his Achilles, but the goal for any team should be to make the postseason at the very least. The Colts still have an outside shot, but chances are slim.
Winners and losers for a potentially season-ending Indianapolis Colts loss
Winner No. 1: Philip Rivers
Yes, there was still a sliver of hope for Indy when Rivers threw a game-ending pick-six to 49ers linebacker Dee Winters. There's no sugarcoating the fact that that throw was the play that sealed the Colts' fate. Still, Rivers throughout the vast majority of the game was essentially the main reason the team was competitive at all.
The team had a largely ineffectual rushing attack, as star running back Jonathan Taylor finished the day with 46 yards, though he did punch in a one-yard touchdown to finish a scoring drive. Rivers was clearly the offensive engine, relying on his surprisingly electric connection with Alec Pierce to pick up huge chunks of yardage.
Rivers finished the day with 277 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. All in all, with that interception coming in a desperate Colts last-ditch effort drive, it was as sterling a performance as can be expected of a quarterback in Rivers' shoes.
Loser No. 1: Lou Anarumo
The difference from Week 15 against the Seahawks to Week 16 against the 49ers for the Colts defense is about as stark a contrast as can be possible in the National Football League. It's truly a remarkable feat to be able to go from holding the Seahawks to zero touchdowns in an entire game to then allowing the 49ers to score 48 points in consecutive weeks.
Just about every player on the defense was ineffective in their role, outside of a few flash plays from Laiatu Latu. It's undeniable that when a team is as injured as this Colts team is, its defensive efficiency will suffer.
That doesn't excuse Lou Anarumo's terrible outing tonight, however. When a team can have its way on offense as consistently as San Francisco did, it usually stems from a woefully inefficient defensive scheme. Yes, the players executing that scheme did a poor job in their execution, but Anarumo was unable to put them in positions that would allow them to succeed.
Loser No. 2: Ameer Abdullah
What was essentially Ameer Abdullah's only impactful play of the game was about as disastrous a play as could have happened for Indy. Rivers and company set the tone from their first drive, putting up a touchdown to take the lead.
It would be Indianapolis's only lead of the night, however, as San Francisco would score on their first drive. Directly after, Ameer Abdullah would fumble the return on the kickoff, the 49ers would score again, and Indianapolis was stuck playing catch-up the entire rest of the night.
When a player has several opportunities to have the ball in their hands that's as limited as Ameer Abdullah does, every mistake is amplified all the more. It may be unfair, but that's life in the NFL. Abdullah's blunder deflated every bit of momentum that Indy had going for them, and unfortunately, the team never fully recovered.
Loser No. 3: Jonathan Taylor
Jonathan Taylor didn't have a bad game against the 49ers. It was just a game that was far too milquetoast for what the team needed from him in the most crucial game of the season yet. He did punch in a touchdown, but that score was a one yard dive play. He did have 33 receiving yards on three receptions, but 19 of those yards came on one chunk play.
What the team really needed from him was to establish an effective ground game that would offset how heavily Indy had to rely on an aging Philip Rivers. It wasn't entirely his fault that he was unable to do that, as injuries across the offensive line for Indianapolis have run rampant, but in an ideal world, he would have been able to overcome that obstacle.
Taylor is still one of the best, if not the best, players on the Indianapolis Colts. The fact that a game that wasn't terrible statistically from him still lands him in the loser category is more of a testament to how high the expectations are for him than an indictment on him as a player.
Winner No. 2: Alec Pierce
Jonathan Taylor has been the best offensive player for the Indianapolis Colts this season, and there's no question of that. However, he's been in a slump since the bye week, and thus, the title of most consistently elite offensive player on the team could very easily go to Alec Pierce.
Other players have a definite argument for that title, most notably Quentin Nelson, but Pierce has been the best receiver on the team for the vast majority of the year. Pierce finished the day with 86 yards and two touchdowns. When the team needed an offensive spark, Philip Rivers looked in Alec Pierce's direction, and without fail, he came up big every time.
The offense wasn't the Colts' problem in Week 16; the defense was the main issue. Alec Pierce was one of the major reasons that the team was able to be as competitive as they were.
Ideally, his efforts would have helped the team to a victory, but at the very least, it's good to see one of the team's best players play up to his reputation. Pierce will be needed hugely in the final two games of the season if Indianapolis wants to realistically compete for a Wild Card berth.