Many have doubted Philip Rivers over the years for his lack of postseason success. The bottom line is that Rivers is a hall of famer. Forget about what fans think, ask any NFL coach and they will tell you that Rivers is among the games elite. He is able to decipher coverages and blitzes as good as anyone in the NFL. He is a tremendous person, leader and teammate. Ask anyone who has ever played with him.
The Colts just signed Rivers to a 1 year deal worth 25 million. After a subpar season in 2019, where the Chargers went 5-11 and Rivers threw only 23 TD passes to 2o interceptions, many doubt whether Rivers can still play at a high level. This post will answer that question.
I decided to only use 2019 games when breaking down film of Rivers, since that is most relevant to predicting his performance going forward. It must be noted how awful the chargers offensive line was in 2019. That is a problem for any quarterback, but it is a bigger problem for Rivers. That is because he has zero mobility, meaning that if any of his lineman get beat clean, he’s not able to extend the play.
The biggest allure about the Colts is that they arguably have the best offensive line in football. Quentin Nelson is the best guard in football, while LT Anthony Castonzo has been a solid player for a long time, and just resigned with the Colts for 2 more years. According to Pro Football Focus, RT Braden Smith graded out as 79.8, Center Ryan Kelly posted a grade of 73 and only allowed 1 sack in 2019. Both of those grades qualify in the above average tier. The weakest link as RG Mark Glowinski who had a 60.5 overall grade, which is considered average. Overall the colts line is really good in the run and pass game.
While the Chargers had a few blowout wins against bad teams, I decided to look past those and watch Rivers against a good defense. The Tennessee Titans are a tough defense to face, due to their pressure looks and coverage disguises. If it wasn’t for a last second fumble by Melvin Gordon, the chargers would’ve won on the road against the titans. Regardless, let’s check out some plays from the game.
First drive of the game, Rivers showed off his best talent when it comes to throwing the football; touch passes. Rivers throws with tremendous touch, putting the ball away from defenders and drops it in places where only his receiver can get it, often leading them to an area of the field. here, on a 3rd and 8, Rivers knows its man coverage. Henry is 1 on 1 on safety Kevin Byard with the whole sideline to work with. Rivers throws the football away from Byard, and lets Herny go get it for a big 1st down conversion.
The second play comes on the following drive. Rivers reads the 3 receiver combo to the bottom of the screen. Rivers looks to throw the sit to Henry, but sees it is squeezed by two defenders. He quickly works back to the single receiver side, and finds his back Ekeler. Rivers is famous for using his running back as a check-down option. That is one of the reasons why Ekeler had 92 catches in 2019. Rivers’ ability to process a coverage post-snap is second to none.
On the third play, Rivers once again shows his incredible touch throw ability. He processes that it is Cover 3 so quickly, that he releases the ball well before Henry looks for it. Rivers knows that the corner to that side will carry the vertical route by Williams, leaving a big void deep down the right sideline. Rivers understanding of the coverage allows him to put air under the ball and let Henry go get it towards the sideline. Rivers knows that the only defender who can make a play on the ball is the curl flat defender, so Rivers gives Henry a chance to run by him on his deep corner route.
Here is the full play from the broadcast copy.
The final play comes on the last drive of the game. The Chargers come out in empty with Ekeler flexed out as a receiver to the top of the screen. They run a simple slant-flat combination with Ekeler running the slant. The Titans disguise their coverage until the last second, rotating to Cover 2. Rivers anticipates the window to throw the slant, getting it past the hook player, playing over the #2 receiver.
In this game alone, Rivers showed his ability to decode coverages before and after the snap, allowing him to make quick decisions. He throws with anticipation and precise timing, which are traits that only elite quarterbacks possess. He still excels at touch throws because of his Ph D level understanding of defenses. Rivers may not be able to carry a team on his back anymore, but with the offensive line and weapons around him in Indianapolis, Rivers can function as a point guard for the Colts. His arm still works and his mind is as good as it ever was. That will be more than enough to lead the Colts to the playoffs in 2020.
Talkin Ball 