INDIANAPOLIS — Philip Rivers broke out in a big way when his team needed him the most on Sunday, and now you can help him receive a little recognition for his efforts.
The Indianapolis Colts quarterback is a nominee for the FedEx Air Player of the Week award. Click here to vote for Rivers (and then do it again and again and again).
Rivers' final stat line in the Colts' Week 6 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals was fantastic — 29-of-44 passing (65.9 percent) for 371 yards with three touchdowns to one interception — but it's the fashion in which he compiled those numbers that should put him over the top for this week's award over the Atlanta Falcons' Matt Ryan and the Tennessee TItans' Ryan Tannehill.
The Colts (4-2) found themselves trailing 21-0 the first play into the second quarter, but that's when the 17-year veteran Rivers, in his first season in Indy, put the team on his back. In the second quarter alone, Rivers completed 14-of-21 passes for 235 yards with two touchdowns; his 235 passing yards were the third most in a quarter in franchise history, trailing only Peyton Manning (247 in 2004) and Dan Orlovsky (240 in 2011), according to ESPN's Mike Wells.
By halftime, thanks in large part to Rivers, the Colts, after a 21-3 run, trailed by just three points, 24-21.
Then, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Rivers delivered a perfect strike to tight end Jack Doyle, who made a diving effort in the end zone to haul in a 14-yard touchdown pass to give Indy its first lead of the afternoon, 28-27. Rodrigo Blankenship would add a 40-yard field goal later in the period, and the Colts would defeat the Bengals (1-4-1), 31-27.
The 21-point swing is tied for the second-largest come-from-behind victory in franchise history; it was the Colts' largest regular season home comeback win.
Rivers is hoping to take home his eighth career FedEx Air Player of the Week award. He earned his first seven during his time with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers: Week 6, 2016; Week 5, 2007; Weeks 3 and 6, 2008; Week 12, 2013 and Weeks 13 and 15, 2018.
Rivers could also become third Colts quarterback to take home a FedEx Air Player of the Week award since its inception in 2003. Manning (seven) and Andrew Luck (two) combined for nine FedEx Air Player of the Week awards during their respective careers in Indy.
