Colts

Colts QB Philip Rivers made his return to the league after not taking a snap since 2021 in the team’s loss to the Seahawks. Rivers reflected on his unexpected return to the NFL but quickly shifted the focus to the team, considering their postseason hopes. 

“I’m grateful that I was out there, and it was a blast,” Rivers said, via the team’s official website. “But, obviously, the emotions now are disappointment. This isn’t about me. We got a team that’s scrapping like crazy to try to stay alive and get in the postseason. So obviously, we’re all disappointed. Came up just short, game kind of played out just how we thought it was going to play out in terms of how we were going to win the game, kind of one of those grind-it-out kind of games. And we didn’t find a way to get it done, is the bottom line.”

Rivers believes the final three games will only get better as they spend more time together. 

“If I can stay healthy, I feel good, and it is going to get better as we go. But the catch is that we’ve got to win. It doesn’t really matter if it’s getting better as we go if we don’t win because it’s going to be over in three weeks. So that’s the catch there. But it’s going to continue to get better. I mean, this is obviously the first one [and] we’re talking about three days of practice.”

Jaguars

The Jaguars rolled to a 48-20 win in Week 15 behind perhaps QB Trevor Lawrence‘s best career game, where he totaled six touchdowns. Lawrence was asked if he’s playing the best football of his career and explained where his confidence level is heading into the final three games of the season.

“I mean, that’s a tough question. I don’t know. Yeah, there’s been times where I’ve felt that way and but definitely this is as confident as I’ve felt. Just the feeling in our locker room and our team and our offense. It’s been fun,” Lawrence said, via SI.com’s John Shipley.

“So we have to continue to build on that and can’t get complacent. There’s still a lot more ahead of us. Some big games are coming up, so we have to continue to push and get better. There are still things we need to clean up, but it’s been a lot of fun. I feel great, feel confident. I think our whole offense feels this way.”

Texans

Texans RB Jawhar Jordan made his debut in Week 15 and put up 101 rushing yards on 15 attempts, with RBs Nick Chubb and Woody Marks dealing with injuries. Houston HC DeMeco Ryans had the utmost praise for Jordan for making the most of his opportunity after spending most of his young career on the practice squad.

“Jawhar did an outstanding job for us,” Ryans said, via Aaron Wilson of KPRC. “For the young man to come in and for his first game to have a debut like he had. He ran the ball very well: efficient. He showed the explosiveness and the speed that he has and that we’ve seen in practice, while he’s been on the practice squad for us.”

“It shows, again, whenever your number is called are you ready for that opportunity? No one knows until you get that moment. It’s about you taking advantage of that moment and not looking back and I thought Jawhar handled it very well.”

• Ryans on Marks’ ankle injury: “Woody could’ve came back in the game but for where he was, got his ankle tweaked a little bit early in the game, for where he was, felt like Jawhar & Dare were doing a really good job so just wanted to keep rolling with those guys to make sure Woody is good as we continue to go into the week.” (Wilson)
• Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC, Texans LB E.J. Speed missed Week 15 with a knee injury but is expected to return in Week 16. 
• Wilson adds CB Derek Stingley Jr. (oblique), Chubb (rib), and Marks (ankle) will be day-to-day heading into Week 16.