Jason Myers didn’t need any help from the end zone. The Seattle kicker delivered a franchise-record six field goals — capped by a 56-yarder with 29 seconds left — as the Seahawks outlasted the Indianapolis Colts 18-16 on Sunday, winning without scoring a touchdown and surviving a surprising return from 44-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers.
Myers accounted for all of Seattle’s points, converting from 47, 52, 46, 32 and 30 yards before drilling the game-winner from 56. He has now made 24 of his last 25 field-goal attempts, with the lone miss a 61-yard try on Nov. 16, and he leads the NFL with a career-best 154 points.
The Seahawks (11-3) needed every one of those kicks to extend their winning streak to four games and remain tied with the Los Angeles Rams atop the NFC West.
Indianapolis (8-6), desperate to salvage its season after Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon, turned to Rivers — a grandfather, high school football coach and Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist — who hadn’t thrown a pass in an NFL game in nearly five years.
For much of the afternoon, the gamble worked. Indy trailed for just 1 minute, 58 seconds and took a 13-3 lead when Rivers threw his first touchdown pass since the Colts’ 27-24 playoff loss to Buffalo on Jan. 9, 2021. Facing third down, Rivers connected with Josh Downs for an 8-yard score, showing poise and touch despite the long layoff.
Rivers later guided the Colts into position for what appeared to be the decisive moment, setting up Blake Grupe’s 60-yard field goal with 47 seconds remaining to give Indianapolis a 16-15 lead.
Seattle responded calmly. Rashid Shaheed returned Grupe’s kickoff 28 yards to the Seattle 37, and quarterback Sam Darnold hit Shaheed twice for 25 yards to move into range. Myers then delivered his sixth field goal, sending the Seahawks ahead for good.
It marked Darnold’s third game-winning drive of the season and the 13th of his career. He finished 22 of 36 for 271 yards in Seattle’s first victory without a touchdown since a 6-3 win over Chicago on Dec. 26, 2024.
Rivers’ final chance ended in disappointment. On his last throw, trying to force the ball downfield in the closing seconds, he was intercepted by Coby Bryant — Bryant’s career-high fourth pick of the season.
Rivers finished 18 of 27 for 120 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Despite the encouraging performance, Indianapolis has now lost four straight and five of six, tumbling out of playoff position in the AFC.
Seattle, which had won its previous two games by a combined score of 63-9, had to grind this one out. The defense focused on containing NFL rushing leader Jonathan Taylor, who carried 25 times for 87 yards — his most since a 244-yard outburst against Atlanta on Nov. 9 — but was held to 3.5 yards per carry.
The offense leaned on its playmakers. NFL receiving leader Jaxon Smith-Njigba bounced back after two quiet weeks, hauling in seven catches for 113 yards, including a 39-yard gain that set up Myers’ fifth field goal and a 15-13 Seattle lead. Shaheed, acquired from New Orleans earlier this season, continued his recent surge with seven receptions for 74 yards after totaling just four catches for 34 yards in his first four games with Seattle.
The Colts host San Francisco on Monday, Dec. 22. The Seahawks host the Rams on Thursday night with the NFC West lead on the line.
