Brock Purdy throws 5 touchdowns, spoils Philip Rivers' return to Indianapolis in 49ers' win over Colts

The San Francisco 49ers spoiled 44-year-old Philip Rivers’ location instrumentality for the Indianapolis Colts, arsenic backmost Brock Purdy threw 5 touchdowns successful the 48-27 triumph connected the roadworthy Monday night.

San Francisco knows that if they triumph their remaining 2 games, they would beryllium the No. 1 effect successful the NFC heading into the playoffs, and its ngo accomplished arsenic they determination to 11-4.

Meanwhile, the Colts, aft starting the twelvemonth 8-2, stay connected their losing streak contempt coagulated play from Rivers but for a important infinitesimal successful the game.

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Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers catches a walk for a touchdown during the archetypal 4th against the Indianapolis Colts astatine Lucas Oil Stadium connected Dec. 22, 2025 successful Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

The Colts recovered themselves down 41-27 with the 49ers already successful tract extremity scope erstwhile 1 of the fewer errant passes from Purdy went done Kendrick Bourne’s hands and was intercepted.

It could’ve been a turning constituent successful the game, particularly erstwhile Rivers recovered Alec Pierce, who had a monster crippled with 2 touchdowns successful the archetypal half, for a 33-yard summation to flip the field. But connected the adjacent play, Dee Winters jumped a Rivers walk intended for Ty Warren and took it 74 yards to the location — a game-sealing pick-six.

Though they inactive person the slimmest of playoff hopes, the Colts’ nonaccomplishment means the Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Chargers each clinched playoff spots successful the AFC.

PHILIP RIVERS DELIVERS VINTAGE FIRST HALF PERFORMANCE FOR COLTS, DELIGHTING NFL FANS

Rivers was locked successful from the commencement of the game, arsenic caput manager Shane Steichen was dialing up tons of passes alternatively of letting Jonathan Taylor bash the enactment astatine moving backmost for the Colts’ offense.

To unfastened the game, Rivers threw the shot 7 times connected 9 plays, and his champion was a 20-yard onslaught to Pierce to instrumentality a speedy 7-0 lead. It was a escaped play for Rivers with a 49ers defender jumping offside, and helium didn’t disappoint arsenic helium allowed his receiver to high-point the shot for the score.

Indianapolis Colts backmost Philip Rivers (17) passes arsenic San Francisco 49ers antiaircraft lineman Keion White (56) applies unit during the archetypal fractional of an NFL shot game, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, successful Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

But, portion Rivers was having a fantastic archetypal half, Purdy and the 49ers’ discourtesy were matching everything and past some.

The 49ers scored connected each of their archetypal fractional drives but erstwhile they got the shot with conscionable 17 seconds near and kicker Eddy Pineiro tried a career-long 64-yard tract extremity and deed the bottommost of the crossbar conscionable earlier halftime.

But Purdy had 3 passing touchdowns connected his archetypal 3 drives, uncovering Demarcus Robinson, Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle to instrumentality a 24-14 pb into halftime with Pineiro knocking his archetypal tract extremity effort of the game.

With the shot to commencement the 2nd half, the 49ers erstwhile again took it down the field, wherever Purdy perfectly placed 1 for Jauan Jennings successful the extremity portion for the three-yard people connected third-and-goal to instrumentality a 31-17 lead.

George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers makes a drawback against Germaine Pratt #53 of the Indianapolis Colts during the archetypal 4th of the crippled astatine Lucas Oil Stadium connected December 22, 2025, successful Indianapolis, Indiana. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

The commencement of the 4th fourth saw a 34-20 pb successful favour of the roadworthy team, but a 12-play, 65-yard thrust changed the dynamic astatine Lucas Oil Stadium, arsenic Taylor busted done tacklers for the touchdown.

However, Purdy had his ain large drive, including 3 third-down situations each converted. It was McCaffrey scoring for the 2nd clip connected third-and-goal from the Indianapolis nine-yard enactment to instrumentality a 41-27 lead.

In the container score, Rivers had a tremendous crippled contempt the pick-six, going 23-of-35 for 277 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. Purdy, though, bested him with the 5 touchdowns connected 25-of-34 passing for 295 yards.

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McCaffrey tallied 146 all-purpose yards, including 117 connected the crushed connected 21 carries. Kittle, who had to permission the crippled aboriginal owed to an ankle injury, racked up 115 yards connected 7 catches with his touchdown grab, portion Jennings had 71 yards connected 5 receptions.

For the Colts, Pierce tallied 86 yards connected 4 catches with his 2 scores, portion Josh Downs had 5 catches for 65 yards. The 49ers kept Taylor astatine bay connected the ground, holding him to conscionable 46 yards connected 16 carries.

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