Philip Rivers: Chargers QB Has More Than Proven His Toughness
Philip Rivers is playing through a back injury that would sideline most players. Like him or not, he’s one tough dude.
A lot of people around the NFL can’t stand Philip Rivers. His on-field antics just rub some fans and opposing players the wrong way. But after this season, no one should ever question Rivers’ toughness again. Like him or not, San Diego’s quarterback is one tough dude.
This week we found out that Rivers has been playing through a bulging disk in his lower back for more than a month. Anyone who has ever experienced a bulging or herniated disk will tell you that playing football with that injury should be almost impossible. An injury like that comes with the kind of pain that impacts your entire body and things like breathing and standing up are incredibly painful. But Rivers has played on, despite constantly taking huge hits behind his sieve of an offensive line.
On Saturday night a visibly injured Rivers willed his Chargers back from a 28-7 halftime deficit to snatch an overtime win from the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. Every time he dropped back it was clear Rivers had nothing on his passes, but he kept at it. Despite the team’s complete lack of a ground game to help him, he was able to carry it back from the brink of playoff purgatory. It was the kind of performance that can galvanize a team and elevate a player to legendary status.
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The problem for Rivers and his mates is that they simply don’t have a championship roster this season. While San Diego sits at 9-6 and controls its playoff destiny heading into the season’s final weekend, the team just doesn’t have what it will take to win a Super Bowl this year. That’s what makes what Rivers is doing even more impressive.
The 33-year-old five-time Pro Bowler has to know the Chargers can’t match up with the New England Patriots or Denver Broncos in the AFC this year. He could have packed it in weeks ago when he was first injured and stopped taking so much punishment. No one would have blamed him for getting surgery on his back and resting up for next season. Instead, he hasn’t missed a snap and has been in there fighting for each win. Remember, this is the same guy who played through a torn ACL during the playoffs in January of 2008. That he’s playing through this back injury shouldn’t surprise us.
The real problem here is San Diego’s offensive line, which was bad before it suffered so many injuries. The Chargers have now used five different centers this season. Five. And it’s not like the rest of the guys are any good either. Aside from right tackle D.J. Fluker, I’m not sure San Diego has a lineman who would start for another NFL team. Rivers has an “offensive line” in the same way J.J. Redick had a “rap career.” Just because there is evidence that it exists doesn’t mean that it’s any good. If Chargers general manager Tom Telesco is smart, he will completely rebuild the team’s offensive line this offseason. If he doesn’t, Rivers might actually come apart at the seams next season.
In the past month, Rivers has thrown eight interceptions in the five games he’s played. That has given him a whopping 16 on the year. Against the 49ers he threw three to go along with four touchdowns. Before this last stretch of games, Rivers was in the MVP discussion, but it’s kind of hard to throw a football with a gimpy back. On the season, he is still completing 67.0 percent of his passes for 3,995 yards, with 31 touchdowns. His passer rating of 95.8 is still eighth in the league despite playing through a debilitating injury. I don’t care if he occasionally talks trash, or gyrates oddly on the field, the guy has more than earned my respect this season.
Without Rivers pushing them to victory, the Chargers would be a complete lost cause this season. They are 29th in rushing yards (83.7 yards per game) and, not surprisingly, Ryan Mathews has been injured off-and-on all season. All San Diego has is its passing game and that rests completely on Rivers’ shoulders. And his back.
San Diego travels to Kansas City on Sunday to finish off the regular season. If the Chargers win, they’re in the playoffs for the second-straight year and the sixth time in Rivers’ nine seasons as the starter. It will be a minor miracle if they finish 10-6 and in the postseason, but Rivers – an incredibly devout Catholic – has specialized in those during his time with the Chargers. I wouldn’t bet against him.
At this point we know Philip Rivers won’t win the MVP this year, but he’s once again proven that he’s a tough S.O.B. and that’s just as important.