Week 16 MNF preview: Colts vs. 49ers

Written by: Miles Jordan •

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Colts vs. 49ers

Monday Night Football heads to Lucas Oil Stadium with two teams moving in very different directions. The Indianapolis Colts will host the San Francisco 49ers in a prime-time showdown that carries major playoff implications, especially for the home team.

For Indianapolis, it will mark Philip Rivers’ second start of the 2025 season as they try to keep faint postseason hopes alive. For San Francisco, it’s another chance to stay hot and sharpen their edge heading into the playoffs.

Week 16 MNF preview:

Indianapolis

Philip Rivers’ return to the NFL last week didn’t deliver a win, as the Colts fell on a late field goal to Seattle. Still, the 44-year-old showed enough composure to give Indianapolis hope as it fights to reverse a troubling slide. After opening the season 8–2, the Colts have dropped four straight and now sit at 8–6, with their playoff odds dwindling to near single digits.

Rivers is expected to lean on his experience rather than arm strength, emphasizing short, efficient throws and ball security. Indianapolis’ offense may lack explosiveness beyond Jonathan Taylor, but a controlled, mistake-free approach will be essential against a disciplined 49ers defense. A win Monday night isn’t just helpful—it’s critical if the Colts want to keep their season alive.

San Francisco

San Francisco enters Monday night riding a four-game winning streak and already holding a playoff ticket, clinched thanks to Detroit’s loss over the weekend. Still, there’s little reason to believe the 49ers will ease off the gas as they jockey for positioning and momentum.

Christian McCaffrey remains the engine of the offense and one of the league’s most consistent weapons. With 14 total touchdowns in 14 games and a heavy workload both on the ground and through the air, McCaffrey figures to be central to San Francisco’s game plan once again. The 49ers’ balance, depth, and confidence make them a tough matchup for a Colts team searching for answers.

Injury report

49ers

This week’s Banged Up Score (BUS): 70.0

Last 4 weeks’ BUS:

Week 12: 68.9

Week 13: 70.3

Week 14: BYE

Week 15: 68.0

Despite a rocky road with injuries all season, the San Francisco 49ers are still in the driver's seat if they can beat the Colts on Monday Night Football. This week isn’t getting any easier for the 49ers, though, as head coach Kyle Shanahan announced the team will be playing without wide receiver Ricky Pearsall or cornerback Renardo Green.

Pearsall initially injured his knee in Week 4 and re-aggravated it last Sunday, also sustaining an ankle sprain. Cornerback Renardo Green has been dealing with a neck injury all week and after not logging any full practices, was ruled out. Another player not suiting up will be LB Nick Martin, who was placed on IR with a concussion. On a better note, defensive end Sam Okuayinonu will see the field again after rehabbing a high ankle sprain.

Colts

This week’s Banged Up Score (BUS): 75.9

Last 4 weeks’ BUS:

Week 12: 82.1

Week 13: 82.1

Week 14: 81.0

Week 15: 69.7

After a hot start to the season, winning eight of their first 10 games, the Colts went on a four-game losing streak. Recently, the injury bug has hit hard, with the Banged Up Score (BUS) tanking between Weeks 14 and 15 when starting quarterback Daniel Jones tore his Achilles tendon. The Colts turned to retired quarterback Phillip Rivers to try to salvage the season, but the quarterback position isn’t the only place the Colts are hurting. Big names not playing this week include cornerback Sauce Gardner, who will miss a third consecutive game with a calf injury. Gardener’s absence leaves question marks in the defensive backfield, as fellow cornerback Charvarius Ward is on IR after multiple concussions.

The IR list also boasts 4 other DBs, including cornerback Chris Lammons (foot), cornerback Jutis Walley (), safety Hunter Wohler (foot), and safety Daniel Scott (knee). On offense, Left tackle Bernhard Raimann is out with an elbow injury, which will keep Rivers on his toes. Wide receiver and special team return man Anthony Gould has been ruled out with a foot injury. Look for Josh Downs and Ameer Abdullah to fill in on punt and kick returns, respectively. On a positive front, Defensive tackle Deforest Buckner is trending towards making his return from IR, where he missed five games with a neck injury.