The Indianapolis Colts came within striking distance of a signature win in Week 15, nearly pulling off an upset against the Seattle Seahawks. While the loss stings, the Colts aren’t out of the playoff picture just yet.
In fact, they’re still alive in both the AFC South race and the wild card hunt. But with just three games to go, the margin for error is razor thin - and the road ahead is anything but smooth.
Let’s start with where things stand. After Sunday’s action, the AFC South is still tight, but the Colts are now chasing two teams.
Jacksonville took care of business in dominant fashion, steamrolling the Jets 48-20, while Houston kept pace with a 40-20 win over Arizona. That leaves the Jaguars two games up on the Colts at 10-4, while the Texans sit one game ahead at 9-5.
Indy, now 8-6, needs to win out and get some help if they want to sneak into the postseason.
And winning out won’t be easy. The Colts’ final three games are a gauntlet.
Next up: a primetime showdown against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football. Then they host the division-leading Jaguars before closing the season on the road in Houston - a game that could end up deciding a playoff spot or even the AFC South crown.
The good news? There are still paths forward.
If Philip Rivers can find some rhythm and Jonathan Taylor continues to be the engine of this offense, the Colts have a puncher’s chance. Especially next week - the 49ers have had their struggles defending the run, and Taylor has shown he can take over games when given the opportunity.
A win over San Francisco wouldn’t just keep Indy in the race - it could give them the kind of momentum you want heading into the final stretch.
Meanwhile, the Jaguars and Texans each face intriguing matchups of their own. Jacksonville heads to Denver as a field goal underdog, a tough place to play this late in the season.
Houston, on the other hand, will be heavy favorites at home against the Raiders, opening as 14.5-point favorites. If either team slips, the door opens just a bit wider for the Colts.
Here’s how the AFC South stacks up after Week 15:
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 10-4
- Houston Texans: 9-5
- Indianapolis Colts: 8-6
- Tennessee Titans: 2-12
Now, zooming out to the broader AFC playoff picture, the Colts are sitting in the eighth spot - just outside the wild card line. The Chargers, Bills, and Texans currently occupy the three wild card slots, each sitting at 10-4 or 9-5.
The Colts are right behind at 8-6, with the Ravens (7-7) and Dolphins (6-7) still in the mix as well. Miami plays Pittsburgh on Monday night, a game that could tighten things up even more.
Here’s how the AFC playoff standings look right now:
- Denver Broncos (12-2) - Clinched playoff spot
- New England Patriots (11-3)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)
- Los Angeles Chargers (10-4, 8-2 in AFC)
- Buffalo Bills (10-4, 7-3 in AFC)
- Houston Texans (9-5)
- Indianapolis Colts (8-6)
- Baltimore Ravens (7-7)
- Miami Dolphins (6-7)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-8) - Eliminated
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-10) - Eliminated
- New York Jets (3-11) - Eliminated
- Cleveland Browns (3-11) - Eliminated
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-12) - Eliminated
- Tennessee Titans (2-12) - Eliminated
The Colts are still in this thing, but the clock is ticking. Every snap, every possession, every decision from here on out matters.
They’ll need to bring their best football over the final three weeks - and hope a few other teams stumble along the way. The path to the playoffs is narrow, but it’s still there.
Now it’s up to Indy to walk it.