Week 17 AFC Playoff Look: Colts Can Make Playoffs Multiple Ways
Source: Justin Casterline / Getty
INDIANAPOLIS – The Colts still have multiple ways they can make the playoffs with 2 weeks left in the season.
Of course, the Colts must win their final two games (at Giants, Jaguars) and get a good amount of help for that to possible.
At 7-8, the Colts are still sitting 8th in the AFC, one position outside of a playoff spot. They will take on the Giants in Week 17, in a 1:00 PM kickoff.
Per the New York Times playoff predictor, the Colts currently have a 17 percent at making the playoffs. If the Colts beat the Giants, the playoffs chances will rise to 24 percent. If the Colts lose to the Giants, they will be eliminated.
A couple of things to note on the Colts’ current situation:
- Yes, Colts have been eliminated from the AFC South. That happened last week, with Houston having a 3-game lead on the Colts and having the head-to-head tiebreaker. With 3 weeks left in the season, the Colts were eliminated from winning a division that they have not won in 10 years.
- The Colts entered Week 16 with 3 possible paths to the postseason. One was eliminated on Saturday with the Ravens beating the Steelers (Colts needed to win out and for the Ravens to lose out).
- The most explainable way the Colts can now make the playoffs is for them to win both of their final 2 game (at Giants, Jaguars) and for the Chargers to lose both of their final games (at Patriots, at Raiders). Likely? Not really, given the Chargers have to lose to two top-5 drafting teams to end the year. But, this is pretty straightforward in needing: 2 Colts wins AND 2 Chargers losses.
- The other way to make the playoffs involves the Broncos, Dolphins/Bengals. Obviously, the Colts need to win their final 2 games (at Giants, Jaguars). They also need the Broncos to lose their final 2 games (Bengals, at Chiefs). And then the final element is for the Dolphins (at Browns, at Jets) and/or Bengals (Broncos, at Steelers) to win their final 2 games. That would mean 3 or 4 teams tied at 9-8, and the Colts would win that tiebreaker off of best conference record.
- For Week 17, these are the Colts other games to watch: Chargers at Patriots (Saturday at 1:00 PM), Broncos at Bengals (Saturday at 4:30 PM), Dolphins at Browns (Sunday at 4:05 PM), If the Chargers and Broncos win on Saturday, the Colts will be eliminated from the playoffs before their own game with the Giants on Sunday.
- If you want a closer look at the NFL’s tiebreaker procedures for the playoffs, head here.
Here’s a look at the AFC standings with 2 weeks remaining:
Division Leaders (overall record, conference record, New York Times playoff odds), * clinched playoff spot
1. *Chiefs (14-1, 9-1, 100%): at Steelers, at Broncos
2. *Bills (12-3, 8-2, 100%): Jets, at Patriots
3. *Steelers (10-5, 7-3, 100%): Chiefs, Bengals
4; *Texans (9-6, 7-3, 100%): Ravens, at Titans
Wild Card Teams
5. *Ravens (10-5, 6-4, 100%): at Texans, Browns
6. Chargers (9-6, 6-4, 87%): at Patriots, at Raiders
7. Broncos (9-6, 5-5, 90%): at Bengals, Chiefs
Outside Looking In
8. Colts (7-8, 6-5, 16%): at Giants, Jaguars
9. Bengals (7-8, 4-6, 4%): Broncos, at Steelers
10. Dolphins (7-8, 5-5, 6%): at Browns, at Jets
