Must win vs. Tennessee

[Coltswarriors]

It's really not that far fetched to think we will beat them at Houston either.

You said this earlier this week and I hope you're right.

I just don't see us sweeping the Texans and plus we don't play our best football on the road.

Hope you're right though!

[manning04]

I think the fact some AFC north teams that are playing for PO spots play each other only benefits us. I think if anything.. i was very glad to see K.C win this week. i think that mentally lifts weight off of their shoulders to get that emotional victory out the way. I don't think the Texans rest their starters regardless of the circumstance especially if it could knock us out of a WC spot. if we can steal a win in Houston that would make things very interesting. This titans game would be a great time to put together a complete game.

[SteelCityColt]

I'd say 2-2 is realistic but isn't going to be a given. The Steelers win over the Ravens was a killer considering Big Ben was out.

The Benegals didn't look so good against SD but the Chargers gave them that game on a plate.

It does work in our favour they have to play each other at least.

Gut feel is we scrape it and it might well go down to the last game of the season.

[Playoffs2013]

really? 27-10.....I didnt think that was easy and it was Jax

we handily controlled the score The whole game, it was easy

[BOTT]

If they can't improve their seeding i think they will.. Seems to be conventional wisdom with everyone except the patriots

kubiak coached under shannahan and resting players cost them the year the jags upset them in the first round...next year the broncos decided not to rest players and they won the first of back to back super bowls. that was the story "stink" told anyway.

i thought resting players with a first round bye cost the packers last year, offensively anyway, rodgers just looked off.

[oldunclemark]

No, that wasn't me.... I predicted us to lose to the Jets...

OK....I was wrong.......

[oldunclemark]

Oh yes it is.....

You're coming down with Colt-mania

[oldunclemark]

we handily controlled the score The whole game, it was easy

we have not won a game decisively in my mind all season....

Its been great..but we dont beat anybody us

[JWF]

They're all must wins at this point. But I get what the OP is trying to say.

I expect this game to be another close one....of course every game weve won this year outside of the 2nd Jags game was close.

[funktacious2]

Considering 9-7 may not be enough to make the playoffs, I'd have to agree that losing at home to the Titans may be a massive blow to our playoffs hopes, but it could also mean little if the Steelers and Bengals lose some unexpected games. Here's to hoping we get business done and and continue to sit a couple wins above the competition.

[ColtsBlueFL]

Colts must take care of business in crunch time, especially at home vs. team you are supposed to beat. Should they do their job, the roads trip to KC is hard to call with all of the recent news there.

On another note, Golic (of Mike & Mike) believes Steelers and Bengals get in and we are left out in the cold... Greeney, not so much.

[oldunclemark]

Considering 9-7 may not be enough to make the playoffs, I'd have to agree that losing at home to the Titans may be a massive blow to our playoffs hopes, but it could also mean little if the Steelers and Bengals lose some unexpected games. Here's to hoping we get business done and and continue to sit a couple wins above the competition.

Pitt plays Cincy..somebody has to win next week..

Lets get real....If we cant beat Tennessee at home....we arent beating Houston anywhere..

9-7 will gurantee us the 7th seed

[oldunclemark]

Colts must take care of business in crunch time, especially at home vs. team you are supposed to beat. Should they do their job, the roads trip to KC is hard to call with all of the recent news there.

On another note, Golic (of Mike & Mike) believes Steelers and Bengals get in and we are left out in the cold... Greeney, not so much.

..and they thought about it for about two seconds...

.Greeney (which must be what he's on) thought Jeremy Linn would lead the Knicks to the NBA finals last season, too

[hawkeyes]

This will be the Titans SB ... you can count on them bringing everything they have to beat us and spoil our season.

I think if the Texans beat NE Monday night that they will rest at least one of those two games against us ...

[Stephen]

If texans beat ne we would prob have zero shot at the division

[chad72]

Colts must take care of business in crunch time, especially at home vs. team you are supposed to beat. Should they do their job, the roads trip to KC is hard to call with all of the recent news there.

On another note, Golic (of Mike & Mike) believes Steelers and Bengals get in and we are left out in the cold... Greeney, not so much.

The issue with that reasoning is that I do not see the Bengals beating the Steelers on the road with Big Ben, and last year they had the same set up hosting the Ravens at home in their last game and folded. Because of how the Steelers and Bengals have to play each other and the Colts dont have to play any of them, the Colts' losses do not result in their wins automatically. One of the Bengals or Steelers get in with the Colts, IMO.

[Kyle]

OK....I was wrong.......

i accidentally guaranteed a victory vs the jets in a post. The loss was 100% my fault.

[The Fish]

I'm not seeing this the same way many of you are. I say 9-7 gets in and the only must win is KC. Not to say Tennessee has any business getting a win on Sunday.

Optimistic for 3 more wins.

Expecting 2 more.

1 more gets us in.

Cincy isn't beating Pitt and that will settle it.

[oldunclemark]

I'm not seeing this the same way many of you are. I say 9-7 gets in and the only must win is KC. Not to say Tennessee has any business getting a win on Sunday.

Optimistic for 3 more wins.

Expecting 2 more.

1 more gets us in.

Cincy isn't beating Pitt and that will settle it.

we win most tieb reakers at 10-6.

But if we're 9-7 we are very vulnerable........Pitt and Cincy could both go 3-1 the rest of the way and send us home...

Cincy could beat Dallas and Baltimore because those games are in Cincinnatti..and they could easily win at Philadelphia..

Pitt plays San Diego, Dallas and Cleveland.........they should won all 3.......

the Pitt-Cincy game then become irrelevent if the Colts fall to 9-7

if Pitt goes 4-0 (they'd be 11-5) and Cincy goes 3-1 (they'd be 10-6)

Bottom line: Unless you feel that Houston will lay down and give us the final game of the year...

the Colts need to beat Tennessee....Its a must game

[bayone]

Jvan....folks have been saying all year that the Texans will rest their regulars in the final week and give us the game.

Does anybody seriously think that's going to happen at this point??

they may rest if beat pats ,, & they may not if they feel like they actually would risk player health knowing they have a bye just to beat up on colts way past colts have dominated them, I am sure their fans would like it

[bayone]

we win most tieb reakers at 10-6.

But if we're 9-7 we are very vulnerable........Pitt and Cincy could both go 3-1 the rest of the way and send us home...

Cincy could beat Dallas and Baltimore because those games are in Cincinnatti..and they could easily win at Philadelphia..

Pitt plays San Diego, Dallas and Cleveland.........they should won all 3.......

the Pitt-Cincy game then become irrelevent if the Colts fall to 9-7

if Pitt goes 4-0 (they'd be 11-5) and Cincy goes 3-1 (they'd be 10-6)

Bottom line: Unless you feel that Houston will lay down and give us the final game of the year...

the Colts need to beat Tennessee....Its a must game

We should be able to take them , but its a crazy year where the unpredictable has happened more than just a few times

Have they said who is starting at QB , i realy amn no longer sure who i want toi start for them, all haave ups & downs

[bayone]

The issue with that reasoning is that I do not see the Bengals beating the Steelers on the road with Big Ben, and last year they had the same set up hosting the Ravens at home in their last game and folded. Because of how the Steelers and Bengals have to play each other and the Colts dont have to play any of them, the Colts' losses do not result in their wins automatically. One of the Bengals or Steelers get in with the Colts, IMO.

thats how I see it

[DarkHorseColts]

Might have been posted elsewhere, but this is fun to play around with:

http://espn.go.com/n...layoffs/machine

[The Fish]

we win most tieb reakers at 10-6.

But if we're 9-7 we are very vulnerable........Pitt and Cincy could both go 3-1 the rest of the way and send us home...

Cincy could beat Dallas and Baltimore because those games are in Cincinnatti..and they could easily win at Philadelphia..

Pitt plays San Diego, Dallas and Cleveland.........they should won all 3.......

the Pitt-Cincy game then become irrelevent if the Colts fall to 9-7

if Pitt goes 4-0 (they'd be 11-5) and Cincy goes 3-1 (they'd be 10-6)

Bottom line: Unless you feel that Houston will lay down and give us the final game of the year...

the Colts need to beat Tennessee....Its a must game

You could be right, and the best way to handle business is to win, but I don't look at any team that's had less success this season than the Colts as having the inside track for 3 or more wins. I'm confident that Cincy has no business hanging around with Baltimore. If Dallas stays alive, they'll play to win and they can beat Cincy just as easily as not.

We'll see.

[oldunclemark]

You have a lot more faith in Dallas than I do..and SD, Cleveland, Phily...those are busters

Cincy just crushed the NYGs....and they've been winning.....

We've played a soft schedule....but our final 3 weeks are stronger than dirt

Houston is at least a 10-point favorite over Indianapolis in Houston

[Carlos Danger]

Yeah I wouldn't count on little brother resting their starters for us.

Not after we clobber them in Houston... :yes:

[Manning2Wayne]

may be tough game,

Johnson also seems to have got some groove back

good luck

[oldunclemark]

I still like Our chances against KC. The hype and emotion will be substantially less by then, and we might even have Chuck on the sidelines.

Coach Pagaono wont be in KC out doors on the sidleines in cold weather.. I hope

We may have him back indoors....

[Kleats]

These division meetings./..its going to be close again....

I'm a little concerned about our team being EXPECTED to win ....it adds some weight to to the task

..we have so many rookies on offense..and we really havent beaten any one team decisively all season...

Feels like a trap game to me . The type where a team comes out a little flat and plays down to the level of their competetion . You can get burned that way . Pedal to the metal , get up on these guys early , play solid football the rest of the game and come out with a W .

Last min wins are fun ..... but it's time for a solid W . That's where real confidence comes from .

[SteelCityColt]

Last min wins are fun ..... but it's time for a solid W . That's where real confidence comes from .

Spoilsport, I love having a near heart attack each game

It would be good though to have a solid if not spectacular win, good teams win the mundane as well as the great games.

[Malakai432]

I get so confused by all these, possibilities? Do we hold the tie breaker vs Pitts and Cincy let's say all of us where tied at 9 games???

[MSColtsFan]

I don't think this week is a must win. Two wins need to be found out of four though, I think. That being said, I think the Bengals have as reasonable a chance to lose three of four as winning three of four. Cowboys are as desperate this week as the Benglas, at Philly with nothing to play for but contracts next year, then the Steelers and Ravens. My two cents is the Bengals eliminate themselves, which could make for an interesting (and meaningless) game in week 17 for the Colts and Texans, with both teams in, and maybe even seeds set.

[Warhorse]

One playoff game would be nice for the experience it will give the new players on the team. We dont have the depth and experience to go much farther than that.

[Gramz]

One playoff game would be nice for the experience it will give the new players on the team. We dont have the depth and experience to go much farther than that.

I tend to agree with you on all points.

........however, it has been a really strange season, all around, so Who really knows...???

[ColtsBlueFL]

The issue with that reasoning is that I do not see the Bengals beating the Steelers on the road with Big Ben, and last year they had the same set up hosting the Ravens at home in their last game and folded. Because of how the Steelers and Bengals have to play each other and the Colts dont have to play any of them, the Colts' losses do not result in their wins automatically. One of the Bengals or Steelers get in with the Colts, IMO.

s

Steelers - Bengal is one game... We know 1 team comes out on top. It's the other 3 games for each we need to watch. i don't know tie breaks if Cincy and Pitt both end up 10-6.

[funktacious2]

Pitt plays Cincy..somebody has to win next week..

Lets get real....If we cant beat Tennessee at home....we arent beating Houston anywhere..

9-7 will gurantee us the 7th seed

We lost to Jacksonville but beat Green Bay. I think anything could happen, and since these threads are all about hypotheticals anyways, I'd don't think it's too absurd to consider the possibilities. Also, it's unfortunate that the "7th" seed won't be enough to make the playoffs (I assume this was a typo lol) But in all seriousness, I just don't feel confident that 9 wins is enough. Pittsburgh can easily finish with 10 wins, and Cincy, while not near as likely, could too.