I just don't predict any surprises

[DalTXColtsFan]

If the playoffs started today, here would be the top 6 seeds:

 

1. Denver 6-1

2. Indy 5-2

3. NE 5-2

4. Balt 5-2

5. SD 5-3

6. Cincy 3-2-1

 

Pitt, Buf, KC and Miami are on the outside looking in.  I could see one of those four teams stealing the #6 seed from Cincy.

 

NE has to play Chi, Den, @Indy, Det, @GB, @SD, Mia, @NYJ and Buf.  If they win their division (and let's face it, they probably will) they'll have EARNED it.

 

Balt's remaining games are @Cincy, @Pitt, Ten, @NO, SD, @Mia, Jax, @Hou and Cle.  They would have to choke to not win their division and I'll be amazed if they don't finish with more wins than NE.

 

Here's how I see it playing out:

1. Denver 13-3

2. Indy 12-4 (our regular season win over Balt was HUGE!!!!)

3. Balt 12-4

4. NE 11-5

5. SD 11-5

6. doesn't really matter, it won't be anyone who can beat Balt at home.

 

I could then see SD upsetting NE in the WC round.  I would love to see SD upset Denver in the playoffs so that the AFCCG is in Indy after we stop Baltimore!

[CR91]

chargers are the last team I wanna play. bad juju

[BlueShoe]

chargers are the last team I wanna play. bad juju

 

I was just going to post the same thing. 

 

Yeah, the Chargers are the type of team that can beat us. I would rather play Denver, in Denver. 

[ProblChld32]

chargers are the last team I wanna play. bad juju

 

Agreed, Donald Brown comes into town and rips us a new one, i think not. def don't wanna play those fellers. 

[ColtsFanMikeC]

If the playoffs started today, here would be the top 6 seeds:

 

1. Denver 6-1

2. Indy 5-2

3. NE 5-2

4. Balt 5-2

5. SD 5-3

6. Cincy 3-2-1

 

Pitt, Buf, KC and Miami are on the outside looking in.  I could see one of those four teams stealing the #6 seed from Cincy.

 

NE has to play Chi, Den, @Indy, Det, @GB, @SD, Mia, @NYJ and Buf.  If they win their division (and let's face it, they probably will) they'll have EARNED it.

 

Balt's remaining games are @Cincy, @Pitt, Ten, @NO, SD, @Mia, Jax, @Hou and Cle.  They would have to choke to not win their division and I'll be amazed if they don't finish with more wins than NE.

 

Here's how I see it playing out:

1. Denver 13-3

2. Indy 12-4 (our regular season win over Balt was HUGE!!!!)

3. Balt 12-4

4. NE 11-5

5. SD 11-5

6. doesn't really matter, it won't be anyone who can beat Balt at home.

 

I could then see SD upsetting NE in the WC round.  I would love to see SD upset Denver in the playoffs so that the AFCCG is in Indy after we stop Baltimore!

 

 

KC and a healthy Cincy could both play with Baltimore, even if it was in Baltimore.

[snkdy]

Denver and SD are probably a lock for #1 and #5. I'm not sure Cincy is getting that sixth slot.

 

I don't know where we'll fall on the spectrum between #2 and #4. It would be nice if we could win these two games before we play NE.

[DalTXColtsFan]

Denver and SD are probably a lock for #1 and #5. I'm not sure Cincy is getting that sixth slot.

 

I don't know where we'll fall on the spectrum between #2 and #4. It would be nice if we could win these two games before we play NE.

 

In my humble opinion the Colts would have to choke to not get the #2.  

 

Our 3 arguably toughest remaining games are @Pit, @Dal and NE.  No way we lose all 3 of them.

 

Then we have Hou, Jax, Wash, @Ten, @NYG, @Cle.  If we lose ANY of those games it would be a choke.

 

12-4 is very realistic, and even if NE manages to beat us, there are at least 3 more losses on their schedule - look at it.

 

Balt would have to go 8-1 to finish out the season to do better than 12-4, and we own the tiebreak over them.  Not gonna happen.

[akcolt]

Denver and SD are probably a lock for #1 and #5. I'm not sure Cincy is getting that sixth slot.

 

I don't know where we'll fall on the spectrum between #2 and #4. It would be nice if we could win these two games before we play NE.

It would be really nice to get these last two go into the bye feeling good with an extra week to prepare for NE to come to Indy. Our schedule sets up pretty nice we just need to handle our business no blow outs in St Louis this year.

[BOTT]

chargers are the last team I wanna play. bad juju

Meh, this era of colts have only played the chargers once.

[runthepost]

Chargers and Darren Sproles are never good for the colts

[Coffeedrinker]

Personally, I think you are being generous to SD and NE.  SD is 1-2 in division games and they barely beat Oakland and lost to the Chiefs in Qualcomm.  And NE has rebounded nicely after the Chiefs game but they are still not a scary team.  They have a stretch of Denver, Detroit, Colts, GB and Chargers and I think they will be fortunate if they go 2-3 in that stretch but more likely 1-4.  Then they play the Jets in Jersey.

[snkdy]

In my humble opinion the Colts would have to choke to not get the #2.  

 

Our 3 arguably toughest remaining games are @Pit, @Dal and NE.  No way we lose all 3 of them.

 

Then we have Hou, Jax, Wash, @Ten, @NYG, @Cle.  If we lose ANY of those games it would be a choke.

 

12-4 is very realistic, and even if NE manages to beat us, there are at least 3 more losses on their schedule - look at it.

 

Balt would have to go 8-1 to finish out the season to do better than 12-4, and we own the tiebreak over them.  Not gonna happen.

 

We've been playing very well, and I'm hopeful we'll land a bye, but you never know. PIT could play very good football at home on Sunday. The Giants always show up for a few games, even when they're sucking for a majority of the season. Divisional games are never a lock.

 

I'm a pessimist

 

I agree that NE will not be getting a bye.

[snkdy]

It would be really nice to get these last two go into the bye feeling good with an extra week to prepare for NE to come to Indy. Our schedule sets up pretty nice we just need to handle our business no blow outs in St Louis this year.

It would be so great. Crossing my fingers.

[Stephen]

It would be really nice to get these last two go into the bye feeling good with an extra week to prepare for NE to come to Indy. Our schedule sets up pretty nice we just need to handle our business no blow outs in St Louis this year.

problem is patriots have bye same week as us

[BlueShoe]

Personally, I think you are being generous to SD and NE.  SD is 1-2 in division games and they barely beat Oakland and lost to the Chiefs in Qualcomm.  And NE has rebounded nicely after the Chiefs game but they are still not a scary team.  They have a stretch of Denver, Detroit, Colts, GB and Chargers and I think they will be fortunate if they go 2-3 in that stretch but more likely 1-4.  Then they play the Jets in Jersey.

 

I look at the team, and believe they could give us fits. They are methodical and do not mind taking 4 yards at a time, if that is all that is there. They know how to play ball control well, and that is what we like to do. I could see them giving us fits. 

 

There is a chance we could jump on them and get out to a big lead. Then I would like our chances, but I could see a very slow back-and-forth contest and the last team to score wins. 

 

In my mind, the Chargers are a dangerous team for the Colts. Not that they are better, but they understand our style very well, because they have the same type of philosophy. 

[ThaCaliColt]

chargers are the last team I wanna play.

I think the new era Colts will fare better against the Chargers. Greg Manusky being their former defensive coordinator doesn't hurt either.

Denver, however, is going to be the last stop for any of these AFC teams in January. And, the way that defense is playing right now, it is going to be hell trying to go in there and get a win.

[HtownColt]

Gotta beat The Patriots so Colts have the tiebreaker over them, that will be huge

[adamthyst]

The last team I'd ever want to play is the Chargers. That's a no-no.

[akcolt]

problem is patriots have bye same week as us

Why is that a problem? We are at home and will be prepared and rested. Frankly I think we are a better team than the Pats this year.

[RockThatBlue]

The last team I'd ever want to play is the Chargers. That's a no-no.

Agreed. They for whatever reason have had our number for years.

[krunk]

I'll put us against anybody anywhere but I just despise the notion of any playoff game in Foxboro.  I'm tired of going there and losing. Let those clowns come to us for a change.  I wanna beat those dudes soundly in a couple weeks and get that tie breaker!  I also would dread having to play San Diego, but I think the time has come for us to beat them now.  I believe we have more talent than them across the board.  When it comes to the Chargers, Broncos Peyton has gotten the albatross off his neck so it's time for our Colts to get it off of their backs as well.  I think we'd beat the Chargers, especially in Indy.

[chad72]

Personally, I think you are being generous to SD and NE.  SD is 1-2 in division games and they barely beat Oakland and lost to the Chiefs in Qualcomm.  And NE has rebounded nicely after the Chiefs game but they are still not a scary team.  They have a stretch of Denver, Detroit, Colts, GB and Chargers and I think they will be fortunate if they go 2-3 in that stretch but more likely 1-4.  Then they play the Jets in Jersey.

 

I agree. I can see the Pats dropping to a #4 seeding and the Chargers out of the playoffs with the Bengals at #5 and Chiefs/Steelers at #6 getting in.

 

I just do not see the Chargers survive the at Baltimore, home to Pats, home to Broncos, at 49ers, at Chiefs stretch and have a winning record during that stretch.

[trueblueblood]

chargers are the last team I wanna play. bad juju

It's the powder blues they wear. I'm telling you, it's those damn powder blues.

[Stoney]

Agreed, Donald Brown comes into town and rips us a new one, i think not. def don't wanna play those fellers.

Donald brown > Peyton Manning 4 sure!

[Superfly Jay]

I'm not at all concerned about SD. We had that game in a bag last year, but we made some mistakes and pretty much laet them beat us. The AFC is ours for the taking and the only team in our way are the Broncos. Our defense wasn't playing the way they are now in that week 1 loss. If we can get some pressure on Manning, especially in the playoffs that game is ours.

[Dark Superman]

chargers are the last team I wanna play. bad juju

Me too. Them and the Patriots always fare well against us.,

[Buck Showalter]

chargers are the last team I wanna play. bad juju

I know right???

I mean I hope the Colts win the Superbowl, but the NFL should just give the Colts the trophy, forget earning it...

[HGRekks]

The only team I don't want to see the Colts face is the Colts. That'd just be weird.

[DalTXColtsFan]

I didn't state in my original post that my predictions were contingent on not losing any more key defensive players to injury.  We were already stretched to rubber-band-thin when we lost Mathis.

 

This team can't afford to be without Davis, Walden, Jones and Jean-Francois.  That just leaves us way way way too thin on defense.  WIthout those four I'd worry about our chances against Jax and Oakland (OK that's an exaggeration but I think it makes my point.  Quite frankly, if they don't get at least two if not three of those four guys back and healthy by Monday night I'm seriously worried about taking on NYG on the road.).  Don't get me wrong, I'd like to get Richardson, Wayne and Landry back too, but those are 3 players we have the depth to win without.

 

Watching Redding go down wasn't fun either.

 

Assuming we get those four players back and healthy by the NE game, all the loss to Pitt does to my predictions is amplify what an enormous game the already-big Colts/Pats matchup at LOS is.  The Colts can't afford to lose to Pitt *and* NE *and* Dallas if they want the #2 seed (and given the amount of nicked-up players we have, we really need that bye).