Will this season go down to the last game? What then?

[oldunclemark]

If the Colts lose at Detroit and Houston and defeat Tennessee and KC (1-10) on the road...

we are 9-6 and the entire season comes down to the final game at home vs. Houston on Sunday, Dec. 30.

If the Colts win Sunday in Detroit and top Tennesse..but lose to Houston and KC on the road.

we are 9-6 and it still comes down to the final home game vs. Houston on Sunday Dec. 30.

...if we lose all three of our remaining road games..and only beat Tennessee...we are 8-7..

..and it still comes down to the final home game against Houston on Dec. 30

we have not faced an elimination game of any kind all season...

///can this team win one 'winner-take-all' game at home over a superior opponent with the post-season bid on the line...??

your thoughts :shifty:

[Qwiz]

Idk. Gotta see how we match up the first time before I come to any conclusions.

[Stephen]

Im just waiting to see how we do versus detriot

[oldunclemark]

You of all people, have no thoughts on this subject????

My 'shocked face' :faint:

[Qwiz]

Lol nope not yet.

[Narcosys]

The problem is, Houston will have to play out if they want the number one see the way the schedules sit now. Unless Baltimore drops the ball on some easy games, they are right there with Houston for the 1st seed. So I dont expect Houston to sit any starters for that dec 30th game. Going to be good, and glad i got tickets to it.

[Smonroe]

My thoughts are that it's already a successful season. If we play more than 16 games it's an unbelievable season.

But next year we won't have a last place schedule either. And that's fine with me.

[luckyblue]

I foresee the last game a must win to make the playoffs, and the possibility of Chuck being back on the sidelines for that game I feel we will be extemely emotionally charged for that game, and we will not be denied!

[oldunclemark]

The problem is, Houston will have to play out if they want the number one see the way the schedules sit now. Unless Baltimore drops the ball on some easy games, they are right there with Houston for the 1st seed. So I dont expect Houston to sit any starters for that dec 30th game. Going to be good, and glad i got tickets to it.

Does Houston have a vested interest in eliminating Indianapolis?

[oldunclemark]

My thoughts are that it's already a successful season. If we play more than 16 games it's an unbelievable season.

But next year we won't have a last place schedule either. And that's fine with me.

But that's not the question. :stats:

The question is: Can we win a winner-take-all game at home? Over a superior opponent?

Are we that good?

[Smonroe]

But that's not the question. :stats:

The question is: Can we win a winner-take-all game at home? Over a superior opponent?

Are we that good?

If Houston wants to win the game? They're clearly a better team, but flawed. Any given (and I'll be there that) Sunday!

[Flash7]

So far, we've played good against good teams (Vikings, Packers, Dolphins), bad against some bad teams (Jets, Jags) and horrible against really good teams, (Bears, Patriots).

If we see improvemement in the next few weeks in offenseive production and an improvement on defensive takeaways, we may have a good chance. But currently as things stand...

[SilentHill]

If the Colts lose at Detroit and Houston and defeat Tennessee and KC (1-10) on the road...

we are 9-6 and the entire season comes down to the final game at home vs. Houston on Sunday, Dec. 30.

If the Colts win Sunday in Detroit and top Tennesse..but lose to Houston and KC on the road.

we are 9-6 and it still comes down to the final home game vs. Houston on Sunday Dec. 30.

...if we lose all three of our remaining road games..and only beat Tennessee...we are 8-7..

..and it still comes down to the final home game against Houston on Dec. 30

we have not faced an elimination game of any kind all season...

///can this team win one 'winner-take-all' game at home over a superior opponent with the post-season bid on the line...??

your thoughts :shifty:

If we beat Tenn and KC we get into the playoffs, unless two teams of pitt, cinn, and miami win out.

[Narcosys]

Does Houston have a vested interest in eliminating Indianapolis?

Not necessarily, but they have a vested interest in having homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. The way its looking, by my superb mathematical calculations from my masters in harvard law, (and a little help from the playoff calculator) they would be second seed if they lost the final game. But there are some very key games for the Patriots, Ravens, and Texans to determine who is first and who is second.

Week 13 Ravens vs Steelers: Losing this game could put them in guaranteed fourth seed but would allow the steelers to make the playoffs against Denver with us facing the Ravens. No Bueno.

Weel 14 Houston vs Patriots: This is pretty much the battle for the top seed. Should Houston win, this almost guarantees them first seed even with us beating them in the last week. If not, then they might have to play out because the Patriots would have the tie breaker over them. Fun tid bit. This would drop the patriots to possibly 4th and face us in the Wildcard.

Week 15 Broncos vs Ravens: Should the Ravens win this, this could almost guarantee them the 1st seed and drop Houston to 3rd seed if they lost to the patriots. Even more incentive for them to play out. Should the Broncos win, that might drop the Ravens down to 4th seed. (fun tidbit 2, if the ravens win, this would push the broncos down to 4th and play us in the wildcard.)

Week 16 Giants vs Ravens: This is just a maybe important game. it will really affect the giants but not affect the Ravens too much if stuff plays out like above.

Week 17 Colts vs Texans: This is a key game because this could be the difference between being 14-2 or 13-3. Losing 1st seed and having 3rd and possibly facing either Bengals or Steelers in the Wildcard matchup and then taking on the Patriots or the Ravens. Not a good road to go.

Btw - i have us being 10-6.

[Narcosys]

If we beat Tenn and KC we get into the playoffs, unless two teams of pitt, cinn, and miami win out.

That won't happen. You see the Dolphins schedule. On top of the the steelers and bengals face each other. in Week 16 i believe.

So really the dolphins would have to win out and they face the patriots twice and the 49ers, and we would have to lose out.

[Vance]

The problem is, Houston will have to play out if they want the number one see the way the schedules sit now. Unless Baltimore drops the ball on some easy games, they are right there with Houston for the 1st seed. So I dont expect Houston to sit any starters for that dec 30th game. Going to be good, and glad i got tickets to it.

Baltimore's got a fairly tough schedule down the stretch. Only if Baltimore wins out and we end up 13-3 will they get the number one seed.

[Vance]

Not necessarily, but they have a vested interest in having homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. The way its looking, by my superb mathematical calculations from my masters in harvard law, (and a little help from the playoff calculator) they would be second seed if they lost the final game.

You're only basing that off of one scenario...if we lose that final game but win the rest we will be 14-2 and have the #1 seed, no matter what.

[oldunclemark]

If we beat Tenn and KC we get into the playoffs, unless two teams of pitt, cinn, and miami win out.

Not really..

Cincy and Pitt are 3 full games behind Baltimore..but

If Cincy goes 4-1 they are 10-6 and beat a 9-7 Indy.....

If Pittsburgh goes 4-1, they are 10-6 and beat 9-7 Indy...

we'd be out of business like the twinkee

...we may need to be 10-6.....

[Narcosys]

You're only basing that off of one scenario...if we lose that final game but win the rest we will be 14-2 and have the #1 seed, no matter what.

Im not basing it off of one scenario. Im basing it off of all those weeks i just pointed out and the possibility of you losing to either the patriots or the ravens, or both. Not saying its not possible for you to beat them, but its tough. And it was a what if scenario, meaning if you dont win out on those, then you would have to play the final game.

[Narcosys]

Not really..

Cincy and Pitt are 3 full games behind Baltimore..but

If Cincy goes 4-1 they are 10-6 and beat a 9-7 Indy.....

If Pittsburgh goes 4-1, they are 10-6 and beat 9-7 Indy...

we'd be out of business like the twinkee

...we may need to be 10-6.....

Twinkie is not out of business, Hostess is. Twinkies wont go away, Hostess is just liquidating and selling off all their assets. Meaning twinkies will just be made by someone else.

[Qwiz]

Twinkie is not out of business, Hostess is. Twinkies wont go away, Hostess is just liquidating and selling off all their assets. Meaning twinkies will just be made by someone else.

[oldunclemark]

Twinkie is not out of business, Hostess is. Twinkies wont go away, Hostess is just liquidating and selling off all their assets. Meaning twinkies will just be made by someone else.

Thank you for pointing that out, Narc man..you ding dong...

Okay, for this year...Twinkees are toast..They may come back NEXT YEAR...

Just like the Colts will be toast for this year.....if we dont win 2 or 3 of the last 5..

[Vance]

Im not basing it off of one scenario. Im basing it off of all those weeks i just pointed out and the possibility of you losing to either the patriots or the ravens, or both. Not saying its not possible for you to beat them, but its tough. And it was a what if scenario, meaning if you dont win out on those, then you would have to play the final game.

We've already beaten the Ravens...

[Narcosys]

We've already beaten the Ravens...

So because you did it once automatically means you can do it again? Tell that to the 18-0 Patriots of 2008.

[Qwiz]

So because you did it once automatically means you can do it again? Tell that to the 18-0 Patriots of 2008.

*43-13

[Vance]

So because you did it once automatically means you can do it again? Tell that to the 18-0 Patriots of 2008.

?? Aren't you talking about playoff seeds not what happens in the playoffs?

The Ravens I don't believe are "right there" with us for the #1 seed. Even if they lose one of their remaining games that would make them 13-3, and we'd have to go 12-4 for them to have it.

[Narcosys]

Yes I'm talking about seeding. If they beat you then where does the tie breaker lie? It may lie with the Texan patriots game. They beat the patriots

[MR. Blueblood]

My thoughts are that it's already a successful season. If we play more than 16 games it's an unbelievable season.

But next year we won't have a last place schedule either. And that's fine with me.

When only 2 games of our schedule was decided by last years record, why does everybody think we were gifted a cream puff schedule? We got the Browns and Chiefs from that. A Browns team that we barely held on to beat, and KC in late Dec when there is a great chance that the weather will be bad making getting the win that much more difficult. Sure their record stinks this year but neither game was/is a guarantee

[SilentHill]

Not really..

Cincy and Pitt are 3 full games behind Baltimore..but

If Cincy goes 4-1 they are 10-6 and beat a 9-7 Indy.....

If Pittsburgh goes 4-1, they are 10-6 and beat 9-7 Indy...

we'd be out of business like the twinkee

...we may need to be 10-6.....

Doubtful,

Pitt has no chance to beat the ravens if big ben doesn't play

[Vance]

Yes I'm talking about seeding. If they beat you then where does the tie breaker lie? It may lie with the Texan patriots game. They beat the patriots

...Well...if they're #2...and Pats are #3...and they beat us in the playoffs...then that means they'll be in the AFCCG at their house facing the Pats if the Pats win their 2 games.

[oldunclemark]

Doubtful,

Pitt has no chance to beat the ravens if big ben doesn't play

But again.....10-6 beats 9-7..

If we're 9-7....and they go 4-1 the rest of the way....they beat us...

Pittsburgh does not have to 'win out' to beat 9-7 and neither does Cincy....

we need to beat Detroit Sunday or we're in some trouble

[Smonroe]

When only 2 games of our schedule was decided by last years record, why does everybody think we were gifted a cream puff schedule? We got the Browns and Chiefs from that. A Browns team that we barely held on to beat, and KC in late Dec when there is a great chance that the weather will be bad making getting the win that much more difficult. Sure their record stinks this year but neither game was/is a guarantee

No games are easy in the NFL. But playing the Browns and Chiefs is a lot better than playing the Ravens and Broncos. Those two games could make the difference between making and missing the playoffs.

Whatever. We play who we play.

[Vance]

But again.....10-6 beats 9-7..

If we're 9-7....and they go 4-1 the rest of the way....they beat us...

Pittsburgh does not have to 'win out' to beat 9-7 and neither does Cincy....

we need to beat Detroit Sunday or we're in some trouble

Well...against us they were fighting for their realistic playoff lives, and still lost. Now they really do need to win out and even then may not make it. So I don't know how their psyche has changed, but you guys need the win much more than we did.

[GoColts8818]

I'll worry about this if and when this happens.

There is so much that can and probably will happen between now and then that could make that last game a not must win for either team. 9 wins is probably going to get at least one wildcard in if not both this year in the AFC and by playing with the AFC playoff machine the only team that would realistically own a tie breaker over the Colts at 9 wins is the Chargers so I like the Colts chances of getting in if they get to 9 wins.

[Andy]

With Roethlisberger on the sidelines, you don't have to worry too much about losing a playoff spot.

Once he comes back, we could all start worrying again.

If the Steelers don't get Roethlisberger back next week, the only considerable threat would be the Dolphins, who we have a 3 game lead over. The Bengals would fight with us over the #5 spot.

The Steelers without Roethlisberger are one of the worst teams in the league (dont care about their defense, their offense is terrible). They were beat by the Browns, and turned it over 8 times.

[USAFHoosier]

Idk. Gotta see how we match up the first time before I come to any conclusions.

I agree. Its also gonna depend if the Texans have home field locked or if they just wanna keep the colts out.

[SilentHill]

But again.....10-6 beats 9-7..

If we're 9-7....and they go 4-1 the rest of the way....they beat us...

Pittsburgh does not have to 'win out' to beat 9-7 and neither does Cincy....

we need to beat Detroit Sunday or we're in some trouble

Well since Cincy and Pittsburgh play each other.

It's also worth noting that if one of them loses a game, IE not winning out since they play eachother then we get in at 9-7

[Vance]

I agree. Its also gonna depend if the Texans have home field locked or if they just wanna keep the colts out.

I seriously doubt the team cares about keeping the Colts out.

[Playmaker]

I would say you always have a vested interest in knocking a division rival out of the playoffs. Especially thats has dominated you, for a better part of your existence. They will likely have home field locked up by then and with Schaubs injury history it would be very risky to not at least rest him.

[Qwiz]

I agree. Its also gonna depend if the Texans have home field locked or if they just wanna keep the colts out.

Yep. Last year instead of resting our starters we instead chose to try and keep the Titans out of the postseason but managed to lose the game. I'm curious as to how we'll treat big brother this year...give him the opportunity or kick him in the gut and take his candy? :hmm: