Colts Playoff Chances Improve…

[NewColtsFan]

Burrow went down tonight with a sprained wrist in his throwing arm.  
 

Watson has been lost for the season…

 

And Josh Allen us up and down and the Bills have a tough schedule to close out.   
 

So if Buffalo, Cleveland and Cincy might all struggle to make the playoffs, the Colts chances to make the post-season may go up….  Perhaps considerably.  
 

The second half of this season may get very interesting all the way to the end.  

[Yoshinator]

3 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

Burrow went down tonight with a sprained wrist in his throwing arm.  
 

Watson has been lost for the season…

 

And Josh Allen us up and down and the Bills have a tough schedule to close out.   
 

So if Buffalo, Cleveland and Cincy might all struggle to make the playoffs, the Colts chances to make the post-season may go up….  Perhaps considerably.  
 

The second half of this season may get very interesting all the way to the end.  

Don't forget Mark Andrews may be out for the season. I was thinking about this myself. Things are lining up for a possible Cinderella run to sneak into the playoffs. The AFC is starting to collapse. Time to get our guys healthy during the bye week. Grover Stewart will be back soon. This season is far from over.

[smittywerb]

And we’re doing this with Checkdown Happy Feet Minshew.  Imagine if AR was still playing…

[cdgacoltsfan]

5 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

Burrow went down tonight with a sprained wrist in his throwing arm.  
 

Watson has been lost for the season…

 

And Josh Allen us up and down and the Bills have a tough schedule to close out.   
 

So if Buffalo, Cleveland and Cincy might all struggle to make the playoffs, the Colts chances to make the post-season may go up….  Perhaps considerably.  
 

The second half of this season may get very interesting all the way to the end.  

The Colts probably need to win  5 out of 7...there's the rub.

[John Hammonds]

10 minutes ago, cdgacoltsfan said:

The Colts probably need to win  5 out of 7...there's the rub.

Yup.

The gods may have laid out a golden carpet in front of the Colts to make the playoffs.

But we still gotta walk it.

[FanFromtheWasteland]

Not sure if I want to get my hopes up

[MarylandTerrapin]

When the 17 game season was announced, I always felt that you needed 10 wins (10-7) to lock in the final playoff spot.  If we want to pick up 5 more wins, we need to go back to the 2021 formula of running the ball and complement it with timely passing.  I would have loved to get the Rams and Browns games back and sit at 7-3, but at 5-5 we're still in the thick of the playoff race.  The thing that will keep us in this is that the other AFC contenders are cannibalizing each other.  Should make for some fun scoreboard watching the rest of the way.

 

[RollerColt]

Burrow is most likely out for the season, so the Bengals are done. 

 

The Bills might get newfound life after the wake up loss to Denver and the firing of their OC. With Watson and now Burrow gone, the Bill's path to the playoffs just got a little easier. 

 

The Steelers literally have to just keep doing what they're doing: allow their elite defense to win games. They're a lock for the playoffs now. 

 

As for the Colts? I'm just not optimistic about Minshew leading us into the playoffs. We'll get curb-stomped by that Kansas defense if we even make it that far. We can't get into a shootout with the likes of Miami or Baltimore... And the Texans are not the same team we faced in week 2.

 

Let's see how we fare against Tampa... 

[1959Colts]

First and foremost, they must not lay an egg at home vs Tampa

[chad72]

11 minutes ago, RollerColt said:

Burrow is most likely out for the season, so the Bengals are done. 

 

The Bills might get newfound life after the wake up loss to Denver and the firing of their OC. With Watson and now Burrow gone, the Bill's path to the playoffs just got a little easier. 

 

The Steelers literally have to just keep doing what they're doing: allow their elite defense to win games. They're a lock for the playoffs now. 

 

As for the Colts? I'm just not optimistic about Minshew leading us into the playoffs. We'll get curb-stomped by that Kansas defense if we even make it that far. We can't get into a shootout with the likes of Miami or Baltimore... And the Texans are not the same team we faced in week 2.

 

Let's see how we fare against Tampa... 

 

The dark horse are the Broncos. They could win 5 out of their next 8 and squeeze in there with a 9-8 record 

[RollerColt]

Just now, chad72 said:

 

The dark horse are the Broncos. They could win 5 out of their next 8 and squeeze in there with a 9-8 record 

As long as they stay healthy, yes that's correct. Raiders could also have a shot with how they're rallying around Antonio Pierce. 

 

The biggest losers in all of this is the general fan. Get ready for even more bad primetime games with Burrow gone... 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

21 minutes ago, chad72 said:

 

The dark horse are the Broncos. They could win 5 out of their next 8 and squeeze in there with a 9-8 record 

Chargers will probably get to 5-5. You are correct about broncos too.

[chad72]

37 minutes ago, RollerColt said:

As long as they stay healthy, yes that's correct. Raiders could also have a shot with how they're rallying around Antonio Pierce. 

 

The biggest losers in all of this is the general fan. Get ready for even more bad primetime games with Burrow gone... 

 

Well, like you said, Bills are bound to make a comeback, I think every game on their schedule outside the Chiefs, Eagles and Dolphins, they should be favored. That also makes them a 9-8 team.

 

Colts HAVE TO win 9 games in order to stand a chance. 4-3 at worst, 5-2 to be certain for the playoffs. Probably applies to every 5-5 team, moving forward. Our 0-2 vs Jaguars will loom large, unfortunately, at the end of the season, unless we go 5-2.

[RollerColt]

1 minute ago, chad72 said:

 

Well, like you said, Bills are bound to make a comeback, I think every game on their schedule outside the Chiefs, Eagles and Dolphins, they should be favored. That also makes them a 9-8 team.

 

Colts HAVE TO win 9 games in order to stand a chance. 4-3 at worst, 5-2 to be certain for the playoffs. Probably applies to every 5-5 team, moving forward. 

Welp, we're definitely going to be favored against Cincy now as long as Browning stays in at QB. Our best chance is for our upcoming QBs to be flat out more terrible than Minshew... 

 

Which looking at the schedule now... Yeesh... We're in for 6 more bad offensive contests aren't we? 

 

You know what will probably happen? We'll actually go on a decent run, and get into a nightmare "win and you're in" scenario at the end of the season against Stroud and Houston... 

[chad72]

Just now, RollerColt said:

Welp, we're definitely going to be favored against Cincy now as long as Browning stays in at QB. Our best chance is for our upcoming QBs to be flat out more terrible than Minshew... 

 

Which looking at the schedule now... Yeesh... We're in for 6 more bad offensive contests aren't we? 

 

You know what will probably happen? We'll actually go on a decent run, and get into a nightmare "win and you're in" scenario at the end of the season against Stroud and Houston... 

 

I don't like our chances there.

 

But let us not count out Burrow yet. They just need to sneak in and the game is still in Cincy, so Burrow at 80% is still good enough for them to beat most teams.

[RollerColt]

Just now, chad72 said:

But let us not count out Burrow yet. They just need to sneak in and the game is still in Cincy, so Burrow at 80% is still good enough for them to beat most teams.

I think we (they) will be reporting bad news on his front in just a few hours... I'll let the hope fester a little longer but it's dwindling by the minute. 

[indyagent17]

It is fun to talk about but I would give our chances at 20%. Its Minshew at QB not AR. We played two of the worst teams in Carolina and New England and if Moore didnt score twice that could well be a loss. New England would have soundly beaten us if an average QB played. Coming off two games where the offense has been bad I do not see us winning 5 out of 7 Too many good teams to play yet

[2006Coltsbestever]

This is why you never tank or give up on a season when you start slow. It's a marathon, not a sprint. 

[richard pallo]

18 minutes ago, indyagent17 said:

It is fun to talk about but I would give our chances at 20%. Its Minshew at QB not AR. We played two of the worst teams in Carolina and New England and if Moore didnt score twice that could well be a loss. New England would have soundly beaten us if an average QB played. Coming off two games where the offense has been bad I do not see us winning 5 out of 7 Too many good teams to play yet

Losing Grover for a third of the season was a huge hit.  Two more games to go and he’s back.  The bye came at the right time for Juju and Downs.  Minschew actually keeps our hopes alive.  He’s very capable.  He just needs to manage the offense which he can do.  And when you have a kicker you have a closer.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

33 minutes ago, RollerColt said:

I think we (they) will be reporting bad news on his front in just a few hours... I'll let the hope fester a little longer but it's dwindling by the minute. 

My guess is it’s a hairline fracture in his wrist.  We will probably find out today. If that’s the case he is probably out at least a month.

[chad72]

4 minutes ago, richard pallo said:

Losing Grover for a third of the season was a huge hit.  Two more games to go and he’s back.  The bye came at the right time for Juju and Downs.  Minschew actually keeps our hopes alive.  He’s very capable.  He just needs to manage the offense which he can do.  And when you have a kicker you have a closer.

 

I bet Minshew makes a few corrections and Steichen asks him to trust the OL more to make more strides on the offensive output side, coming out of the bye. Everyone will be desperate in November and December, that is what we need to prepare for, it is as much mental as it is execution. It is like we will be in playoff mode every week but won't go home with a loss.

[chad72]

31 minutes ago, indyagent17 said:

It is fun to talk about but I would give our chances at 20%. Its Minshew at QB not AR. We played two of the worst teams in Carolina and New England and if Moore didnt score twice that could well be a loss. New England would have soundly beaten us if an average QB played. Coming off two games where the offense has been bad I do not see us winning 5 out of 7 Too many good teams to play yet

 

Who would have thought Burrow would be dealing with his wrist stuff and that we would have a chance on the road against them? Who would have thought the Titans' OL would be this hot mess and we would have a chance to sweep them? That is why you play the games and let it play out.  

[MarylandTerrapin]

47 minutes ago, chad72 said:

 

Well, like you said, Bills are bound to make a comeback, I think every game on their schedule outside the Chiefs, Eagles and Dolphins, they should be favored. That also makes them a 9-8 team.

 

Colts HAVE TO win 9 games in order to stand a chance. 4-3 at worst, 5-2 to be certain for the playoffs. Probably applies to every 5-5 team, moving forward. Our 0-2 vs Jaguars will loom large, unfortunately, at the end of the season, unless we go 5-2.

TBH, I'm not worried about being swept by the Jags as we weren't going to win the division anyway.  I could see a scenario where the Colts, Jags, and Texans all have 4-2 division records with all 3 teams doing a rock/paper/scissors sweep of each other with the Titans going 0-6.   We seem to play better on the road this year for some reason so that makes the home game against the Bucs an absolute must win.  Week 18 of the season will be brutal, but fun as many playoff hopefuls will be playing division games against each other.  I agree with other posters that our bye came at the right time - we need to get healthy for the stretch run. 

[NewColtsFan]

3 hours ago, cdgacoltsfan said:

The Colts probably need to win  5 out of 7...there's the rub.

You’re probably right.   I haven’t done the math.   And I know a typical playoff team needs 10 wins…….  But not always.    
 

Once Cincy lost and likely loses Burrow for a while and the news about Watson kills Cleveland and Buffalo has Alien hot and cold and they close with a very tough remaining schedule,   I thought our chances may not be great, but they have to have gotten better.    (God,  that’s an ugly run-on sentence!   Yuk!!)

 

I guess I’m saying the Colts odds would appear to be slightly better than Jim Carry’s famous “so you’re saying there’s a chance!”    

[TrueBlue4ever]

Many players on the team still believe in themselves and the guy next to them. There may be a few outliers, I won’t mention anyone in particular. The next game is the Main thing, Houston is rolling and I really want to know if Kelly is coming back or not. DBuck, Franklin are my MVP’s along with an Honorable mention to Sparano, Moss and Gay. We will have a much clearer picture to our season after the next 2 games. I believe we get there!  

[mirobi48]

Final playoff spot will be in Colts versus Houston last game of the season?

Colts 27 Houston 21

[RollerColt]

9 minutes ago, mirobi48 said:

Final playoff spot will be in Colts versus Houston last game of the season?

Colts 27 Houston 21

I really don't want us in that scenario if we can help it. That'll be a Stroud legend-making game. 

[csmopar]

9 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

Burrow went down tonight with a sprained wrist in his throwing arm.  
 

Watson has been lost for the season…

 

And Josh Allen us up and down and the Bills have a tough schedule to close out.   
 

So if Buffalo, Cleveland and Cincy might all struggle to make the playoffs, the Colts chances to make the post-season may go up….  Perhaps considerably.  
 

The second half of this season may get very interesting all the way to the end.  

Crazy to think but we have a shot, right now, we’re the 8th seed. We need the Texans to have a slump and we need to beat them again. 

[csmopar]

25 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

You’re probably right.   I haven’t done the math.   And I know a typical playoff team needs 10 wins…….  But not always.    
 

Once Cincy lost and likely loses Burrow for a while and the news about Watson kills Cleveland and Buffalo has Alien hot and cold and they close with a very tough remaining schedule,   I thought our chances may not be great, but they have to have gotten better.    (God,  that’s an ugly run-on sentence!   Yuk!!)

 

I guess I’m saying the Colts odds would appear to be slightly better than Jim Carry’s famous “so you’re saying there’s a chance!”    

But that D in Cleveland is so good, they’ll have a chance. Keep in mind they beat us without Watson for 90 percent of that game

[csmopar]

1 hour ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

This is why you never tank or give up on a season when you start slow. It's a marathon, not a sprint. 

Yeah but I will caution, the odds are still against us making the playoffs. On paper, we’re in it, but we gotta string together some wins 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

Jets are still alive too. We kind of need them to beat bills this weekend.

[richard pallo]

The “open window “ argument appears to be valid.  The Bengals and Bills are currently tied with the Colts. Who would have thought.  Both teams have signed their franchise quarterbacks to huge deals.  Allen by himself counts 47m against the Bills cap next year as it currently stands.  Bills went for it trading for Diggs and obtaining Von Miller.  Bengals just signed Burrow but they are going to be struggling to sign many of their best players this offseason.  Maybe there is an opportunity to trade our 1st for Higgins like the Bills did for Diggs.  Who knows.  I’m hoping like everyone that we find a way to make the playoffs this year and enjoy the ride.  But I do know this offseason is going to be very interesting to say the least.  The quarterback and LT issues are a thing of the past now.  Freeing Ballard up to make some acquisitions.  We know he loves to trade picks and he is going to have a lot of cap room.  So I’m going to enjoy the rest of the season and keep my fingers crossed that Ballard decides to fill a couple of holes this offseason with a couple of difference makers.

[NewColtsFan]

22 minutes ago, richard pallo said:

The “open window “ argument appears to be valid.  The Bengals and Bills are currently tied with the Colts. Who would have thought.  Both teams have signed their franchise quarterbacks to huge deals.  Allen by himself counts 47m against the Bills cap next year as it currently stands.  Bills went for it trading for Diggs and obtaining Von Miller.  Bengals just signed Burrow but they are going to be struggling to sign many of their best players this offseason.  Maybe there is an opportunity to trade our 1st for Higgins like the Bills did for Diggs.  Who knows.  I’m hoping like everyone that we find a way to make the playoffs this year and enjoy the ride.  But I do know this offseason is going to be very interesting to say the least.  The quarterback and LT issues are a thing of the past now.  Freeing Ballard up to make some acquisitions.  We know he loves to trade picks and he is going to have a lot of cap room.  So I’m going to enjoy the rest of the season and keep my fingers crossed that Ballard decides to fill a couple of holes this offseason with a couple of difference makers.

Ballard loves to trade picks?   I’m not following?    Typically when Ballard trades picks it’s to acquire more picks.   He trades down to collect more.   He traded 1 to get two.   He traded 2 to collect 3.  
 

Is this what you’re saying?    Otherwise, I’m not following.   

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

There is a chance that Colts get a flexed prime time game. 

[richard pallo]

23 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

Ballard loves to trade picks?   I’m not following?    Typically when Ballard trades picks it’s to acquire more picks.   He trades down to collect more.   He traded 1 to get two.   He traded 2 to collect 3.  
 

Is this what you’re saying?    Otherwise, I’m not following.   

Of course.  He loves to trade picks.  Don’t forget he traded a 1st to get Buckner.  He loves to trade picks.

[richard pallo]

3 minutes ago, richard pallo said:

Of course.  He loves to trade picks.  Don’t forget he traded a 1st to get Buckner.  He loves to trade picks.

Oh he traded back to get Nelson and a boatload of picks and he traded up to get Cross.  He’s traded so many picks it’s hard to remember them all.  He loves to trade picks.

[IinD]

[chad72]

2 hours ago, csmopar said:

But that D in Cleveland is so good, they’ll have a chance. Keep in mind they beat us without Watson for 90 percent of that game

 

...or did we beat ourselves to an extent? 3 fumbles from Minshew lost 1 of which led to defensive TD, 1 recovered at IND 36, THEN 1 blocked FG, possibly gifting them at least 17 points. Steichen called a great game to score 38 points despite that.

[chad72]

52 minutes ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

There is a chance that Colts get a flexed prime time game. 

 

1 step at a time. I do think our game vs the Steelers will be a primetime game like last year. Depending on where our playoff chances stand and/or Texans' division leader chance stands, the Colts vs Texans will be the next Flex candidate.

[JediXMan]

5 hours ago, RollerColt said:

Burrow is most likely out for the season, so the Bengals are done. 

 

The Bills might get newfound life after the wake up loss to Denver and the firing of their OC. With Watson and now Burrow gone, the Bill's path to the playoffs just got a little easier. 

 

The Steelers literally have to just keep doing what they're doing: allow their elite defense to win games. They're a lock for the playoffs now. 

 

As for the Colts? I'm just not optimistic about Minshew leading us into the playoffs. We'll get curb-stomped by that Kansas defense if we even make it that far. We can't get into a shootout with the likes of Miami or Baltimore... And the Texans are not the same team we faced in week 2.

 

Let's see how we fare against Tampa... 

That was such a scapegoat firing for the mistakes Josh Allen who leads the league in picks. They have a hard schedule and not only is that offense in disarray but that defense isn’t really good either.