Who Are the Colts Rooting For on Their Bye Week?

The Indianapolis Colts are currently enjoying their long-awaited bye week after 13 straight games.

Players and coaches alike were happy to see the bye as they get rested and rejuvenated for the stretch run.

With the Colts having one of the latest bye weeks in the NFL, most of the teams Indy is competing with for a playoff spot will be in action this weekend. There’s actually a scenario where the Colts could occupy a playoff position without even taking a snap this week.

Thursday Night Football saw the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6-1) lose to the Minnesota Vikings, moving the Colts (7-6) to eighth in the AFC Standings and a half-game out of the final Wild Card spot.

So, as Week 14 commences this weekend, who should the Colts and Colts’ fans be rooting for to help boost their playoff chances? Let’s take a look at the matchups and who the current favorites are. Favorites are based on the betting lines on DraftKings Sportsbook as of Thursday night.

Chiefs over Raiders, 1 pm Sun.

The Las Vegas Raiders (6-6) head to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs (8-4). The Raiders are 10th in the AFC, just one spot behind the Colts. A loss would drop the Raiders a full game behind the Colts with a pending matchup at Lucas Oil Stadium during Week 17 that is sure to have major playoff implications.

Favorite: Chiefs (-9.5)

Jaguars over Titans, 1 pm Sun.

While not out of the division race, the Colts sit a game and a half behind the Titans (8-4) for the AFC South lead. The Titans also own the tiebreaker over the Colts by winning both matchups earlier in the year. The Colts will need a lot of help, and it’s hard to see the Jaguars (2-10) helping them out.

Favorite: Titans (-8)

Ravens over Browns, 1 pm Sun.

The Ravens (8-4) sit as the divisional leaders of the AFC North and are looking to keep it that way against the Cleveland Browns (6-6). The Browns are 11th in the AFC but only a half-game behind the Colts. A loss would help keep them at bay and add another loss to their conference record (3-5), another key tiebreaker.

Favorite: Browns (-3)

Giants over Chargers, 4:05 pm Sun.

The Los Angeles Chargers (7-5) are welcoming the New York Giants (4-8) to town on Sunday. The Chargers own the fifth seed in the AFC playoffs at the moment, but only sit a half-game ahead of the Colts. A loss would tie the two teams in record, but give the Colts the edge as they have a better conference record (6-3) than the Chargers (5-3). However, it will take a great performance by the Giants to do so

Favorite: Chargers (-9.5)

Lions over Broncos, 4:05 pm Sun.

The Denver Broncos (6-6) host the Detroit Lions (1-10-1) a week after the Lions recorded their first win of the 2021 season. The Broncos are 12th in the AFC after a loss to the Chiefs in Week 13. A win for the Broncos would tie the Colts in record, but the Colts own the tiebreaker with a better conference record than the Broncos (3-5). The Colts would still like to see the Lions pull off the upset to give them some breathing room.

Favorite: Broncos (-10)

Buccaneers over Bills, 4:25 pm Sun.

The defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-3) will take on the Buffalo Bills (7-5) at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. The Bills hold the seventh and final playoff spot in the AFC, but the Colts hold the tiebreaker after winning their matchup in Week 11. The Bills have no room for error and could be on the outside looking in with a loss to the Bucs.

Favorite: Buccaneers (-3.5)

49ers over Bengals, 4:25 pm Sun.

The San Francisco 49ers (6-6) will travel east to take on the Cincinnati Bengals (7-5). The Bengals sit sixth in the AFC currently but are only a half-game ahead of the Colts as well. A loss would give the Bengals the same overall record as the Colts, but give the Colts the edge as their conference record (6-3) is a half-game better than the Bengals (5-3).

Favorite: 49ers (-2)

Have thoughts on who the Colts should be rooting for on their bye week? Drop a line in the comments below and let us know what you think!

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