Colts Week 18 Playoff Scenarios: Win and They're In
It’s simple for the Indianapolis Colts this Sunday: win and they’re into the 2021-22 NFL playoffs.
However, that was the same scenario laid out for them last week at home against the Las Vegas Raiders and it proved to be a tough task as they fell, 23-20.
This week, the Colts (9-7) travel down to Florida to take on the cellar-dwelling Jacksonville Jaguars (2-14). The catch? The Colts haven’t won at TIAA Bank Field in their last six tries dating back to 2014.
“We talked about it this morning in the team meeting," Colts head coach Frank Reich told reporters this week about the Colts' losing streak in Jacksonville. "I don’t want to overstate it, but the facts are the facts. I think it was important to note. I think we have to dial in and have a great week of practice. We have a great deal of respect for this team. We know we’re going to get their ‘A’ game so we’ve got to make sure we bring ours.”
The Colts knew last week was an important game as it was their final regular-season home game and a win would've put them into the playoffs. However, they came out flat after a disappointing week of practice, and they do not intend on letting it happen to them again. After all, this being the final game of the regular season, they won't get another chance to help themselves.
"The good news is everything is still in front of us," Reich said. "In essence, the playoffs start for us this week. We’ve got to take a 1-0 mentality. We have to have a good week of practice and we’re expecting Jacksonville’s best. We know that we’ve struggled down there. This team takes a lot of pride, right, in playing us the way they play us. So, we’ll have to bring our best effort this week."
On paper, the Colts have little to worry about with the Jaguars. The Colts beat them at Lucas Oil Stadium back in Week 10, 23-17, and Jacksonville averages a margin of defeat of 16.1 points in their 14 losses. However, the facts can't be ignored that the Colts have had an awful time in this particular stadium. Now, if they lose again, their season is in serious jeopardy.
“Believe me, I had every intention of it not coming down to this last week," Reich commented. "I think in this business, hey, we embrace it. You embrace the moment that you have. It’s an opportunity to turn it into something positive. We take nothing for granted. We’re not assuming, hey, we got our bad game out of us. We’ll get right back on track, we’re playing a team that has a poor record. No. We don’t fall into that trap. We have to earn everything. We’ve got to earn the respect that we get, we’ve got to earn the yards that we get, we’ve got to earn every win. That’s the only mentality we can have. We just have to take it day-by-day, continue to fight to get better and take advantage of the opportunity in front of us.”
Technically, winning isn't the only way the Colts can get into the postseason. They can also get in if they tie the Jaguars, or if the following happens:
- The Los Angeles Chargers lose and the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers tie
- The Chargers lose, Steelers lose, and Miami Dolphins win
If the Colts lose in Jacksonville, they can still make their way into the playoffs with a Chargers loss paired with a Ravens-Steelers tie, or a Chargers loss, a Steelers loss, and a Dolphins win.
Fives teams have already laid claim to a playoff spot on the AFC side, as the Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, and Tennessee Titans all won their respective divisions, and the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots will either get the AFC East title or a wild card spot.
Do you think the Colts will win on Sunday? Drop your thoughts below in the comment section!
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