Sunday was not a good day for the Colts’ playoff chances but it’s far from over.
They entered the game with a 19% chance to make the playoffs, a win would have put them at 31% but the heart-breaking 18-16 loss to the Seahawks drops them to just 10%.
What matters? Beating Jacksonville and Houston in Weeks 17 and 18. Beat them both and, even with a loss to San Francisco, too, and the Colts (8-6) have a 39% chance to make the playoffs according to the New York Times NFL Playoff Simulator.
Is it likely? Philip Rivers was 18-of-27 for 120 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception for a 73.1 passer rating so it gives a little bit more hope than there was when Daniel Jones suffered his season-ending Achilles tendon tear last week.
If the Colts win their last three games, they’re at 97% to make the playoffs, with a 34% chance to host a playoff game.
Now the bad news. Lose to either the Jaguars or Texans and the odds drop to between 12-15%.
Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.
