The Indianapolis Colts (8-4) are right in the middle of the AFC playoff hunt with four games remaining on the regular-season schedule and the outcome of Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders (7-5) holds a big swing in their odds.
As the Colts hold the No. 7 seed in the AFC playoff picture, the Raiders are right behind them just a game back. The five teams currently battling for the three wild-card spots are separated by just two games.
This game is a crucial one for the Colts. If they win, they have an 89% chance of making the playoffs, per FiveThirtyEight. But if they lose, it’s an entirely different story.
This. One. Is. Massive.
Current playoff/division odds (per @FiveThirtyEight):
70% to make playoffs, 38% to win division
-With a win: 89% playoffs, 46% division
-With a loss: 47% playoffs, 29% division
— Kevin Bowen (@KBowen1070) December 13, 2020
With so many teams vying for the limited wild-card spots, the Colts have to take advantage of the winnable games coming up. Only the Week 16 matchup with the Steelers is a game the Colts should be considered underdogs.
The Colts are favored by both Vegas and the experts around the league in this game. But the Raiders have been playing teams tough this year and find themselves in the playoff picture right with Indy.
It should be a close matchup, and it will have plenty of implications down the line over the next month.