Is it too early to be scoreboard-watching when it comes to the Indianapolis Colts’ playoff hopes? Well, we are going to do it anyway here in Week 12.
After a win this past Sunday over the Jets, the Colts improved to 5-6 on the season and are still alive in the AFC playoff race. However, still below the .500 mark, Indianapolis is walking a fine line between remaining in the mix and falling out of contention–hence why we are keeping tabs on what else is happening in the AFC.
If you’re holding out hope that the Colts can catch the Texans in the AFC South, they are two games back in the win-loss column, but Houston also holds the head-to-head tie breaker having beaten Indianapolis twice this season.
So, in reality, the Colts have to make up three games and win the division outright. This week, Houston faces the Titans, so we will just go ahead and shift our focus to the wildcard.
At 5-6, the Colts are only one game behind the 6-5 Denver Broncos, who hold the final playoff spot in the AFC. The sixth seed at the moment is 7-4 Baltimore, two games ahead of Indianapolis.
Can the Colts make up that ground on Baltimore? I guess we’ll see, but from a rooting standpoint, a Ravens’ loss keeps another potential playoff spot somewhat within reach.
On the heels of the Colts, meanwhile, are the Miami Dolphins, who are the current nine seed at 4-6, followed by the 4-7 Cincinnati Bengals.
So, with all of that said, outside of the Colts, who else should you be rooting for this week?
The Chargers (vs. Ravens), Raiders (vs. Broncos), and Patriots (vs. Dolphins), while the Bengals are on their bye week.