Colts’ Playoff Clinching Scenarios Ahead of Week 18 Game Against Jaguars

After Sunday’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, the Indianapolis Colts fell to 9-7 and have a few different playoff-clinching scenarios ahead of the regular season finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Of the three different scenarios, the most simple would be to just win against the Jaguars this coming Sunday. However, the Colts haven’t won a game down in Jacksonville since 2014 and will have to end their 6-game losing streak to make the playoffs for a second straight season.

If the Colts lose Sunday, two other scenarios give them a playoff birth. A Los Angeles Chargers loss and Ravens-Steelers tie is one way, and the other is both a Chargers’ and Steelers’ loss and a Miami Dolphins’ win.

Head Coach Frank Reich spoke with local media members on Tuesday and offered his thoughts on Sunday’s crucial game.

“The playoffs start for us this week,” Reich said. “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 we’ve struggled down there, and this team (Jacksonville) takes a lot of pride in playing us the way they play us.”

Simply put: The Colts need to find a way to handle their business Sunday in Jacksonville if they want to be one of the seven AFC teams in the postseason. Counting on other NFL teams for ‘help’ would be dangerous for Indy, especially given how each of their last two games of the regular season present ‘win-and-in’ scenarios.