The Colts play the vaunted — but struggling Kansas City Chiefs — on Sunday in one of the NFL’s premier games of the week … and it really won’t mean much to the Colts’ playoff chances.
The New York Times’ NFL Playoff Simulator gives the Colts a 94% chance to make the playoffs and a 78% chance to win the division. That’s not a surprise when a team is two games up on the second-place team (Jacksonville)in the division and has a three-game lead on the eighth-place teams in the conference (Houston, Kansas City and Baltimore are 5-5).
What’s a little surprising is how little impact losing to Kansas City would seem to have on the bigger prizes. The Colts currently have a 20% chance to get the 1 seed and a 58% chance to host a playoff game.
>> If the Colts win, they have a 32% chance at the 1 seed and a 53% chance to host a playoff game
>> If the Colts lose, it’s a 12% chance at the 1 seed and a 61% shot at hosting a playoff game
Obviously, winning is better but even losing means the Colts have a 73% chance of, at worst, hosting a playoff game.
Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.