On the biggest sports podcast in the world, Big Cat didn’t waste time softening his stance on the Indianapolis Colts.
He went straight to the point on Pardon My Take: “The Colts are not gonna make the playoffs.”
He said it again moments later, framing Indianapolis as the AFC team most likely to free-fall down the stretch.
Big Cat explained that after digging into the standings and tiebreakers, the surprising takeaway wasn’t about any other AFC teams.
Instead, it was the Colts.
The Chiefs are eliminated from the playoffs @rhoback pic.twitter.com/BtDZQDcQei
— Pardon My Take (@PardonMyTake) December 1, 2025
The PMT crew had been debating whether the Chiefs were effectively eliminated, but Big Cat landed on a different conclusion.
He said Indianapolis, not Kansas City, is the team that suddenly looks most vulnerable despite spending most of the year inside the AFC’s playoff picture.
He pointed out that if the Chiefs run the table — which he still sees as unlikely — they would hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over Indianapolis.
Big Cat then asked the question that shaped the entire segment: “Tell me right now, do you think the Colts can go 4–1 in this stretch?”
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That stretch is the turning point in his argument. Indianapolis closes at Jacksonville, at Seattle, vs. San Francisco, vs. Jacksonville, and at Houston — a five-game run as unforgiving as any in the NFL.
Big Cat said it plainly: if the Chiefs win out, the Colts must go 4–1 to stay ahead of their tiebreaker. He called that requirement “probably unlikely” given where the offense is right now and how narrow the Colts’ margins have become.
The #Colts have the toughest remaining strength of schedule (per Tankathon) thanks to this group of opponents:
– Seahawks
– Jaguars 2x
– 49ers
– Texans
Their opponents make up a collective .672 winning percentage, with all four teams vying for playoff spots.
— Noah Compton (@nerlens_) December 1, 2025
And that’s where the concerns PMT raised about Indy’s recent play start to matter.
Big Cat and PFT noted in recent weeks that Jonathan Taylor’s production has dipped from his early-season explosion, adding pressure on a passing game searching for a consistent footing.
They also questioned whether the Colts have the answers when defenses adjust and take away their bread-and-butter.
The Colts’ schedule only magnifies those issues. Winning in Jacksonville has been a decade-long problem for the franchise, Seattle is one of the most challenging environments in football, and San Francisco is hitting stride on both sides of the ball.
On top of that, the Colts still have two division games that could reshape the AFC South entirely.
Big Cat emphasized — twice — that this isn’t a slight at the roster or coaching. It’s the mathematical reality of the AFC logjam, the tiebreakers in play, and a closing slate that gives Indianapolis almost no room to slip.
His conclusion was direct: “The Colts are not gonna make the playoffs.”
Whether he’s right depends entirely on how Indianapolis navigates the most difficult month of its season.
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