As the NFL playoff picture continues to take shape, the Indianapolis Colts are bound to make some noise. Though the season began with a rocky 1-5 start, Andrew Luck has led the Colts to five straight wins. Over these five games, Luck has had 16 touchdowns, three interceptions, and an average passer rating of 126.8. Their win streak may have no end in sight, as they face the abysmal Jacksonville Jaguars next week, before a showdown with the red-hot Houston Texans.
Though the Texans are riding high on an eight-game win streak, people may have bought into them earlier than they should have. While eight straight wins are impressive, the competition the Texans have faced is certainly nothing to brag about. Wins have come against the Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans, and a Washington Redskins team without Alex Smith for most of the game following his horrific injury. With this being who the Texans really are, the Colts should be able to secure this win and maintain a lead for the final playoff spot.
Why the Streaking Indianapolis Colts Will Make the Playoffs
Supporting Cast
The Colts have finally made some right decisions and were able to put a competent team around Luck, and now they’re seeing the benefits. A new and improved offensive line allows him to stay in the pocket for more than a half second at a time. In addition to this, the Colts offense has proven they can step up and make plays, as shown when a Kenny Moore forced fumble sealed a win against the Jaguars. Running back Marlon Mack has also taken some of the load off of Luck. Mack is averaging over five yards per carry, and has two 100 yard games this season to go along with four touchdowns. Luck has not had a helpful supporting cast in years, and he is making the most of his situation.
Colts in Control of Their Own Destiny
The 6-5 Baltimore Ravens currently sit in the sixth and final playoff spot, but this is sure to change. The Ravens end their season with games against the Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Chargers, the streaking Cleveland Browns, and the unstoppable Kansas City Chiefs. Ravens fans should be nervous at this sight. With the Pittsburgh Steelers bound to win the division and the Chargers holding the fifth seed, the Ravens’ only option is becoming the sixth seed. While both the Colts and Ravens hold their own destiny, life will be a lot easier with the road the Colts have to take. The Ravens have to face three high-level quarterbacks while the Colts only face one with Deshaun Watson. While the Ravens have the benefit of playing the lackluster Cincinnati Bengals and Oakland Raiders the past two weeks, they struggled against better competition the three weeks prior. The Ravens were handed losses by the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, and Steelers in consecutive weeks.
The Colts remaining schedule features the Jaguars, Texans, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, and Titans. The Jaguars have become a dumpster fire, the Texans look formidable but have only beaten weak teams, the Cowboys can’t throw the ball, the Giants are a mess, and the Titans are inconsistent. If I were a betting man, I’d feel comfortable knowing the Colts are closer to a playoff berth than the Ravens are.
