The Indianapolis Colts find themselves in an all-too-familiar situation as the 2024 NFL season enters its final stretch. At 5-7, the Colts are far from where they hoped to be, but also not quite out of the playoff hunt. Sound familiar? It should, because this team has been here before, needing a furious late-season rally to have a shot at the postseason. The question is, can they finally break through after years of near misses and disappointments?
A Favorable Path, But Slim Margins
On paper, the Colts have one of the friendliest remaining schedules in the league. Their final five opponents have a combined record of just 17-40, with only the 7-5 Denver Broncos posting a winning record. The New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, New York Giants, and Jacksonville Jaguars should all be winnable games for a talented Colts roster. But as they’ve learned the hard way in recent years, “should” doesn’t always translate to “will” in the unpredictable world of the NFL.
According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, the Colts still have a 23% chance of making the playoffs. But there is virtually no margin for error. One slipup could be the difference between a triumphant playoff return and another long offseason spent wondering what might have been.
Learning From Past Failures
The Colts’ recent history is littered with crucial late-season losses that cost them playoff spots. There was the infamous Week 18 loss to the lowly Jaguars in 2021 that knocked them out entirely. Last year, a final-game defeat to the Houston Texans with the AFC South title on the line extended their postseason drought to three years. Those scars still linger for Colts veterans who are determined not to let history repeat itself.
“The older I get, I start to realize the importance of every little thing to get to the playoffs. Because it’s so difficult in this league, and there are so many teams every single year that are good teams that just don’t make it.”
– Colts WR Michael Pittman Jr.
For a proud franchise with a history of success, the Colts’ inability to get over the hump in “win and you’re in” scenarios has been especially galling. But leaders like Pittman and linebacker Zaire Franklin believe those tough lessons can fuel a different outcome this time around.
“Everything is still ahead of us. We’re in a special, unique position … Why not go on a run? Why not? Why not us? I’ve done it before.”
– Colts LB Zaire Franklin
High Stakes For Colts’ Future
Making the playoffs is always the goal in the NFL, but for these Colts, it feels like an imperative. After years of treading water and failing to build on the promise of the Andrew Luck era, owner Jim Irsay is desperate for a return to contention. Jobs could very well be riding on whether this team can flip the script and surge into the postseason.
Head coach Ray Romano may have saved his job with a late rally last year that fell just short. But with expectations even higher in 2024, a second straight late collapse would be hard to survive. The same goes for beleaguered general manager Mike Jones, who pushed his chips in this offseason betting that this roster was ready to compete now.
Fairly or not, long-time Colts like Pittman, Franklin, and running back Jonathan Taylor will also have their legacies shaped by how this pivotal final stretch plays out. They have the talent to not just make the playoffs, but to cause real noise once they’re there. Now is the time to prove it.
One Game At A Time
Despite the stakes, the Colts know they can’t get ahead of themselves. In a league as unpredictable as the NFL, no opponent can be overlooked. Their quest begins with a tricky road trip to face Bill Belichick’s Patriots, never an easy place to play. Then it’s three huge games in the weak AFC South that the Colts need to virtually sweep.
No matter how soft the remaining schedule looks, the Colts will have to earn every win. Do that, and maybe this year, the familiar position of needing a late push for the playoffs will have a different, happier ending for one of the NFL’s most star-crossed franchises. The talent is there, the path is laid out. Now they just need to walk it.
