"Since 1990, when the NFL playoffs expanded to 12 teams, only three teams have missed the field after such a strong start, and it certainly goes without saying that the Colts are the first to manage this fall since the playoffs expanded further, to 14 teams, in 2020. Fate pulled some incredible horseshit to produce this outcome, without even getting into Indianapolis's miserable quarterback situation:"
"The Colts' ongoing losing streak, run to six games after Sunday's 23-17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, coincides with a combined 15 consecutive wins (!) by the two teams now ahead of them in the AFC South. The universe wanted to be absolutely clear about this: The Colts could not be allowed to carry so much as a vague waft of relevance into the new year."
""Other than us not winning," said an upbeat Rivers after his team's latest loss, "it's been an absolute blast for three weeks." Included in that "blast" was Rivers tossing a horrible fourth-quarter interception Sunday that eventually set up Jacksonville's go-ahead field goal. The pick cannot really be described as any very serious form of "backbreaking," for the simple reason that the Colts were officially eliminated from playoff contention Saturday, when the Houston Texans beat the Chargers in Los Angeles."
The Indianapolis Colts opened the season 8-2 but then lost six straight games, erasing any realistic playoff chances. The collapse coincided with the two AFC South rivals winning a combined 15 consecutive games, which pushed Indianapolis out of contention. The team was officially eliminated when the Houston Texans beat the Chargers, making late losses decisive in final standings. Quarterback instability hampered the roster while veteran Philip Rivers briefly returned, threw a costly fourth-quarter interception, yet expressed upbeat sentiment about his short stint. The outcome ranks among the rarest late-season collapses since playoff expansions in 1990 and 2020.
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