NFL playoff picture: Colts eliminated from wild card race with loss

The Colts face the Giants in New Jersey on Sunday. We break down what the game means for the NFL playoff picture.

Game result: The Colts were eliminated on Sunday when they lost to the lowly New York Giants. They’re playing for 2025 now.

The Colts are still alive in the AFC playoff race thanks to the Denver Broncos loss on Saturday. They play the New York Giants on Sunday, and need a win to stay in the mix.

How will the Colts’ game impact the AFC playoff picture?

Colts playoff picture

The Colts need to win out their final two games and they need a loss from the Denver Broncos in Week 18. So Indianapolis needs to win behind the arm of Joe Flacco with Anthony Richardson already declared out.

Tiebreaker implications

There are multiple tiebreakers that could come into play for the Colts. They have a head-to-head win over the Miami Dolphins and a better AFC record than the Bengals and Broncos. That’s why they don’t have to worry about Denver, Miami, and Cincinnati if all the teams are 9-8. They just have to get there.