If Patriots do win out....and Colt win last 3 games, the Patriots will secure the #1 seed.

Do Colts have what it takes? Especially to beat the Texans twice? I'm thinking not.

They will not win both against the Texans...  'Maybe' one...

No.  Now that the pats have humbled the Texans, they have everything to play for, unless the pats lose one of their last 3 games.  The colts will lose their two games to the Texans and beat the Chiefs for the 5th seed. 

Do we get the seed if we win out (and end up 13-3) and Houston loses 1 to Colts and ends up at 13-3?

 

I would think so.  head to head is the first tie breaker.

In response to portfolio1's comment:

Yes, because we have beaten them (2-way tie) and beaten both Houston and Denver (3-way tie).

We only need Houston to lose one game, against the Colts or Titans, and we win out. 

Out 13-3 is stronger than their 13-3 because we only lost once to an AFC opponent and we own the head to head tie breaker. The Patriots just have to take care of their own business and win out, hope the Colts can win one against Houston. 

They better not, otherwise we might draw the conclusion that all that stuff we heard about how that Colts team last was the worst team ever and how it was evidence that Manning was MVP in absentia was a croc of... something.

In response to Mike-J-D's comment:

You might have a point except that the team playing now is really a shell of its former self. 

In response to Mike-J-D's comment:

The Colts didn't improve that much from last season just because of a rookie quarterback.  I still believe that they lost many of their games last season in order to insure that they would be able to have the #1 draft pick.   I may be wrong in my assessment and it can never be proven. 
It is also unfortunate that the Patriots didn't win at least one of the close games that they lost.  We wouldn't even be having this discussion and they would be in a good position to be the #1 seed. 

In response to Mike-J-D's comment:

Exactly...  Or to paraphrase...  The more the colts win, the more unequivocal proof of bill polians tanking scheme to get luck...

a QB can't do it alone...  Peyton went 3-13 his first year after polian tanked the prior year to get him.  Its so obvious, people just need to call it what it is ... The biggest tanking scandal in sports history.

somebody needs to investigate this, get some player quotes and write a book.     probably won't happen til colts make the playoffs, then the microscope will be on them. 

This years Colts are last years Broncos running up wins against joke teams. When they ran into a real team they got blown out. Houston has no problem wilnning both games over colts.

In response to UD6's comment:

I agree that they tanked by trotting out that laughable combo of Caldwell/Painter, so of course they're going to improve this year.  That doesn't prove that Manning was MVP in absentia though.  The Vick Ballards of the world really don't mean that the team around Luck is such a drastic difference than the team last year.  They didn't overhaul the team in one year (besides from the QB and HC that they had when they wanted to look worse than they reallt were as a team), but they made a few improvements. 

What it boils down to is we need to win out cause I think Denver is going to   I think the texans could drop one or maybe 2.  The pummeling they got could carry over. They have been on a couple OT games and now this. They could be having doubts.

plus how hard to you think we want to play against the fins before the playoffs? We could be licking wounds for the playoffs.  

Pats win out, we're guaranteed at least the 2. Is anyone worried about playing HOU at HOU? Remember, the Packers annihilated them on the road. The game may be closer because they will have home field and looking for revenge. It may be worse, since we played without our best offensive weapon after Brady (Gronk)

 

That being said, I'm not sure if Indy can beat them. After getting annihilated by GB, HOU went on to destroy Bal the week after. So, from a very very very small sample, HOU responds after tough losses.

Indy's D is also absolutely terrible. It will become a shootout. Andrew Luck may be too turnover prone. It will be tough. But if he does find a way to beat the texans, well so grows the Andrew Luck legend

The colts have been pretty lucky.  They could have easily lost at least 3 more than they have.

The Lions should have beaten them.  I don't see them holding up in the playoffs.

The colts just need to win one of the two w/ the Texans. Other than that who cares.........?

The problem is the Colts home game against the Texans is Week 17.  Chances are the Colts will not improve their position by winning that game so will sit key personnel.  The Colts will likely lose in HOU and win in KC, so they will be 10-5 at that point.  They will likely be #5 seed whether they win or lose in week 17.

I don't think the Colts will win both Hou games but I think they have a good shot at winning next week. It seems to line up well for the Colts:

#1 - It's a short week for Hou and they are traveling back home after a 3 game road trip and 2 OT's in the last 4 games I believe (might be 5)

#2 - We don't know how they will react to the Pats lose. We've seen teams absolutely crumble after an emotional lose. This was the biggest game in their franchises history (as they put it) and they weren't just embarrashed they didn't even belong on the same field last night. That has to be heart breaking and the face's they had on showed everything. Either they will be out for blood or still in shell shock

Yes they might be home but the potential shell shock factor combined with fatigue might do Hou in against the Colts next week. Now if the Colts take full advantage of it early and get a lead I see Hou collapsing in that game but, if Hou gets a lead or sticks around and rebuilds their confidence they should role in the second half

In response to coolade2's comment:

HEY COOLADE!  LOVE THAT!

Ol Polian, God love him, one of the most selfish men in football suddenly has an epiphany,  chooses give up his selfishness for the good of the team.  He put his own employment AND his son's employment on the line - all for the good of the colts.  That's Coolade's story. 

Sounds like Hallmark movie or a fairy tale (aren't they really the same?). 

Of course, like any good fiction, you can't let facts get in the way of the story.  For example, coolade's background about how this was Polian's second feeding at the colts "tank" doesn't work since Polian wasn't a part of the colts season prior to drafting Manning. 

Keep the ideas up though Coolade, I'll edit for you and we'll get ya published one way or another.  I hear there's a growing industry around toilet paper novels.  Apparently its a great holiday gift. 

In response to ccsjl's comment:

At least some pats fans get it.  as a colts fan, I'll take the schedule, but it won't change the reality.

In response to dapats1281's comment:

it's always tougher on the road. Plus, it's hard to beat a good team twice in the same season. So, if we face the Texans again, I'd rather see them play in Foxboro

In response to Mike-J-D's comment:

I guess you missed my point.  I never suggested nor do I believe they intentionally tanked.  but nice try. 

Did you hear that Caldwell was promoted yesterday to OC of the Ravens? 

As for Manning's MVP chatter from last year, it was just chatter.  The facts are that the colts had extensive injuries that might have only netted them 9-10 wins.  Manning never would have won MVP with that, although he truly may have been most valuable. 

But you are wrong - the team around Luck is significantly different from last year on both sides of the ball. 

BTW - their head coach has been away from the team for two months due to cancer.  Another nod for Luck's incredible play.

In response to PatsEng's comment:

last night's debacle gives me hope that the colts have a shot. 

In response to UD6's comment:

I'm hoping that the colts beat the texans just once :)
But for selfish reasons