With just four games remaining in the regular season, the Indianapolis Colts find themselves near the top of a six-team group all vying for the final two wild-card spots in the AFC playoff race.
Coming off their worst loss of the season, a 34-14 defeat against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Colts are looking to show they have what it takes to bounce back when tensions are rising.
Now, it’s time to take a look at the updated AFC playoff picture entering Week 15:
The Big Picture
- The Baltimore Ravens are currently the No. 1 seed with a 10-3 record, followed closely by the Miami Dolphins, who trail behind by one game after their upset loss in prime time.
- The Kansas City Chiefs have lost two in a row and three out of their last five but still hold the No. 3 seed due to their head-to-head victory over the No. 4 seed Jacksonville Jaguars.
- Thanks to their big win at home, the Cleveland Browns have sole possession of the top wild-card spot with an 8-5 record.
- Six teams enter the week with 7-6 records.
This Week's Talking Point
We’re going to find out what kind of fight this team has. The Week 14 game against the Bengals was by no means a slam dunk, but the Colts looked far away from the team that had just ripped off four wins in a row. Now, they are back home hosting a Steelers team that very well could be limping into this game while relying on Mitch Trubisky to keep their playoff hopes alive.
We'll Also Discuss
- What to know entering the Week 15 matchup.
- Key matchups to watch for against the Steelers.
- The potential return of rookie CB Julius Brents from a calf injury.
- Which teams to root for this weekend.
AFC Playoff Picture
1. Baltimore Ravens (10-3)
2. Miami Dolphins (9-4)
3. Kansas City Chiefs (8-5)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-5)
5. Cleveland Browns (8-5)
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)
7. Indianapolis Colts (7-6)
In the hunt
8. Houston Texans (7-6)
9. Denver Broncos (7-6)
10. Cincinnati Bengals (7-6)
11. Buffalo Bills (7-6)
Upcoming Schedule
2023 Regular Season
| Week | Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | Result | |
| 1 | Sunday, Sept. 10 | vs | Jaguars | 1:00 p.m. | L, 31-21 |
| 2 | Sunday, Sept. 17 | at | Texans | 1:00 p.m. | W, 31-20 |
| 3 | Sunday, Sept. 24 | at | Ravens | 1:00 p.m. | W, 22-19 |
| 4 | Sunday, Oct. 1 | vs | Rams | 1:00 p.m. | L, 29-23 |
| 5 | Sunday, Oct. 8 | vs | Titans | 1:00 p.m. | W, 23-16 |
| 6 | Sunday, Oct. 15 | at | Jaguars | 1:00 p.m. | L, 37-20 |
| 7 | Sunday, Oct. 22 | vs | Browns | 1:00 p.m. | L, 39-38 |
| 8 | Sunday, Oct. 29 | vs | Saints | 1:00 p.m. | L, 38-27 |
| 9 | Sunday, Nov. 5 | at | Panthers | 4:05 p.m. | W, 27-13 |
| 10 | Sunday, Nov. 12 | at | Patriots (Germany) | 9:30 a.m. | W, 10-6 |
| 11 | Sunday, Nov. 19 | BYE | BYE | BYE | |
| 12 | Sunday, Nov. 26 | vs | Buccaneers | 1:00 p.m. | W, 27-20 |
| 13 | Sunday, Dec. 3 | at | Titans | 1:00 p.m. | W, 31-28 |
| 14 | Sunday, Dec. 10 | at | Bengals | 1:00 p.m. | L, 34-14 |
| 15 | Saturday, Dec. 16 | vs | Steelers | 4:30 p.m. | |
| 16 | Sunday, Dec. 24 | at | Falcons | 1:00 p.m. | |
| 17 | Sunday, Dec. 31 | vs | Raiders | 1:00 p.m. | |
| 18 | TBD | vs | Texans | TBD |
Notes
- Three of the final four games are at home and three of the final four are against AFC opponents.
- The record and winning percentage of the remaining opponents combined are 25-27 (.481).
- The Colts wrap up their AFC North section of the schedule this week.
- The Colts are still technically one game out from the top of the division but seeing as the Jaguars won both matchups, Indy would need to finish the season with a better record if they want to jump them in the standings.
