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Top Games Colts Fans Must Watch During Indy’s Bye Week
After 10 weeks of constant action, it’s finally time for the Indianapolis Colts to have their bye week.
The Colts have stormed to the top of the NFL leaderboard with eight wins and two losses. Indy’s had a fair mix of blowout victories and dramatic finishes, leaving fans hopeful for a postseason push this winter.
While the Colts currently possess the number one seed in the AFC, the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots are breathing down their neck.
Here are the most impactful games Colts fans should keep an eye on during Indy’s bye week.
Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs | 4:25 p.m. on CBS
Similar to the Colts, the Broncos are 8-2 through 10 weeks. One of their losses came against Indy in Week 2, which is what separates the two teams in the AFC standings.
This AFC West clash has huge playoff implications. If the Broncos win, they’ll become the favorites for the division title. It would give the Chiefs a fifth loss on the season, and they can’t afford many more if they want to make the postseason.
If the Broncos lose, the Colts would get some breathing room in their push for the number one seed. At the same time, this would likely place the Chiefs in the wild-card conversation.
It would be truly unfortunate if the Colts had to play the Chiefs in the first round of the playoffs because they snuck into the 7th seed.
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Los Angeles Chargers | 1:00 p.m. on CBS
The Colts are three games ahead of the Jaguars in the AFC South standings, but the Colts also have four divisional games remaining on the schedule, including two against Jacksonville.
Sitting at 5-4, the Jaguars have lost three of their last four games to tank their division title hopes. This AFC matchup with the Chargers is another game with massive playoff implications.
If the Jaguars win, they’ll be only two games behind the Colts with plenty of football left to play. The Chargers are 7-3, but one of those losses came against Indy. If the Chargers advance to 8-3, they’ll be another team breathing down the Colts’ neck, which is the last thing the Colts want.
The fight for the number one seed is going to come down to the wire. No matter who wins this one, it’ll put the Colts in some must-win situations.
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Tennessee Titans vs. Houston Texas | 1:00 p.m. on FOX
The two bottom-ranked teams in the AFC South will duel it out in Nashville on Sunday. Although the Texans have had a disappointing start to their season, you can never count them out.
The Texans have an opportunity to climb back to .500 against the worst team in football. After stealing a win against the Jaguars last weekend, they’ve given themselves a small spark for a playoff push.
The Colts still have to face the Texans twice, and if they lose both, Houston is suddenly back in the AFC South title race.
This doesn’t sound like a fun game to watch, but it’s a score to keep an eye on if you’re a Colts fan.
New England Patriots vs. New York Jets | TNF
Thursday Night Football is certainly worth watching if you’re a Colts fan. The Drake Maye-led Patriots squad is on an absolute tear, and if they win, they’ll take over the number one seed in the conference.
The Colts won’t play the Patriots this season, which means conference record will be an important factor in determining the number one seed if both teams finish with the same overall record.
Not only will the win give the Patriots a lead in the AFC, it’ll pad their AFC East title hopes, too. The Buffalo Bills are another team the Colts don’t want to face in the first round of the playoffs, but it looks increasingly likely by the week.
Buffalo Bills vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1:00 p.m. on CBS
Josh Allen and the Bills suffered a terrible defeat to the Miami Dolphins last weekend, which puts their AFC East title hopes into question.
The Bills are 6-3, and they’ll face one of the NFC’s best teams in the Buccaneers this Sunday. The Bucs are coming off a loss to the Patriots, which makes this game all the more interesting.
For the Colts’ seeding hopes, a Buccaneers win would probably be best. If the Bills do find a way, like they did against the Chiefs two weeks ago, then it’ll give the Colts a team to watch out for in the AFC standings.