The Indianapolis Colts were dealt a blow on Tuesday with the news that star-running back Jonathan Taylor would miss some time with surgery on his injured thumb.
That's about the only bad news in Indianapolis recently as the Colts are riding a season-high three-game winning streak. They host the reeling Tennessee Titans on Sunday, losers of three of their last four games, with a chance to improve their record to 7-5.
A win would strengthen their grip on a playoff spot. They currently hold the No. 7 seed in the AFC Playoffs.
ESPN asked the question on Tuesday: how realistic are the Colts chances of making the playoffs?
"The Colts' playoff hopes gained significant steam with Sunday's win," wrote Stephen Holder on ESPN. "They entered the weekend with a 31% chance of making the postseason, but their odds increased to 40% with the victory. What's more, the Colts -- according to ESPN Analytics -- have the easiest remaining schedule in the NFL. The Colts have reversed an earlier three-game losing streak with three straight victories. And their offense bounced back with 395 total yards after two underwhelming performances."
The loss of Taylor will put a slight damper on those hopes. However, he's been carrying a heavier load in recent weeks, leading to a fresher Zack Moss. Moss had 445-rushing yards in the four games he was the feature back before the return of Taylor.
Moss should help mitigate the loss of Taylor the next few weeks, while Taylor will return fresher for the stretch run the final month of the season.
Another player who can take the load off Moss is wide receiver Michael Pittman. In the same column, Holder chooses Pittman as his "stock up" player for the Colts.
"Pittman had an impressive day, making a season-high 10 catches for 107 yards, often under tight coverage from the Tampa Bay defense," wrote Holder. "Pittman is on track to be one of the offseason's more intriguing free agents and continues to build a case for being among the more in-demand players at his position."
The Colts have a history of taking care of their own free agents. The concern of losing Pittman in the offseason shouldn't outweigh the excitement of watching him help carry a surprising-Colts team through a December run for the playoffs.
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