Colts' Playoff Odds Revealed After Crushing Loss to 49ers

The Indianapolis Colts have had a rollercoaster season under coach Shane Steichen with an 8-7 record heading into the final two games of the NFL season.

Monday night's 48-27 home loss to the San Francisco 49ers showed how far Steichen's battered and bruised team still has to go in order to reach the mountaintop of the league.

Injuries have derailed the Colts' hopes this season with Daniel Jones out for the season and 44-year-old Philip Rivers taking over, but that doesn't tell the full story.

The Colts' defense gave up 440 total yards to the 49ers including 296 passing yards to Brock Purdy, who set a Monday night franchise record with five scoring passes.

Following the game, the Colts' new NFL Playoff odds were revealed.

Colts Need Help to Make Playoffs

The Colts need help to make the playoffs with their odds now listed at 2% according to the New York Times' playoff simulator.

The odds will increase dramatically if two games play out in Indianapolis' favor this coming weekend.

The Colts need a Texans loss to the Chargers on Sunday to keep their playoff hopes alive as a win would give Houston 11 wins on the season compared the Colts' maximum of 10.

A Texans loss means the Colts would need to beat Jacksonville Sunday and the Texans in the final game of the season.

Indianapolis' odds to make the playoffs would jump to 45% in such a scenario.

The Colts and Texans would go to the fifth tiebreaker scenario should such a series of events unfold, which is strength of victory.

Indianapolis would hold a .442-.438 edge in this scenario.

Positives From Monday's Loss

The Colts have some positives to take from Monday night's loss.

Their Rivers-led offense averaged 5.4 yards per play. Rivers threw for 277 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

Rivers has brought a significant amount of balance to his team's offense as five players caught three or more passes and amassed over 30 yards: Alec Pierce, Josh Downs, Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr. and Tyler Warren, with three others catching a pass or more on the night.

Rivers isn't the running threat that Jones was, but he is has gotten as many receivers involved as possible and united a team in need of optimism following the Jones injury.

Sunday's game against the Jaguars will test all facets of Steichen's team with a potential shot at the playoffs on the line.

Colts fans know it's a longshot at this point, but that won't stop their team from laying it all on the line behind a squad of veterans that know they are capable of playing much better than they showed on Monday.