Why Week 16 wasn't as bad for the Colts as you think

An NFC Loss: 

Finding the bright side of a loss like this can be difficult, but as a new week is here, it's important to sit down and do just that. For the Colts, if they could have picked one of their final three games to lose entering Week 16, they would have chosen this one without a doubt. 

A loss to an NFC opponent has the least effect on the Colts playoff tie-breakers down the stretch. This is very important as we look at the AFC, where four teams, including the Colts, sit at 8-7 and three others within a game. And the Colts 6-4 AFC record can come in handy if they need the year tied with multiple teams. Now, this doesn't in any way make the Colts performance in Week 16 okay, but it's a reason why the loss wasn't detrimental to their playoff hopes. 

Other Week 16 outcomes: 

To start, the entire AFC South lost in Week 16. More importantly, the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars lost, which keeps all three with the same record at 8-7. The Colts fumbled the opportunity to take the lead in the AFC South because of this, which stings. But it also softens the blow of the Colts loss. On top of the AFC South, they saw teams with the same or a similar record, the Cincinnati Bengals (8-7) and Denver Broncos (7-8) also lose. 

The Colts still find themselves inside the AFC playoff picture as the 7th seed. Both of their remaining games on the season being against teams in the hunt, with the Las Vegas Raiders (7-8) and Houston Texans (8-7). Their Week 16 loss gives them no room for error down the stretch. The only clear path to the playoffs now is for them to win out and enter the playoffs as a wildcard team, and if the Jaguars can lose one, maybe even as the AFC South champions.