if the colts lose are they out of the playoffs

No, the Indianapolis Colts are not out of the playoffs if they lose their next game. As of late December 2025, Week 17 standings show the AFC playoff picture remains fluid, with the Colts still alive for a wild card spot depending on other results.

Current AFC Standings

Denver Broncos clinched the AFC West, New England Patriots the AFC East, leaving wild card battles open among teams like Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, Buffalo Bills, and Houston Texans. The Colts, fighting for one of the three wild card slots (seeds 5-7), need specific outcomes—including their own win or favorable losses elsewhere—to advance.

Playoff Scenarios

• Clinched spots : Division winners get seeds 1-4; top three non-winners take wild cards 5-7.

• Colts' path : A loss drops them further, but ties in records could favor them via tiebreakers like head-to-head, conference record, or strength of victory.

• Week 17 impact : Sunday games on December 28 determined qualifiers; Colts' elimination requires multiple rivals to win while they lose.

NFL Format Basics

Seven AFC teams make playoffs: four division champs and three wild cards, with #1 seed getting a bye. No reseeding occurs, but higher seeds host; Super Wild Card Weekend starts January 10, 2026.

TL;DR : Colts stay in contention post-loss if tiebreakers and rivals falter—check final standings for confirmation.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.