Update: Seattle defeated Indianapolis by a final score of 18-16. With the win the Seahawks move into the No. 1 spot in the NFC for the moment, but if the Los Angeles Rams hold on for a win over the Detroit Lions, the Seahawks will drop back down to the No. 5 spot.
As for the Colts, they have now lost four straight games, and remain out of a playoff spot.
The Indianapolis Colts and Seattle Seahawks face off in a Week 15 matchup in Seattle with playoff implications for both teams. The playoff picture will in focus, but the game will get a lot more publicity than it might have previously for another reason. The Colts placed quarterback Daniel Jones on injured reserve after he tore his Achilles this past weekend. Earlier this week, the team signed Philip Rivers to the practice squad. Rivers had been retired for five years but now has been activated to the active roster and is expected to start on Sunday.
The Colts come into this game with an 8-5 record and have lost three straight and four of their past five games. Their two most recent losses were at home against the Texans and on the road against the Jaguars. The Seahawks are 10-3 and have won three straight and six of their past seven games.
Seattle is a 13.5-point favorite.
Indianapolis Colts playoff picture
The Colts were starting to stumble even before Jones tore his Achilles. He fractured his fibula in Week 12 but continued playing the next two weeks as Indy stumbled to three straight losses. They are now tied with the Texans a game back of the Jaguars. Jacksonville and Houston each have a win over Indianapolis, but they have the second of each regular season series to play. The Colts host the Jaguars in Week 17 and travel to face the Texans in Week 18. On Sunday, the Jaguars are 12.5-point home favorites against the Jets while the Texans are a 9.5-point home favorite against the Cardinals.
In the overall AFC standings, the Colts sit in eight place. The Texans are in seventh thanks to the head-to-head tiebreaker. Both teams sit one game back of the Chargers and Bills for the top two wild card spots. The Colts beat the Chargers but did not face the Bills. On Sunday, the Chargers are 4.5-point road underdogs against the Chiefs, while the Bills are 1.5-point road favorites against the Patriots.
Seattle Seahawks playoff picture
The Seahawks are tied with the Rams for first place in the NFC West and sit a game above the 49ers. The Rams won the first matchup between the two teams in Week 11 and they face off again in Seattle in Week 16. The Seahawks also play the 49ers in Santa Clara in Week 18 having lost the first matchup between the two teams in Seattle in Week 1. On Sunday, the Rams are a 5.5-point home favorite against the Lions while the 49ers are a 12.5-point home favorite against the Titans.
In the overall NFC standings, the Seahawks are in fifth place and sit a game above the 49ers and Bears. The Lions are two games back of the Seahawks as the first team out of the playoffs. Seattle can’t clinch anything yet, but if they beat the Colts and the Rams beat the Lions, the Seahawks would be in a position to clinch a playoff berth next week. This weekend, the Bears are a 7.5-point home favorite against the Browns.
The AFC South and NFC West faced each other on the schedule this season, so this game could impact the common games tiebreaker, which follows head-to-head and divisional record in the tiebreaker ladder. Seattle beat the other three AFC South teams. By comparison, the Rams swept all four AFC South teams and the 49ers have lost to the Jaguars and Texans.
Indianapolis beat the Cardinals but lost to the Cardinals and has yet to play the 49ers. By comparison, the Jaguars beat the 49ers and Cardinals, but lost to the Rams. The Texans beat the 49ers and lost to the Rams and Seahawks.
