The Indianapolis Colts are in the middle of one of the starkest midseason collapses that has ever been seen in the NFL. That being said, their sterling record before their recent fall has given them enough of a cushion to still be firmly entrenched in the playoff race.
The Colts are behind both the Jaguars and the Texans in the divisional race. They are two games behind Jacksonville with their record of 8-6 compared to the Jaguars' 10-4, and one game behind the 9-5 Texans. Unfortunately, against both teams, the Colts have also lost head-to-head.
The good news is that Indy will have the chance to steal back wins from both of those teams, as they face each of their divisional rivals to end the season. Still, even before that happens, to stay in the playoff race at all, the Colts must turn their attention towards a Monday night contest against another one of the premier teams in the NFL, the San Francisco 49ers.
Bold predictions for what could be a season saving game for the Indianapolis Colts
Prediction No. 1: Philip Rivers puts in another stellar performance.
In a vacuum, it doesn't seem like the Colts have much of a chance against the 49ers. However, that's the exact same thought process that went into the Colts' Week 15 contest against another of the best teams in the NFL, the Seattle Seahawks.
Rivers didn't play outrageously well in that game, but he did enough to keep the Colts competitive against a team that just out 38 points against the Los Angeles Rams in a thrilling Thursday night game.
It has to be a team effort, as the defense played amazingly against Seattle, but Rivers will do just enough against San Francisco to put Indy in a position where they might just be able to pull off the upset.
Prediction No. 2: Jonathan Taylor returns to early season form
Jonathan Taylor entered the Colts' bye week coming off a monstrous season high of 244 yards and three touchdowns against the Atlanta Falcons. Since then, the Colts have lost every game after the bye week, and Taylor has yet to touch 100 yards rushing again.
A lot of that can be attributed to the injury that quarterback Daniel Jones sustained, which took him out for the season, and even the fractured fibula that he was playing through before his Achilles rupture that hampered his play. When the quarterback isn't operating efficiently, it becomes much harder for the running back to be effective.
Coupled with that is the injuries to the offensive line. A conglomeration of factors has gone against Jonathan Taylor since the bye week, and they have derailed what once seemed like it could be an MVP caliber season, but now Indy's back is against a real wall.
Taylor is going to put his Superman cape on again and turn in his first 100-yard rushing performance since the bye week against the 49ers.
Prediction No. 3: Blake Grupe continues to impress
It was lost in the shuffle with the final result against the Seahawks being a loss for the Colts, but Blake Grupe put in a truly premier performance in his first action as a Colt. Had Darnold not driven down the field to set up a last-minute game-winning Seahawks field goal, it would have been Grupe who kicked the winning field goal just one drive before that.
Not only that, but Lumen Field is by far one of the more adverse kicking environments in the league. Especially in late December, it's a loud, windy, and cold environment, and despite all of those factors going against him, Blake Grupe still delivered.
Week 16's Monday Night contest will be hosted in Indianapolis' very own Lucas Oil Stadium, an indoor kicking environment shielded from the elements. If Grupe can thrive in the adverse conditions of late December Seattle, there's no reason to believe he won't be able to do the same in a shielded dome like the one Indy has.
Prediction No. 4: The Colts defense shows out yet again
Early on in the year, it seemed like the offense was the driving engine of the Colts' success, and the only thing that limited the ceiling of the team would be the defense. Fast forward to Week 16, and the roles have reversed almost completely.
As was referenced above, the Seattle Seahawks just put up a 38 point offensive performance against one of the best teams in the league in the Los Angeles Rams. Just a week before that? The Indianapolis Colts and Lou Anarumo's defense held the high flying Seahawks to just 18 points. If not for a last second field goal it would have been just 15.
They didn't allow Darnold and company to score a single touchdown, and though the ultimate result was a loss, that's the same intensity that's going to be needed if the Colts want any shot at beating a very good 49ers team. With their backs against a wall and leaders needing to step up, this defensive unit is the key to Indy winning this pivotal Week 16 contest.