The Indianapolis Colts knew that Week 13 could have caused a massive mess in regards to the AFC South. While Indy began 7-1 and had a seemingly firm grasp on the division and possibly the AFC overall, recent struggles had tightened things. All Indianapolis had to do was lose to the Houston Texans, and chaos would have ensued.
The team clearly knew that. In a different game with a bigger division lead, head coach Shane Steichen might have rested quarterback Daniel Jones. It was reported that QB1 had a fractured fibula, and while Indy was telling fans that there was no danger in Jones playing with the injury, fans had a right to be concerned.
Jones did play, though, and faced a difficult Houston Texans. Heading into the game, Houston trailed the Colts by just two games, and the Jacksonville Jaguars trailed by only one. Indy wasn't just battling for playoff seeding, but to stay atop the division.
Updated playoff picture for the Indianapolis Colts and the AFC after Week 13
It couldn't, at least for one game. The Colts lost to the Texans 20-16, which dropped Indy to second place in the AFC South as the Jaguars defeated the Tennessee Titans easily. The Jags are now atop the division, though Indianapolis travels to Jacksonville in Week 14 and can change the narrative.
The current AFC playoff picture after the early games in Week 13 looks like this:
No. 1 New England Patriots (10-2) vs. BYE
No. 2 Denver Broncos (9-2) vs. No. 7 Buffalo Bills (7-4)
No. 3 Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4) vs. No. 6 Los Angeles Chargers (7-4)
No. 4 Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5) vs. No. 5 Indianapolis Colts (8-4)
In the hunt: Houston Texans (7-5), Kansas City Chiefs (6-6), Baltimore Ravens (6-6)
Indianapolis also faces a difficult schedule the rest of the season. It has to play the Texans again, who Indy leads by only one game after Week 13 (really, only a half-game because Houston at least temporarily holds the tie-break), the Jaguars twice, the Seattle Seahawks, and the San Francisco 49ers.
While it certainly wouldn't be fun, a real chance exists that the Indianapolis Colts could go from a 7-1 to not making the playoffs. Changes would need to be made if that were to happen.