Buckle in Colts fans.
We have our first Colts Football-Free Weekend since August. After an 8-2 start to the season, many-a-Colts fan has grown addicted to watching the 2025 squad every Sunday. To sate your cravings for NFL Football during the Bye Week blues, we here at Stampede Blue offer you this handy Guide to your first Weekend in months without the Colts on your screen.
Who should you root for to help the Colts quest for the 1 seed?
Should you hope AFC South Divisional rivals continue to fall behind, or win a game to worsen their 2026 Draft slot?
Is there a team Colts fans should hope loses to help increase the odds one of their best players leaves in Free Agency?
Find out who you should (probably) root for this week!
New York Jets vs New England Patriots
The first game on the docket should be an easy one for Colts fans to instinctually have a rooting interest in: Anyone against the New England Patriots.
On Thursday Night Football the 8-2 Patriots host their 2-7 AFC East Divisional Rival Jets in a game most to be a rout for the home team in Foxborough. Jets doubters beware however, as they are on a two game winning streak! Albeit it was against the lowly Ohio teams: the Bengals and Browns…
Despite the odds, Colts fans want the Jets to endure. A loss drops the Patriots out of the tiebreakers with the Colts for the 1 seed in the AFC, as well as hurts the Most Valuable Player campaign of starting QB Drake Maye. A historic rival losing playoff seeding and potentially missing out on the biggest individual player award? Sounds like Colts fans have reason to break out the Adonai Mitchell jerseys if the Jets win.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals
This one could have some conflicting views on who to root for. On the one hand, the 5-4 Steelers losing would increase the Colts odds of a good playoff seeding with Pittsburgh owning the head to head tiebreaker over the Colts. On the other hand, the Bengals losing could increase the likelihood star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson opts to leave Cincinnati in the 2026 offseason, potentially trying to reunite with former Defensive Coordinator Lou Anarumo in Indianapolis.
This game also has a sneaky impact on the Ravens, who could jump all the way from 10th in the AFC to the 4 seed with the Bengals upsetting the Steelers and if the Ravens take care of the Browns. While the Colts did fall to the Steelers this regular season, I doubt any Colts fan likes the idea of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry re-entering the playoff field.
It is up to each fan, but I lean rooting for the Steelers to lose in this case. Trey Hendrickson to the Colts is an idea that can only come to fruition in 2026 at the earliest and the Steelers losing has tangible benefits for the Colts in 2025. Live for the here and now!
Houston Texans vs Tennessee Titans
An AFC South grudge match between the two teams at the bottom of the division. The Texans are at 4-5 after a dramatic upset win over the Jaguars, clawing to keep their playoff hopes alive despite a tough schedule and with starting QB CJ Stroud out with his 2nd concussion of his career. Over in Tennessee, the Titans are coming off their bye suddenly in the driver’s seat for the 1st overall pick. They would be the 6th team in the Super Bowl era to pick 1st overall in back to back years.
If you are looking for good scoring entertainment value, likely look elsewhere. As the first matchup against these two AFC South rivals showed earlier in the season, offense likely isn’t on the menu in this matchup.
Colts fans can have a rare rooting interest in the Tennessee Titans, as a win would simultaneously worsen their division rival’s draft slot and decrease the odds of them getting an impact player, and inch the Texans towards out of the playoff race entirely. While the Titans certainly aren’t favored, every team can have their day in the NFL. Might as well root for the underdog! Just try not to look directly at this game. Put it in Picture-in-Picture or check it out on RedZone (if it shows up at all).
Los Angeles Chargers vs Jacksonville Jaguars
Despite falling to the aforementioned Texans with backup QB Davis Mills in the lineup last week, the Jaguars are still the Colts primary challengers for the AFC South at 5-4. The Chargers meanwhile are the 4th best team in the AFC record wise (5th Seed with Broncos ahead of them in the AFC West). Jim Harbaugh’s squad doesn’t have the head to head tiebreaker over the Colts, but could still pose a challenge for the Colts playoff seeding toward the end of the season if they win, being only 1 game back from the Colts in the playoff race.
This one could be a tough one for Colts fans to decide on who to root for. Is it better for the Colts to have more of a guarantee at making the playoffs? Or should the Colts set their sights higher for some help to a potential 1 seed? Either way, Chargers vs Jaguars is one showdown that could have a big impact on the AFC playoff race.
Kansas City Chiefs vs Denver Broncos
The only 4:25 game on this list, deciding to tune into this game should be an easy choice.
The perennial AFC Champion Chiefs are trying to fight their way back into the playoffs, while the Denver Broncos are trying to keep pace with the Colts and Patriots for the 1 seed in the AFC. Throw in that this is the last opponent the Chiefs take on before they face the Colts coming off of their Bye week, and this is a slam dunk MUST watch for Colts fans this Sunday.
As for who to root for, this game between AFC West powerhouses naturally will have a big impact in the AFC playoff race. According to the New York Times’ Playoff Simulator, each result would have a big swing in either team’s playoff chances.
If the Chiefs Lose VS If the Chiefs Win:
- Make the Playoffs Odds: 61% VS 85%
- Win AFC West Odds: 6% VS 31%
- 1 Seed Odds: <1%—> 7%
If the Broncos Lose VS If the Broncos Win:
- Make the Playoffs Odds: 88% VS 98%
- Win AFC West Odds: 26% VS 42%
- 1 Seed Odds: 8% VS 26%
Colts fans have another choice in who to root for, either to help thin out the playoff field or increase their chances at the 1 seed. Personally, I’d love for the rare tie to occur.
See More:
