It’s been five seasons since the Indianapolis Colts were last in the playoffs. So how likely are they to end that drought in 2026?
There are seven teams that haven’t made a postseason appearance in at least four seasons. Jeremy Bergman of NFL.com recently ranked the likelihood of each of these teams snapping their respective skids.
The Colts came in at No. 3 on the list, behind Atlanta and New Orleans.
“With a .465 strength of schedule (T-28th in NFL), the Colts are in a good position to challenge once again for the AFC South title,” Bergman wrote. “A lighter back half of the schedule gives Indy a break after last year’s second-half collapse (seven straight losses after an 8-2 start). But as with the first three seasons of the Shane Steichen era, there is always the possibility that the Colts once again won’t get over the hump.”
The Colts re-signed Daniel Jones this offseason, operating under the belief that the success he and the offense had through the first 10 games last season can be repeated and sustained in 2026.
Having Charvarius Ward, Sauce Gardner, and DeForest Buckner healthy on defense will drastically change the complexion of that unit as well.
That said, there are plenty of unknowns surrounding this Colts team, including how Jones bounces back from his Achilles injury. That will be the biggest factor in determining how good the Colts are this season.
Along with that question mark, it remains to be seen whether or not the defensive end position around Laiatu Latu has improved, while there are competitions ongoing for the starting linebacker spots and for the WR3 role.
Bergman also notes the Colts’ overall strength of schedule being favorable, but Indianapolis begins the season with a very difficult stretch of games against Baltimore, Kansas City, and Houston.
If the Colts ended up winning 10 or 11 games, I wouldn’t be all that surprised. There are some things that have to fall their way, but I can see a path forward.
That said, if the Colts won just 7 or 8 games, that wouldn’t surprise me either. Given the uncertainties, there is a wide range of outcomes for the 2026 Colts.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Can Colts end playoff drought in 2026? NFL analyst weighs in
Reporting by Paul Bretl, Colts Wire / Colts Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Paul Bretl, Colts Wire | USA TODAY Network
