The Colts hired Shane Steichen to take over for Frank Reich during the offseason, then selected Anthony Richardson with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to kickstart what was supposed to be a rebuild.
It appears that the first-time head coach has the Colts ahead of schedule.
Indianapolis entered the final week of the 2023 NFL season poised to potentially make the postseason. The 9-7 squad has found success as a well-balanced team helmed by backup quarterback Gardner Minshew, who took over for Richardson after the top signal-caller went down with a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 5.
The Colts last made the playoffs in 2020, but they haven't won a game since 2018 when Andrew Luck led the team to a 21-7 victory over the Texans.
What will it take for the Colts to make the postseason? Here's what to know about the Colts' playoff picture entering Week 18.
LIVE: Updated NFL standings, clinching scenarios for Week 18
Colts playoff picture
The Colts had a simple path to making the 2024 playoffs: Beat the Texans in Week 18 to clinch at least a wild-card berth.
But Indianapolis came up empty, falling to the Texans 23-19 after an incompletion on a fourth-and-1 ended their potential, go-ahead drive.
POWER RANKINGS: Cowboys, Browns, Steelers climb as Dolphins, Eagles, Seahawks drop for Week 18
How the Colts can win the AFC South
The Colts could have won the AFC South with a win over the Texans and a loss by the Jaguars. But Indianapolis' defeat cost them not only a chance at the postseason, but a shot at the AFC South.