The phrase "must-win game" is thrown around a lot, and most of the time, I'd say people use it too lightly.
But the Indianapolis Colts' Week 10 matchup against the Buffalo Bills seems quite literally like a must-win game.
Colts matchup vs. Bills has major playoff implications
Pro Football Focus released six teams whose outcome in their Week 10 matchup has the largest effect on their chances to make the playoffs in 2024. This week, the Colts are one of those teams with a win over the Bills increasing their playoff odds to 54%, and a loss shoots them down to a mere 24%.
The Colts recently made the controversial decision to bench second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson for veteran Joe Flacco. They say they made this move mainly because Flacco gave the team the "best chance to win games." This means making the playoffs this season seems like an absolute must. Because if you miss the playoffs after making that move, the already loud criticisms will get even louder.
It won't be easy for the Colts, with the Bills having a strong season to date, sitting at 7-2. If the Colts pull off the win, they will improve to 5-5 on the year, while a loss drops them to 4-6. The AFC has multiple teams struggling, which gives the Colts a fighting chance in this race, but they have to start picking up these key wins. So now the team is going to figure out if they were right, and Flacco has what it takes to lead this team to a big win in Week 10.
