Wild playoff scenario could unfold in Week 18 if Jaguars beat Colts

The Jacksonville Jaguars are about to wrap up yet another disappointing year, but that does not mean they are playing an insignificant game in Week 18. In fact, they have a chance to potentially create chaos ahead of the postseason.

The Jaguars are hosting the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. For the Colts, the road to the playoffs is simple — win and get in. If Jacksonville wins, however, things could get very interesting. Why? Because that would set up a scenario where the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers, who will play each other on Sunday, would both get into the playoffs with a tie.

As luck would have it, the Jaguars and Colts play in the early window and the Raiders host the Chargers in the late window. That means the latter two teams will know before they play if a tie would get both into the playoffs. The big question, then, would be how they handle the situation.

You might think the Jaguars have almost no chance of beating the Colts, but history favors them. The Colts are 0-6 when playing at Jacksonville since 2015. Granted, some of those Jags teams were better and Indy teams were worse, but anything could happen.

As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes, the NFL prohibits efforts by teams that undermine the integrity of the game. There may be no explicit rule that teams can’t agree to play to a tie, but commissioner Roger Goodell could punish the Raiders and Chargers if it were determined that they colluded.

The NFL is probably hoping the Colts just beat the Jaguars, that way there are no questions. But if the Jags are looking for one last piece of motivation as they close out a disastrous season, they definitely have something to play for.

Photo: Sep 13, 2021; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) before playing against the Baltimore Ravens at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports