Robert Goddin-Imagn Images
The Indianapolis Colts lost to the Houston Texans by a score of 38-30 in Week 18 to cap off a miserable 2025 season that saw the team close out the year by losing seven straight games.
Prior to November, the Indianapolis Colts were one of the best teams in the NFL as they began with an 8-2 record and had one of the best offenses and defenses in the NFL.
While they were already wobbling prior to this point, the Colts’ season turned on an injury to starting quarterback Daniel Jones, who surprisingly began the season as one of the most effective QBs in the league. After suffering a broken fibula in a November 23 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Jones tore his Achilles on December 7.
The Colts then turned to retired signal-caller Philip Rivers, who hadn’t played in the NFL since the 2020 season, to start three of the team’s final four games in a desperate attempt to save their season. The cinematic return of Rivers wasn’t enough, though, as they lost all three of his starts before starting rookie QB Riley Leonard in their season finale.
The Indianapolis Colts made history with their seven-game losing streak, became the first team to finish below .500 after previously being six games above .500
Indy’s collapse this season was historic, in fact, as they became the first team in the Super bowl era to end the season with a losing record (8-9) after being six games over .500 at one point in the season.
From ESPN Research: the Colts are the first team in the Super Bowl era to at one point be 6 games over .500, and then end the season with a losing record.
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) January 4, 2026
Instead of the Colts, the Jacksonville Jaguars went to the postseason as the AFC South division champions, while the Houston Texans also secured a Wild Card berth.