The Indianapolis Colts lost a tough game Sunday to the Las Vegas Raiders, 23-20. It was a massive game for both teams. The Colts missed out on a chance to clinch a playoff spot; meanwhile, the Raiders took a huge leap forward with their playoff chances.

In the loss, Colts quarterback Carson Wentz once again played inconsistently. Jonathan Taylor still did his thing. The defense did what they have done most of the season, shutting down opponents run games and allowing passing yards by the chunks. It was a very typical game for this Colts team. The problem is Indianapolis is capable of so much more.

Here are the key takeaways from the Colts Week 17 loss to the Raiders.

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Colts Week 17 Takeaways

3. Carson Wentz inconsistency remains consistent

When the Indianapolis Colts brought in quarterback Carson Wentz during the off-season, many thought it was the perfect fit. Wentz would be rejoining Frank Reich, who was his offensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles. Reich helped develop Carson Wentz and turn him into an MVP level player for a brief time.

But we now have a full 16 games of data with Reich as his head coach to look at. The writing is on the wall. He is not an elite quarterback in this league. He has done a great job limiting the turnovers this season. He has only thrown six interceptions to his 26 touchdown passes. That is a big step forward, as he was turning the ball off at a high frequency in Philadelphia.

But his ceiling is certainly capped. He has a 62% completion percentage this season. That's among the bottom in the league. His QBR is 58.3. One week, he looks great. The next, he struggled to complete passes against a lackluster Raiders secondary. He plays behind one of the best offensive lines in football and obviously has one of the best running backs in the league. But the data does not lie.

2. Jonathan Taylor is amazing, but not the league MVP

Once again, Jonathan Taylor did his thing. He rushed for over 100 yards and got into the end zone once again. He is no doubt about it, an absolute baller. He leads the NFL in rush yards by a mile.

Taylor has surpassed 2,000 yards from scrimmage with 20 touchdowns, 18 rushing and two receiving. But Sunday showed why I was wrong weeks ago when I declared him the front-runner for league MVP.

Despite putting up solid numbers once again, his team lost at home against an inferior team. The Raiders are by no means a bad team. They are simply not as talented as the Colts.

But it did not matter that JT balled out again. If you don't have a quarterback that can make all the throws and play well in the game's biggest moments, it's hard to consistently win in this league. We saw that Sunday. That is why the quarterback position wins the NFL MVP just about every year.

1. The Colts playoff chances took a hit, work left in front of them

Indianapolis missed a golden opportunity to clinch a playoff spot. Now, the Colts travel to Jacksonville in Week 18 in need of a win. Yes, they can still make the post-season with a loss, but they would need both Pittsburgh and Baltimore to lose in order for that to happen.

Click here for odds on the Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars Week 18 game, via FanDuel.

You do not want to rely on that scenario. On paper, the Colts should have no problem winning this weekend. But Jacksonville has been a very tough place to play for Indianapolis for a number of years. The last time the Colts won a road game against the Jaguars was way back in 2014. That is despite how bad the Jaguars have been for many of those seasons.

So, Indianapolis should not overlook Jacksonville Sunday. Come prepared, play well and win the game. That will earn their playoff spot and a likely date against the Cincinnati Bengals in the wild card round.