One team has its playoff spot locked up and the only real suspense remaining for it is whether it will finish with the No. 3 or 4 seed in the AFC. The other team has everything to play for still, because it hasn’t secured a playoff spot in the NFC.

That is what’s at stake at AT&T stadium when the Indianapolis Colts take on the Dallas Cowboys.

Here are three storylines to the game:

Defense needs to stop up: Two significant numbers stick out with the Colts’ defense: 246 and 522. They gave up 246 yards rushing to New England before starting their four-game winning streak against teams that will be on vacation in a little more than week. The Colts gave up 522 yards passing to Pittsburgh two weeks prior to the Patriots running past them. Now they get to face one of the most balanced offenses in the league. The Colts have to try to stop the Cowboys’ running game with or without DeMarco Murray (hand) in the game. And a tight end in Jason Witten and a receiver in Dez Bryant catching passes from quarterback Tony Romo. And Indianapolis has to find a way to get pressure on Romo while facing one of the top offensive lines in the NFL.

Protect the ball: This has become a weekly thing for Andrew Luck and the offense. The Colts have turned the ball over 12 times in the past four games. They are not going to get away with those mistakes against a Dallas team that is trying to make the playoffs and has the offensive playmakers to make the Colts pay for their miscues. Luck has thrown a pick-six in each of the past two games. He’s up to 20 turnovers -- 14 interceptions and six fumbles -- this season. The Colts haven't had a turnover-free game since facing the Giants on Nov. 3. That was six games ago.

Need it mentally: Several Colts players, including linebacker D'Qwell Jackson, talked throughout the week about how they needed to win the game to prove they can compete with playoff-caliber teams. Indy is 2-3 against teams that would be in the playoffs if they started today. The record would be 2-4 if you count Philadelphia, which is fighting with the Cowboys for first place in the NFC East. Lose, and the questions will continue about whether the Colts are truly competitors or just a team that can dominate the AFC South. "Yeah, we’ve clinched (the AFC South), but we’re out to keep that momentum and answer those questions that we can play better against better quarterbacks, better offenses," Jackson said.