This article needs to start with qualifications and explanations.
First, by "chance" I mean the chance to contend for a playoff spot. Second, and I’m going to get this out of the way before you can think "confirmation bias," all teams had a chance at the beginning of the season, including the Rockies, though the chances for some were greater than others. Third, while contending for a playoff spot will always be the publicly stated goal for the Rockies, it might not have been the actual goal of the front office for this season. This article isn’t an "I told you so" as much as it is an illustration of how we should read the state of the Rockies at any given point in the season.