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The Indianapolis Colts improved to 10-4 with their 17-10 win on Sunday against the Houston Texans, and in doing so clinched the AFC South division title for the second straight year. The team is guaranteed at least one home playoff game, then, but there are many questions surrounding the Colts, and the questions just continued to mount after an ugly offensive performance against Houston. How do the offensive struggles in the wins (the Colts are on a four-game winning streak) affect their standing in the power rankings? Let's take a look.
ESPN ranks the Colts seventh, which is down one from their spot a week ago:
Andrew Luck started Sunday 2-of-8, including a pick-six, but finished 16-of-26 with two touchdowns. So a pick-six sparked improvement in two straight weeks. Don't make it a habit.
NFL.com's Elliot Harrison ranks the Colts sixth, down one from last week:
Indy survived a Savage offense -- well, an offense that couldn't move the ball. Of course, the Colts, frankly, couldn't move it, either. Andrew Luck did not play his best for the second straight week, giving Houston its only touchdown in a game where touchdowns were at a premium. On the bright side, that Colts defense has played well two straight weeks.
CBS Sports' Pat Kirwan ranks the Colts ninth, the same place he had them last week:
Colts (9): Though the Colts clinched the AFC South, they also have losses vs. Denver and New England. That adds up to likely playing on wild-card weekend, so I wonder if they will rest some players in the final two regular-season games.
Note: While the Colts might rest some injured players who need it, Chuck Pagano adamantly stated that they won't rest starters just to rest them.
CBS Sports' Pete Prisco has the Colts seventh, up one from a week ago:
They are division champs again, but this team is ready for more than that. They are getting better on defense, which is a must.
Shutdown Corner's Frank Schwab ranks the Colts sixth, down one spot from last week:
The Andrew Luck trash-talking story by the Wall Street Journal was one of the funniest things I've read this year.
FOX Sports ranks the Colts seventh, up one spot from a week ago:
The Colts continue to exhibit issues with protecting Andrew Luck thanks to their nonexistent running game. On defense, Vontae Davis has developed into one of the NFL's few shutdown cornerbacks and he routinely eliminates the opposing team's best wide receiver.
The Monday Morning Quarterback's Peter King ranks the Colts eighth, down one spot from last week:
8. Indianapolis (10-4). Colts hadn't been held under 20 points in the past 20 games ... before Sunday. Good for them it was toothless Houston on the other side of the field. Houston, lifetime, at Indianapolis: 0-13.
SB Nation's Danny Kelly has the Colts ranked sixth, the same spot he had them last week. Bleeding Green Nation's Brandon Lee Gowton ranks the Colts fifth, the same spot as a week ago.
Indy were the easy favorites to win the cake walk AFC South yet again and they clinched the division with a win on Sunday.
| Rank | Change | |
| ESPN | 7 | - 1 |
| NFL.com | 6 | - 1 |
| CBS Sports (Kirwan) | 9 | 0 |
| CBS Sports (Prisco) | 7 | + 1 |
| Shutdown Corner | 6 | - 1 |
| FOX Sports | 7 | + 1 |
| MMQB | 8 | - 1 |
| SB Nation | 6 | 0 |
| Bleeding Green Nation | 5 | 0 |
| AVERAGE | 7 | - 1 |
Not a lot of change for the Colts this week, which was to be expected after a rough game but a win on Sunday. The big test for Indy comes this weekend, when they take on the Dallas Cowboys on the road - a team that is also in the top ten in most power rankings. It should be a real test for a Colts' squad that has played an easy schedule recently, and after next Sunday we should have a better idea of just where the Colts rank in the power rankings. This week, though, there's not much change.