NFL Power Rankings: Colts drop significantly after loss to Saints

The Indianapolis Colts lost to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday 27-21 after falling behind 27-0, the team's second straight loss that drops them to 3-4 on the season.

Though still in first place in the awful AFC South, it has not been a good year for the Colts so far.  The team has struggled for the whole season and has just one win with Andrew Luck at quarterback and zero wins against non-division opponents.  After failing to get things going against the Saints and their poor defense, there are even more legitimate questions about Indy's team, and those are reflected in the power rankings.  In many of the rankings, the Colts had the biggest drop of any team, plummeting down the rankings to a below-average spot on this week's power rankings.

NFL.com's Elliot Harrison ranks the Colts number 20, down seven spots from last week:

The early returns are quickly becoming midseason returns -- even Colts fans are acknowledging that this just isn't a very good football team. Are the Colts horrible? No. But Indianapolis simply doesn't have the defense, depth or special teams to overcome multiple Andrew Luck turnovers. Luck now has 10 giveaways in five games this season, and 20 in his last 12 games (going back to the beginning of last December). Moreover, Luck's passer rating during that latter span is a not-sterling 73.6. #justthefacts

ESPN also dropped the Colts seven spots, down to number 18 this week:

Andrew Luck is 1-4 as a starter this season and things aren't getting any easier. The Colts' next three games are against the Panthers, Broncos and Falcons, who are a combined 18-1.

CBS Sports' Pete Prisco also has the Colts at number 18, down seven spots:

They are still in first place, but they sure don't look like it. This is a team with issues.

CBS Sports' Pat Kirwan ranks the Colts 16th, down seven spots:

I'm concerned about Andrew Luck, and the Colts do not have the personnel to fix the things that ail them on the offensive line and defensive line. They lead an awful AFC South with a sub-.500 record.

Shutdown Corner's Frank Schwab ranks the Colts 17th, down three spots from a week ago:

Next three games: at Carolina, vs. Denver, at Atlanta. This could easily turn into 3-7. And I still don't trust one other team in the AFC South to beat them for the division.

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio has the Colts at number 21, down two spots:

If Andrew Luck is still injured, it explains plenty. If he's not injured, he has plenty of explaining to do.

The MMQB's Peter King left the Colts off of his Fine Fifteen again, but has them at number 19 (down two spots from last week):

Next three games come against the 6-0 Panthers, 6-0 Broncos, 6-1 Falcons. Trouble.

FOX Sports ranks the Colts 19th, down six spots:

Too many times in the last three years we have seen the Colts completely taken out of a game because they were dominated on the offensive and defensive lines. Andrew Luck may not be completely healthy, but the Colts simply can't win in the trenches anyway.

SB Nation's Danny Kelly has the Colts at number 19 as well, down six spots from a week ago.