NFL Power Rankings: Colts continue to drop after second straight blowout loss

In back-to-back weeks, the Indianapolis Colts have suffered ugly losses.  First, it was a 45-10 road loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and then it was a 51-16 road loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.  In the past two weeks, the Colts have been outscored 96-26 and have suffered back-to-back 35-point losses.

That's not good, and the Colts have fallen below .500 for the season with a 6-7 record.  Amazingly, they are still in first place in the AFC South thanks to an equal record with the Texans and the head-to-head tiebreaker.  This weekend's game between the two teams, then, is huge and is one that the Colts have to win if they hope to win the AFC South.

Before that game, however, let's take a look at what this week's power rankings are saying about the Colts after two bad losses.

NFL.com's Elliot Harrison ranks the Colts number 23, down nine spots from last week:

The Colts have lost their last two games by a combined score of 96-26. In that span, they've turned the ball over five times, and opposing quarterbacks have thrown for seven touchdowns and no picks. Essentially, they've been playing # Falcons football. Not sure where Chuck Pagano and his staff go from here. Can you avoid watching game film for multiple weeks? (By the way, they're still tied for first place.)

ESPN has the Colts at number 20, down four spots:

The Colts have allowed at least 45 points in back-to-back games (96 points total). The last time they did that in a single season? 1953!

CBS Sports' Pete Prisco ranks the Colts 13th, down one spot:

Do they miss Andrew Luck or what? What happened to the defense in Jacksonville? That was awful.

CBS Sports' Pat Kirwan ranks the Colts number 18, down six spots:

I'm worried about Chuck Pagano. Getting thumped in a division game the way they did is never good for the head coach, and now the owner is talking about maybe rushing Andrew Luck back from injury. But the Colts still can't protect, run, or stop the run.

Shutdown Corner's Frank Schwab has the Colts at number 13, the same spot as last week:

The feel-good Matt Hasselbeck story is fading. And giving up 51 points to the Jaguars says a lot about how disappointing this Colts team is.

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio ranks the Colts 20th, down seven spots:

Chuck Pagano says the team hasn't quit. Imagine how ugly that 51-16 loss to the Jaguars would have looked if the team had.

FOX Sports ranks the Colts number 19, down three spots from a week ago:

Andrew Luck has vowed to play again in 2015, but his status for Week 15 seems uncertain. The Colts hope Matt Hasselbeck can get healthy by Sunday or they'll turn to journeyman Charlie Whitehurst.

SB Nation's Danny Kelly has the Colts at number 21, down six spots.