NFL Power Rankings Week 11: Colts Sit Middle of the Pack After Lackluster Victory

After their fourth win of the year last week the Colts continue their winning ways after beating the Jaguars. The national media kept the Colts in a similar position on the power rankings board. A fifth win on the season looks to have evened out on the Colts season as they finally got back to .500 even though they are far back in the division title race. The Colts are at 5-5 and about to head into one of the hardest stretches of their season so far. Here is how the Colts stack up in the week 11 power rankings

ESPN has the Colts at 16.

There are seven AFC teams currently with records of 6-4, 5-4 and 5-5 in the race for one of the final two playoff spots in the AFC. The Patriots would make the playoffs if they were to start today, while the Colts would be on the outside looking in. New England could put the Colts’ playoff hopes on life support by beating them in Indianapolis. That, of course, is if the Colts are still in contention for a postseason spot when the teams meet in Week 15. The Colts have not beaten Bill Belichick and the Patriots since the 2009 season (nine straight losses).

NFL.com has the Colts at 15.

The Colts came out of the creampuff portion of their schedule with wins over the Jets and Jaguars, but Sunday’s victory over a feisty Jacksonville team left more questions than answers. The offense struggled to get anything going after a fast start, and Carson Wentzwas back to making the kind of ill-advised throws that got Indy beat by the Titans in Week 8. A bad team like Jacksonville won’t always make you pay, but Wentz won’t be nearly as fortunate with matchups against the Bills and Buccaneers on tap. The Colts have yet to win a game against a team with a winning record this season — if they don’t come out the next two weeks with at least a split, they’ll confirm their also-ran status.

CBS Sports has the Colts at 14.

They didn’t play great against the Jaguars, but they found a way. They have to be more consistent on offense as they ready to play the Bills.

USA Today has the Colts at 16.

They’ve clawed back to .500 following a 1-4 start ... and now face games at Buffalo and against Tampa Bay for their trouble. Indianapolis will be in survival mode rest of the way.

Bleacher Report has the Colts at 14.

The Indianapolis Colts are at it again. For the second time in four seasons, the Colts came out of the gate slowly, losing four of their first five games. And just like in 2018, the Colts have rallied, winning four of five to get back to .500 at the 10-game mark.

For much of their recent hot streak, the Colts have depended on running back Jonathan Taylor, and Sunday was no different. Taylor carried the ball 21 times for 116 yards and a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars, pulling into a tie for the league’s rushing lead with Derrick Henry. The team also got another turnover-free game from quarterback Carson Wentz, although he admitted to reporters afterward that the win wasn’t an especially stylish one.

“It seems like we’ve been climbing out of this hole for a while now,” Wentz said. “It wasn’t our best game, but a win’s a win.”

Indy is still three games back of the Titans in the AFC South, but the Colts are in the thick of the wild-card race. Staying there won’t be easy, though. Next week, the Colts travel to Buffalo, followed by a home date with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“The Colts go as Taylor goes,” Sobleski said. “The second-year ball-carrier ran for at least 100 yards in each of Indianapolis’ wins this season. He didn’t in any of the team’s losses. Obviously, correlation doesn’t automatically equate to causation, but the Colts’ effectiveness by winning in the trenches behind one of the game’s better offensive fronts is a key to their success. With a strong running game and play from the front five, the team can hide some of the inconsistencies found at quarterback.”