Draft Order Watch: Colts close to top 5

6-wins, that is the goal we want most of the teams in front of us to reach. With a winnable game against the Texans, and three very tough matchups against the Vikings, Chargers, and Giants, the Colts need to take a hard look at themselves, asses their reality and not do anything stupid. Matt Ryan is still the quarterback, and it seems he will (not literally) die for Ballard’s sins, as all the hits he is most going to take will hopefully result in the next quarterback for the future.

Other than Arizona, every team we were cheering for the past week won. The most important rivals in the hunt for the next franchise quarterback are the Saints and the Panthers, as the Texans are locked in on that #1 overall pick, and it seems like the Seahawks (owners of the Broncos’ pick) and the Lions (owners of the Rams’ pick) seem to be sticking with Geno Smith and Jared Goff long term. Chicago already has their guy in Justin Fields, the Eagles are set with Hurts, and the Falcons probably want to see what they have in Desmond Ridder. The only incognito are the Cardinals, as Kyler Murray tore his ACL, capping up a disappointing junior season in the NFL.

Games to Watch

Ravens @ Browns

The Ravens will most likely be without starting quarterback Lamar Jackson, and backup Tyler Huntley was in the concussion protocol, so this game bodes well for a Browns’ team desperate to string together some wins to save face after the Deshaun Watson trade. With a win here the Browns would reach the 6-win mark, almost out of reach for the Colts.

Steelers @ Panthers

Two teams with 5 wins, so either team winning here would actually benefit the Colts. Ideally the Panthers win here, as the Steelers already have their quarterback of the future in Kenny Pickett while the Panthers will most likely be looking to draft one. Carolina has been playing some solid football recently, so hopefully they keep on their recent streak.

Falcons @ Saints

As mentioned above the Saints are also most likely looking for their next signal caller in next year’s draft, as neither Dalton or Winston seem to be the long term answer for New Orleans. They are currently below the Colts in the standings because of the tie, as the two teams have just 4 wins this season. With the Falcons turning to Desmond Ridder for the rest of the season, the Saints defense will have the perfect chance to dominate, and perhaps they manage to get the win and move in front of the Colts in the standings.

Cardinals @ Broncos

The Cardinals just lost Kyler Murray for the rest of the year with a torn ACL, while the Broncos offense makes the Colts look like the Greatest Show on Turf (slight exaggeration, but they are really bad especially considering all the capital they spent on Wilson). Denver does not have their first round pick this season, as it belongs to the Seahawks, but the Cardinals might be in the market for a quarterback after Kyler’s struggles.