The Indianapolis Colts (3-3) captured their first AFC South win of the season in a 20-17 victory over the Tennessee Titans (1-4). The win pushed the Colts back to .500, and they currently hold the seventh seed in the conference after six weeks.
Indy also helped itself in the latest ESPN NFL Power Rankings by conquering its divisional foe. Shane Steichen's squad jumped three spots this week to 19th, equaling their second-highest ranking of the season. The No.19 spot in the power rankings places the Colts fourth of five teams with a 3-3 record.
One team ahead of the Colts actually has a worse record than Indy this season. The New Orleans Saints are slated at 18th in the rankings despite a 2-4 record. The Saints have lost their last four contests, including a 24-point defeat at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6. With their recent struggles, it is hard to see why the Saints should be above the Colts.
The NFL Nation reporters were asked to identify a lesson learned about each team to include in the rankings. ESPN's Stephen Holder identified the need to see more from this team. Despite being six games into the season, the picture of what the Colts are currently is still unclear.
"The Colts' 3-3 record is either an overachievement or underachievement, depending on your viewpoint," Holder wrote. "They have a disappointing, 30th-ranked defense (allowing 389.5 yards per game), but they've reached .500 despite a rash of injuries to QB Anthony Richardson (oblique), DT DeForest Buckner (ankle) and RB Jonathan Taylor (ankle)."
Holder continued, "If the Colts can get healthy -- the three aforementioned players are expected back soon -- maybe Indianapolis can reach its ceiling this season. An upcoming stretch includes meetings with the Texans, Bills, Vikings and Lions will probably tell the story."
Indy has undergone an onslaught of injuries to some of its most impactful players over the last month. Richardson is expected to return to game action this week, while the returns of Taylor and Buckner should be around the corner. The return of those three will be crucial to the Colts surviving the most difficult stretch of their schedule.
The Colts look to make it two in a row as they head back to Lucas Oil Stadium to face the Miami Dolphins. A win against the Dolphins on Sunday would not only mean going over .500 for the first time all season but likely their highest spot in the power rankings thus far.
