The Indianapolis Colts (3-3) found themselves in a free fall through the majority of the power rankings following the Week 6 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2).
In what was an ugly performance from Gardner Minshew that included four turnovers, a potential revenge game narrative fell flat after the first offensive drive. The Anthony Richardson-less offense lacks consistent explosiveness, especially when the backfield managed just 40 rushing yards on 15 carries.
The majority of power rankings entering Week 7 now have the Colts sitting in the 20s with a few still lingering around the high teens. They dropped in every one of our samples.
Each week, we’ll round up where the Colts sit in the power rankings according to several outlets. Next to their ranking, the number in parentheses indicates the change from the previous week. A positive number means they’re moving up the power rankings.
Here’s where the Colts stand in the Week 7 power rankings:
USA TODAY
Author: Nate Davis
Rank: 26 (-9)
Link to article
Author’s Take: “QB Anthony Richardson’s shoulder injury will likely scuttle his rookie season, per owner Jim Irsay. Probably an unsurvivable setback … unless RB Jonathan Taylor displays his 2021 form soon.”
Touchdown Wire
Author: Jarrett Bailey
Rank: 19 (-4)
Link to article
Author’s Take: “It truly stinks that Anthony Richardson might have to be shut down for the rest of the season. That said, the team has a ton of heart- they are the Cardinals with more talent and ability to win more games. They take a sizable fall though after getting their butts handed to them on a platter by the Jaguars, though.”
Bleacher Report
Author: NFL Staff
Rank: 24 (-8)
Link to article
Author’s Take: “The Indianapolis Colts have problems.
After a somewhat promising start to the season, the Colts have dropped two of three, the latest being a 17-point loss where the game really wasn’t that close.
With quarterback Anthony Richardson on the shelf, Gardner Minshew struggled mightily in his opportunity for revenge on his old team. Minshew threw for 310 yards and a touchdown, but he also turned the ball over four times, tossing three picks and losing a fumble.
While talking to reporters postgame, Colts head coach Shane Steichen took responsibility for Indy’s ninth straight loss in Jacksonville.
“We got ourselves in a hole there with the turnovers,” Steichen said. “We got to do better there. It starts with myself, doing a better job there. I’ve got to be better.”
However, Sobleski thinks the team’s problems go past this one defeat.
“With news that Anthony Richardson may ultimately choose shoulder surgery and be out for the rest of the season, a re-evaluation of the Colts season and where the team stands is necessary,” he said. “After being throttled by the Jaguars in Jacksonville again, it’s clear that Indianapolis doesn’t have the firepower to compete against the AFC’s best. Gardner Minshew is who he is. Unless the offensive line really digs deep and creates opportunities for running back Jonathan Taylor and Zack Moss, the Colts will struggle to move the ball offensively. Conversely, Indy’s defense is generally sound but unaggressive, which creates opportunities for opponents to regularly move the ball. With the Cleveland Browns’ defense and the veteran Saints upcoming, a solid 3-2 start could quickly devolve into a 3-5 record.”
ESPN NFL Nation
Author: Stephen Holder
Rank: 22 (-5)
Link to article
Author’s Take: “Lesson learned: QB Anthony Richardson has a future.
From a distance, it’s perhaps difficult to assess Richardson’s performance given his rash of injuries (he’s currently on injured reserve and it’s unclear when he’ll play again). But this year’s No. 4 overall pick has acquitted himself well when he has played, rallying from a 23-0 deficit to force overtime against the Rams and averaging 5.4 yards per carry when he runs the ball. His right shoulder injury could be a legitimate setback in his development, particularly if he misses the remainder of the season. But the Colts can move forward with some confidence that they have finally found their future at quarterback after many years.”
Sporting News
Author: Vinnie Iyer
Rank: 22 (-7)
Link to article
Author’s Take: “The Colts are all over the place. Sometimes they look great against the run, sometimes they don’t. Sometimes they can run at will, sometimes they can’t. Sometimes they make big pass plays easily, sometimes they seem impossible. They are perfectly suited to be .500, but they do lose a key element minus Anthony Richardson.”
Pro Football Network
Author: Dalton Miller
Rank: 17 (-3)
Link to article
Author’s Take: “The Indianapolis Colts can succeed with Gardner Minshew, but only if he can keep them on schedule and not force passes that end up in the hands of the defense. Protecting the ball must be his top priority. Although we’d love it if he could consistently create explosives, that simply is not his game.
If he needs his shoulder surgically repaired, losing Anthony Richardson for the season will likely condemn the Colts to a losing record. But that could be a blessing in the long run because they’ll have more draft capital in a class that appears outstanding.”
NFL.com
Author: Eric Edholm
Rank: 21 (-4)
Link to article
Author’s Take: “In his first start following the news that Anthony Richardson will be out an extended period, Gardner Minshew turned the ball over four times in the loss to Jacksonville — and it could have been even worse. This isn’t what we expected from Minshew, given that he entered the game with zero turnovers on the season, but it’s a reminder that in his two starts for the Eagles last season, Minshew threw three picks and fumbled four times (losing one). Owner Jim Irsay told ESPN on Monday that Richardson is “ probably ” done for the season, so it’s likely to be Minshew from here on out. The Jonathan Taylor – Zack Moss duo probably will take a bigger share of the load, but the Colts really are entering a tricky stretch facing back-to-back strong defenses in the Browns and Saints.”
Yahoo Sports
Author: Frank Schwab
Rank: 20 (-3)
Link to article
Author’s Take: “The explanation for why the Colts passed nearly every down on Sunday, via center Ryan Kelly, was that the Jaguars were in their base defensive personnel and the Colts wanted to pass them out of it. That didn’t happen. Then the game script got bad, and Gardner Minshew II threw it 55 times. The Colts better get used to teams loading up the box. They should be an elite running team, but opponents understand that too.”
CBS Sports
Author: Pete Prisco
Rank: 18 (-5)
Link to article
Author’s Take: “So much for all the Gardner Minshew hype. He was terrible against the Jaguars, which doesn’t bode well since Anthony Richardson is likely done for the season.”
