NFL Power Rankings Week 5: Colts Finally Move Up

After three loses in a row to start the season, the Colts finally managed to grind out a win against the Miami Dolphins. The national media finally moved the Colts up the power rankings board. A first win of the season after three losses in a row this time finally gave the Colts a hint of hope. Could this win be the turning point in the season for the Colts. Here is how the Colts stack up in the week 5 power rankings.

ESPN has the Colts at 21.

Carson Wentz has no idea what it’s like to play behind the projected starting offensive line because the group has dealt with injuries. Right tackle Braden Smith continues to be out with a foot injury, left guard Quenton Nelson is on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain and left tackle Eric Fisher missed the first game of the season while continuing his recovery from an Achilles injury. And that’s just the start. Receiver T.Y. Hilton is on the IR with a disc injury. Starting safety Khari Willis, pass-rusher Kwity Paye and cornerbacks Xavier Rhodes and Rock Ya-Sin have all missed games with injuries, too. Injuries are part of the game, but the Colts have been ravaged with them through the first four weeks.

NFL.com has the Colts at 21.

It’s a start. The Colts went down to Miami for a must-win Week 4 contest and got the job done with a 27-17 victory over the Dolphins. Indy was the superior team in all three phases and got breakout games from Jonathan Taylor (103 yards, TD) and tight end Mo Alie-Cox (two touchdowns). Carson Wentz displayed improved mobility two weeks removed from his double ankle sprain, providing hope that Indy can dig itself out of an 0-3 hole. It helps that the Colts play in the AFC South: As Indy found its way into the win column on Sunday, the Titans were falling on their face against the Jets. The division remains there for the taking ... Who wants it?

CBS Sports has the Colts at 22.

Winning at Miami was a must for this team with their brutal schedule coming up. The defense came up big, showing well for the first time this season.

USA Today has the Colts at 19.

Finally, a win for Carson Wentz. After dealing with ankle injuries early in his Colts career, his team topped the Dolphins 27-17 in a game that really wasn’t even that close. Miami didn’t show up until late.

Bleacher Report has the Colts at 23.

The Indianapolis Colts have had precious little to cheer about over an 0-3 start. But they finally had a few reasons to smile in a 10-point victory in Miami on Sunday. For starters, Colts quarterback Carson Wentz played his best game since joining the Colts. The numbers weren’t jaw-dropping—228 yards and two scores on 24-of-32 passing. But Wentz didn’t throw an interception and posted a passer rating of 115.1. Running back Jonathan Taylor had himself a day as well: 103 yards and a score on 16 carries and 11 yards on three catches. Beating a Miami team whose offense has fallen off a cliff since Tua Tagovailoa went down won’t fix all that ails the Colts. But given the sad state of affairs that is the AFC South, the Colts are just one game back of the division-”leading” Titans ahead of next week’s trip to Baltimore. “The Colts are in a predicament,” Sobleski said. “They finally won a game, but they’re not good. Yet they’re well within striking distance in the weak AFC South even with a 1-3 record. No one is running away with the division. The organization also has to consider that it will cough up a first-round pick if/when Wentz plays over 75 percent of the snaps this season. Indianapolis will have to consider future implications if the squad doesn’t get on track.”

Pro Football Network has the Colts at 21.

The Colts looked like a team staring down the barrel of an 0-4 start and the beginning of #DraftSZN. Instead, they dominated the Miami Dolphins in the third quarter, taking a 7-3 lead before extending it to 20-3 near the start of the final quarter. Carson Wentz spread the ball out to 10 different receivers on the day and looked far more in control of his environment than in previous games. Even the analytics community enjoyed his performance, as he completed a fantastic 13.5% of passes over expectation for the game.

With a Monday Night Football showdown against the Baltimore Ravens on the horizon, it was a good time for the Colts to show some life. They’ll need a win against Baltimore to have a realistic shot at the AFC South title. With the Titans facing injuries to key contributors, it could be time for Indianapolis to gain some ground.