Colts Fall in Week 15 NFL Power Rankings
The Indianapolis Colts went into Cincinnati on Sunday as one of the hottest teams in the NFL. The Bengals helped cool the Colts with a 20-0 second half in their 34-14 win.
The Colts held on to their No. 7 seed in the AFC Playoff race, but how far did they fall in the Week 15 power rankings?
NFL.com's Eric Edholm dropped the Colts two spots from No. 13 to No. 15.
Facing a Bengals team that had struggled to pass protect and stop the run coming in, the Colts figured to have a pretty good matchup as they continued their run for the postseason. But Indianapolis' pass rush and run game were nowhere to be found in Cincinnati, and the Colts committed a slew of unforced errors in the blowout loss. Indianapolis kept Bengals RBs Joe Mixon and Chase Brown more or less under wraps as runners, but each of them ripped off killer long screens. There were also special-teams gaffes that cost the Colts, including missed field-goal and extra-point tries and a muffed punt that led to a Cincy field goal. This is exactly the kind of sloppy ball that will leave you home come playoff time. Still, Indianapolis' schedule lines up pretty well, and the roster will be reinforced by the return of injured players. Will it be enough? -- Eric Edholm, NFL.com
The Colts held steady on ESPN's NFL Power Rankings after the loss to the Bengals, but they started lower at No. 16.
ESPN includes a theme in their weekly feature. This week ESPN's legion of reporters was asked the biggest improvement they've seen from the team they cover. Stephen Holder picked the pass rush.
The Colts are tied for third in the NFL with 42 sacks, and exactly half of that total (21) has been accumulated in the past five games. The Colts had an underwhelming pass rush performance against the Bengals on Sunday, but they recorded six sacks in each of their previous two games against the Buccaneers and Titans. Interestingly, the Colts have done it by committee. Their sack leader, Samson Ebukam, has just eight. But the Colts have four players with five or more sacks in 2023. -- Stephen Holder, ESPN
Ebukam was signed as a free agent in the offseason as a potential upgrade over Yannick Ngakoue who the Colts allowed to leave in free agency.
Ngakoue has just four sacks with the Chicago Bears, and Ebukam's 78.5 rush-defense grade on Pro Football Focus (PFF) leads the team. Ngakoue has always been considered a liability in the run game, but his 37.7 rush-defense grade from PFF is low even by his standards.
To say Ebukam has been a positive free agent signing would be an understatement. He's one of top signings in the NFL.
The Colts take on the reeling Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday. Pittsburgh looked like a lock for a playoff spot two weeks ago, but back-to-back losses to the Cardinals and Patriots have made them desperate to hold on to a playoff spot.
They're currently one spot ahead of the Colts in the AFC Playoff standings, but a win by the Colts could help solidify a spot in the postseason while all but eliminating the Steelers.
