Week 6 Power Rankings: National Media Sends Clear Message After Steelers Loss

The Indianapolis Colts suffered a frustrating 34-22 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. As a result, the picture is becoming clearer on where Indianapolis stacks up against the rest of the league.

At 2-3, the Colts defense has struggled tremendously at times with tackling, coverage and putting pressure on the quarterback. Offensively, injuries at wide receiver have limited the vertical passing game, and red zone struggles have recently been an issue, too.

As a result, Indianapolis has slid down the list in nearly every publication’s Week 6 power rankings. With numerous issues to point to, here's where some of the biggest names in NFL media have the Colts ranked heading into Week 6.

Sports Illustrated: 24th (Week 5: 17th)

“If there is no Jonathan Taylor, there is no Colts offense,” Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr wrote of the Colts, who come in at 24th, seven spots down from last week and the largest drop by any of the publications listed.

The Colts couldn’t get Taylor going at all against a physical defensive front which held him to just 3 yards per carry on Sunday. If that’s any indication of what’s to come for this Colts offense, then Shane Steichen is in hot water.

ESPN: 24th (Week 5: 22nd)

ESPN’s team of beat reporters dropped the Colts down two ranking places after the loss over the weekend, pointing to poor tackling as a symptom of a larger defensive dilemma.

“The Colts have a litany of issues on defense, but tackling is a fundamental problem that affects many areas,” Stephen Holder wrote.

Holder added that the Colts rank 28th in the league in yards allowed after contact (482) and are 31st in yards allowed per play (6.2), placing the majority of blame on “the team’s underwhelming linebackers.”

New Indianapolis Colts Defensive Coordinator Lou Anarumo speaks during a press conference Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025 at the Colts practice facility, the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Colts did sign Germaine Pratt earlier in the week as they look to revive a struggling linebacker core, continuing the trend of bringing in former Lou Anarumo defenders. But considering how that strategy has worked out thus far, I wouldn’t expect Pratt to move the needle.

Pro Football Talk: 23rd (Week 5: 22nd)

Minimal movement for the Colts in Mike Florio’s Week 6 rankings. Florio again kept his analysis brief, but took a powerful stance in the process.

Florio simply wrote, “It feels like an overhaul is inevitable.” Hard to argue with that assessment. The Colts emphasized the fact that this is a must-win season and the levels of urgency are as high as ever. Yet, the product on the field has underwhelmed.

The Athletic: 25th (Week 5: 19th)

Chad Graff and Josh Kendall have the Colts at 25, a steep slide from their No, 19 spot from a week ago. In their eyes, Indianapolis may have made a mistake this offseason they’re not willing to come to terms with.

“They’d never admit it (at least not yet), but perhaps there’s some buyer’s remorse after giving Daniel Jones a two-year, $88 million contract in March,” they said, adding Jones wasn’t the reason for Sunday’s loss, but also hasn’t contributed much to the team’s only two wins so far.

Oct 11, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (17) warms up before the game against then Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“And when you’re making more than $40 million a season, the expectation is that you’d better be delivering victories.”

Fox Sports: 20th (Week 5: 18th)

After being the highest publication on the Colts in Week 5, Ralph Vacchiano moved Indianapolis down two places this week, leaving a harrowing outlook for this team if problems aren’t corrected quickly.

“The Colts have too much talent on offense to continually come up so empty,” he said. “Maybe things will start clicking when WR Alec Pierce returns…But head coach Shane Steichen is an offensive guy, and he needs to come up with some answers, because he doesn’t have the defense to prop his team up. If the struggles continue, he’s going to find himself on the hot seat long before he gets to their Week 13 bye.”

In Vacchiano’s eyes, things could get late early for the Colts, and if things do go completely sideways, the bye week could be a week of change for the franchise.

NFL.com: 24th (Week 5: 22nd)

Indianapolis drops two spots in Nick Shook’s latest rankings, who still seems a little bit split on the Colts through five games. Like Vacchiano, he thinks the Colts are capable of more.

“There are moments in which you see Indianapolis’ potential,” he wrote. “But each time I watch these Colts, it leaves me wondering what could be.”

Shook cites putting too much stock into a receiving core he deems as “underwhelming” and has some worries about the offensive line as well.

Bleacher Report: 23rd (Week 5: 23rd)

No change for the Colts in Bleacher Report’s rankings, and the lack of change in the rankings seems to align with the current state of the franchise.

“The Colts are stuck in mediocrity,” analyst Maurice Moton writes. “Nonetheless, the Colts must sort out their defensive issues…The Colts gave up 127 rushing yards to the Steelers, who entered Week 5 with the 22nd-ranked rushing offense.”

Like many who share the same defensive concerns, the thought here is until there’s more consistency on that side of the football, the Colts will remain stuck in a cycle of mediocrity.

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