NFL Power Rankings Week 9: Slide Down After Loss To Rival

The Colts continued their 2024 season at home on Sunday against an AFC South rival team in the Houston Texans. The Texans were 5-2 on the year, coming off a week 7 loss to the Green Bay Packers . The Colts saw the return of DeForest Buckner and Jonathan Taylor after both missed multiples weeks due to injury.

The Colts now sit at 4-4, currently second in the AFC South and 2 wins back from the leaders. The Colts fell back to .500 for the first time this year. The national media have moved the Colts down in the power rankings board after their loss against the Texans. Here is how the Colts stack up in the week 9 power rankings.

ESPN has the Colts at 21.

“Indianapolis had as quiet an offseason as any team in the NFL, so newcomers were scarce. But first-round draft choice Latu is showing flashes of being a staple for the Colts. He’s third among rookies with 11 pressures and is second among first-year players with 17 pass rush wins. According to ESPN tracking, Latu’s pressure has created three sacks even though he has faced double-teams on 20.3% of his pass rush snaps.”

NFL.com has the Colts at 19.

“Anthony Richardson’s 10th NFL start on Sunday was much like his previous nine, with highly encouraging moments cloaked around large swaths of inconsistency. At the half, Richardson was 2-for-15 passing (not a misprint) for 81 yards, a touchdown and a pick. He found some second-half rhythm and had two big scrambles for first downs, but Richardson also had to tap out for a third-and-goal play (from the Houston 23-yard line) after he ran around and wore himself out the previous three plays. It wasn’t Richardson’s fault that his receivers couldn’t haul in all of his passes or that the pass protection failed him more than once (five sacks). But the Colts remain well behind Houston in the AFC South, in part, because they can’t get more consistent play out of the QB position. Each of Richardson’s six starts this season have been one-score games, but the Colts have now let three of those get away.”

CBS Sports has the Colts at 21.

“The inconsistency at quarterback shows up weekly. Joe Flacco might be a better option if they really want to push for a playoff spot.”

Bleacher Report has the Colts at 21.

“The Colts may have an Anthony Richardson problem. That Richardson has struggled throwing the ball this year is hardly a secret, and those struggles were once again glaring in Week 8. Richardson attempted 32 passes Sunday…and completed 10. His two completions in 15 attempts in the first half was the lowest completion percentage (minimum 15 attempts) by a quarterback in 30 years, according to CBS.

And yet, despite another miserable day throwing the ball, Richardson told reporters after the loss that his accuracy is a non-issue. “I feel like I’m a great passer,” Richardson said. “I’ve been playing quarterback pretty much my whole life. I’m just a different quarterback from everybody else, so people are going to try to point out that I’m not as efficient as everybody else.”

Richardson also pulled himself out of the game in the third quarter, claiming that he was fatigued after scrambling. “Tired, ain’t gonna lie,” Richardson said. “That was a lot of running right there that I did, and I didn’t think I was gonna be able to go that next play. So, I just told [head coach Shane Steichen] I needed a break right there.” Now Steichen needs a break—on Tuesday the Colts announced that Richardson was being benched in favor of veteran Joe Flacco.

“Anthony Richardson’s 44.4 completion percentage is a blight upon those who appreciate good football. At the same time, it’s not nearly as bad as it appears. Multiple drops and excellent plays by defensive backs led to a staggeringly low 33.1 completion percentage against the Houston Texans. Yet Richardson delivered multiple passes that were catchable and even made a few big-time throws.”

“Despite everything, the Colts have seen enough, as indicated by the organization’s decision to bench Richardson in favor of veteran Joe Flacco.””

Pro Football Network has the Colts at 23.

“It is somewhat impressive that the Colts are 4-4 and only two games back in the division. Anthony Richardson is playing as one of the worst quarterbacks this year, and somehow the team is winning despite both that and the defense ranking in the bottom half. To be where they are with their level of performance is both impressive and concerning when we look ahead.

The range of outcomes for this team is as wide as the range for Richardson himself. If they did not win another game this year, you would likely not bat an eyelid. But equally, if they end up 10-7 and in the playoffs, it would not be all that stunning either. Most likely, we are looking at an 8-9 or 9-8 record where they stay in the playoff picture until the last few weeks without ever being that exciting.”