Indianapolis Colts move up NFL power rankings despite falling to 0-2 in overtime loss

The Indianapolis Colts lost again in Week 2, but they looked much better than they did in their opener, giving them a boost in most of this week’s NFL power rankings. They can take a real jump if they knock off an AFC South foe, the also-winless Houston Texans, in Week 3.

Buy Colts tickets

improve after overtime loss to Chiefs

: 27th, down 2 spots from last week

“The Colts got a gift in overtime, and they refused to take it.”

25th, down 3

“The offense rebounded in the overtime to loss to the Chiefs, but the defense continues to be an issue. They face a big division game with the Texans this week.”

19th, up 7

“Through two weeks, we’ve certainly learned the Colts have problems defensively. We also know Jonathan Taylor remains an incredibly effective playmaker, and Daniel Jones has provided enough good tape for us to believe they’re fine at quarterback. Receiver, however, is a massive concern, especially with Alec Pierce (heel) out for several weeks. And while the Colts deserve credit for taking the Chiefs to overtime, Indianapolis’ clear weaknesses are likely to bog down the team throughout the season.”

20th, up 3

Looking at Colts rookies: “The seventh-round running back (Sean McGowan) is third in the league in kick-return yards (222), but he’s not making any impact on the running game. And why should he with the way Jonathan Taylor is playing? Taylor has 190 rushing yards and is tied for the league lead with four rushing touchdowns. Third-round safety A.J. Haulcy is starting and had seven tackles in Week 1, while fourth-round linebacker Bryce Boettcher is also contributing.”

23rd, up 5

“The problem is that the Colts’ defense has looked like a major liability through two weeks, and that’s an issue that won’t simply go away as Jones and Co. round into form. Lou Anarumo’s unit has to be better against the rival Houston Texans next week if Indy is going to avoid a 0-3 start.”

21st, up 3

“The question is whether Shane Steichen should have gone for it in overtime. In hindsight, giving the ball to Patrick Mahomes when all he needed was a field goal to win was not the right call. But it wasn’t an easy call. The Colts had a fourth-and-8 and came out hoping to go for it but got a defensive look that was not conducive to them getting the first down. So Steichen called timeout and took the field goal, hoping his defense could get a stop.

“Steichen said he told quarterback Daniel Jones, before the timeout: ‘If you love it, man, let’s go at it. Let’s go win this thing. But if it’s not the right look … let’s kick the field goal here.’

“He’ll be second-guessed for it after the Colts lost a hard-fought game in overtime. Steichen is under a lot of pressure to show progress and keep his job, and an 0-2 start with a questionable coaching decision isn’t an ideal beginning.”

22nd, up 4

“This is not an ideal start, and another injury to Alec Pierce is a very big deal. But they showed a lot of gumption after being railroaded Week 1. Daniel Jones should be more active as we get deeper into the season and he gets more used to his repaired Achilles. Must be an elite rushing team.”

25th, up 1

“Worst defense in the league so far — by quite a few metrics. Good thing they added CB Sauce Gardner to it. Sunday’s game against equally winless division rival Houston could effectively be a playoff elimination bout.”

Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis Colts move up NFL power rankings despite falling to 0-2 in overtime loss

Our editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.