To say the Indianapolis Colts suffered the toughest loss of the Chris Ballard era might sound like hyperbole, but it literally ended his tenure. It was even worse than the blown 33-0 halftime lead with Jeff Saturday on the sidelines.
The Colts were up by double digits against a hopeless, winless Tennessee Titans team. Not even being at home helped them— a string of unforced errors and terrible decisions ultimately cost them a game they couldn't afford to drop.
On the other side of the pond, the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars traded blows as two legitimate playoff contenders, adding insult to injury. As a result, the Colts took a bit of a hit in the latest AFC South power rankings.
AFC South power rankings: Indianapolis Colts fall after tough loss to Titans
4. Tennessee Titans (1-5)
Nothing like a date with good-old Lou Anarumo to make any offense look competent. The fact that the Titans are still the worst team in the division by a wide margin after that road upset only makes the final score all the more infuriating.
The Titans average 11.9 points per game, so of course they dropped 26 on the Colts. They still have plenty of things to figure out, starting with the quarterback, but at least Carnell Tate scored his first career touchdown.
3. Indianapolis Colts (2-4)
It's hard to find a silver lining after Week 6. Daniel Jones has become a legitimate problem for this team, and the absolute lack of a vertical threat in the passing game has hurt the run and turned Shane Steichen's offense vanilla and somewhat stagnant.
On defense, DeForest Buckner and Charvarius Ward continue to hold down the fort like the best of them, but there's only so much they can do. The linebackers can't tackle, Justin Walley has been inconsistent, and Sauce Gardner's departure probably changed the momentum of the game.
The Colts have plenty of things to figure out, and it feels like Ballard shouldn't be the only one to lose his job after the debacle against the Titans. It's hard to believe this team can be much better with Lou Anarumo on the sidelines.
2. Houston Texans (2-4)
The Houston Texans might be the best 2-4 team in football. C.J. Stroud is playing like an MVP, and outside of two late-game collapses, this team has been pretty flawless on the offensive side of the ball, against all odds.
The defense hasn't been anywhere close to expectations, but there's too much talent on that side of the ball to overlook them. DeMeco Ryans' team is for real, and they will be the losing team no one wants to face in the next couple of weeks.
1. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2)
The Jacksonville Jaguars nearly pulled off another big comeback overseas, but ultimately fell short against a divisional rival. Even so, Liam Coen's team is probably the most solid in the division, both on offense and defense.
Often overlooked because of their small-market status, the Jaguars are a legitimate threat. To make things even worse, it looks like Travis Hunter is finally coming together, as he just got a pick and a touchdown reception in the same game.
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