After six weeks of NFL football, who could've predicted the Indianapolis Colts would be leading the AFC South, have the best record in the AFC, and be tied for the best record in the NFL? Perhaps I was on to something when I wrote a preseason article on this being a rebound year for Indy.
Week 7 provides a significant road test as the 5-1 Colts take on the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers are also a division leader and sit one game behind the Colts for the top spot in the AFC with a 4-2 record. Both teams have high expectations and are looking at this matchup as a turning point in the season.
The Los Angeles defense ranks seventh overall, allowing an average of 293.8 yards per game to opposing offenses. The Colts' offense ranks fourth in the league, averaging 376.8 yards per game. Indianapolis also leads the league in points scored (194) and points per game (32.3). Something will have to give in this game. Indianapolis has shown toughness already this season.
A season defining game awaits in Week 7 for the Indianapolis Colts
A victory against a strong Chargers team, on the road, could be where everything clicks for Indianapolis. The Colts would then head back home to face a division rival in the Tennessee Titans, who are abysmal and whom the Colts already handled on the road 41-20 in Week 3. A season sweep of the Titans would place Indy at 7-1, nearing the midway point of the season.
Losing to the Chargers would not only drop the team to 5-2 but also make the upcoming four-game stretch appear more daunting.
After facing the Titans at home, Indianapolis would hit the road to face the Pittsburgh Steelers, head overseas to take on the Atlanta Falcons in London, and come out of the bye week to take on the Kansas City Chiefs on the road.
This is why the game in Los Angeles could be the spark for a successful season or the catalyst for an implosion. A statement win in Week 7 proves to the league the Colts are for real and a serious playoff contender. Tasting defeat, however, puts more pressure on the four games to follow and could spell disaster if Indianapolis doesn't remain focused.