After losing to the New York Giants, the Indianapolis Colts are in major trouble. They've been eliminated from playoff contention, and it's now rumored that Chris Ballard and Shane Steichen could be losing their jobs when the season is over.
They have a chance to redeem themselves, at least a little bit, as they prepare for their season-finale game at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars, though there doesn't seem to be much to get excited about. The Colts are guaranteed a losing record this season, whether they win or not, and their main goal is not to embarrass themselves again the way they did against the Giants.
Either way, the Colts are in trouble, and their position in the newest batch of power rankings shows it.
Eric Edholm, NFL.com: #22 (#22)
This was a sad, ugly effort by the Colts, who entered Week 17 with their playoff pulse still readable. There's no other way to say it. There were enough offensive miscues, but the defensive breakdowns were downright inexcusable. The Giants were 0-8 at home before the game and have had trouble scoring 45 points in some months this season, but they were rolling up and down the field all day. Shane Steichen seemed to have no answers after the loss for what happened, either, which is concerning. Is the team still buying in? That's what Jim Irsay is going to have to look at when asking himself what needs to change and how deep those changes must cut. Indy brasshas backed Anthony Richardson as QB1 for next season, so the next question is whether Irsay believes Steichen is the best person to get the most out of the young quarterback.
Stephen Holder, ESPN: #22 (#21)
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo
Odeyingbo's sharp decline in sack numbers from 8.0 last season to 3.0 this season suggests he has been less impactful. But he still leads Indianapolis with 32 pressures. He is scheduled to reach free agency in March, and keeping him could be expensive depending on market conditions at his position. One of the variables in deciding what to do here will be the Colts' existing investments in their defensive line. They signed DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart and Tyquan Lewis to extensions last offseason, drafted Laiatu Latu and exercised the fifth-year option on Kwity Paye.
Josh Kendall, The Athletic: #22 (#19)
What’s next?: Make a decision on Anthony Richardson
In one more week, Richardson will be halfway through his rookie contract, and the Colts still probably don’t know what to do with him. Despite entering the season with high expectations, he is 41st in EPA per dropback this season (minus-.13) among quarterbacks with more than 50 attempts, according to TruMedia. Richardson missed Sunday’s game with back and foot injuries. The 6-foot-4, 244-pounder has played only 15 games in two years because of injury and a brief benching. If Indianapolis wants to move on, there’s no sense in waiting. After Sunday’s embarrassment, the Colts may want to move on from the head coach and general manager, too.
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: #19 (#16)
What the heck happened against the Giants? The playoffs are done and so begin the questions about this regime. Is anybody getting fired?
Frank Schwab, Yahoo! Sports: #22 (#22)
No team took a more inexcusable loss in Week 17. How do you allow 45 points to the Giants with your playoff lives on the line? It’s the type of loss that will force team owner Jim Irsay toevaluate everything about his organization, including the front office and coaching staff.
Conor Orr, SI: #21 (#16)
The overall badness of the bottom 12 in the power rankings prevents me from adequately expressing my frustration about Indianapolis’s defense on Sunday against the Giants. As I outline a few blurbs later, this was just a horrible, unwilling performance by a defense that still had something to play for. More than half of Drew Lock’s passing yards Sunday came on yards made after the catch. Sure, it’s Malik Nabers doing this to you, but that’s still an indicator of a secondary in need of a physicality makeover.
Bleacher Report: #22 (#20)
The Indianapolis Colts were admittedly short-handed in Week 17, with starting quarterback Anthony Richardson sidelined. But all the team had to do to keep their faint postseason hopes alive and get back to .500 was down the NFL's worst team.
That did not happen. The Colts defense imploded against the Giants, surrendering 389 yards of offense and 45 points to one of the league's worst offenses.
Former Colts punter and current ESPN personality Pat McAfee gave the team both barrels after Indy was eliminated from the postseason in humiliating fashion.
"A blind person could see the red flags on this team," he said. "Work ethic questions, NEVER happens on good teams.. Preparation commitment questions, NEVER happens on good teams.. Late to meetings, NEVER happens on good teams.. Late to/skipping treatment, NEVER happens on good teams.. The franchise QB tapped out of a game.. on 3rd down.. in the red zone.. because he was tired… NEVER HAPPENED in the history of the NFL."
Geez Pat. Tell us how you really feel.
Analyst's Take
Indianapolis got the bad version of Joe Flacco in Week 17, and his mistakes played a big role in the Colts being eliminated from playoff contention. I'm not so sure that Indy would have won the game with a healthy Anthony Richardson behind center, though.
The Colts defense, which has been frustratingly inconsistent all season, played like a unit that had no interest in making the playoffs. Richardson's future remains a bit of a question mark entering the offseason, but his continued development won't be Indy's only priority in 2025. - Kristopher Knox
Mike Florio, NBC Sports: #20 (#19)
It feels like a housecleaning is coming.
Nate Davis, USA Today: #22 (#20)
A team not knowing for its passing prowess has managed to produce a trio of 700-yard receivers (Alec Pierce, Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs). Expand on that -- even incrementally -- in 2025, and this should be a team that can win a playoff berth rather than just challenge for one.
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: #20 (#19)
The Colts have needed to toggle at QB from Anthony Richardson too often to keep up offensive momentum. Their defense has been the real culprit, however, all season long.