AFC South Week 1 Power Rankings: Jaguars remain on top after win vs. Colts
• How bout the Titans and Texans? How do they stack up against their division foes?
No. 3 Post-Week 1 AFC South Power Ranking: Indianapolis Colts
Like the Houston Texans, the Indianapolis Colts had a rookie signal-caller under center in Week 1. And like their divison foes, they managed to keep things close thanks to their defense. In fact, the five-point underdog Indy came close to pulling off the upset before ultimately falling short.
All things considered, the Colts deserve credit. Despite the fact that they were down to their third-string running back and Anthony Richardson was making his first NFL start, they were in the game until the fourth quarter. Then again, the Jaguars proved to be too much, and that's fine.
The Colts have lots of needs and outside of Indianapolis, you will be hard-pressed to find someone who thinks they'll go on to do big things in 2023. Richardson probably needs a year or two to reach his potential and even if he were a vested pro right now, he would have trouble succeding with the supporting cast he currently has. Michael Pittman Jr. is a fine receiver and Alec Pierce is a solid No. 2 but neither one has the ability to consistently take over games.
The good news is that Indy has a stout defensive front. Led by DeForest Buckner and linebacker Shaquille Leonard, the front seven will keep the Colts in games for the remainder of the season. Also, rookie Jaylon Jones looks like a keeper. A seventh-round pick in this year's draft, Jones made the 53-man roster and has the potential to turn into an impact contributor.