Indianapolis Colts opened 2026 with back-to-back losses, falling to the Ravens and Chiefs. The Colts have flipped that script since then, beating the Houston Texans 19-17 and the Washington Commanders 30-13 to get back to .500. So far, the simple pattern has been two losses, followed by two wins.
The London win was far more convincing. The Colts fell behind 6-0 early, but took control and scored 30 of the game’s final 37 points. Jonathan Taylor was the centerpiece, rushing for 95 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. Indianapolis also got a rushing touchdown from Daniel Jones and three field goals from Spencer Shrader. The Colts finished with a 30-13 victory and improved to 2-2.
The win, however, did not completely change how the national media analysts view Indianapolis which remains one of the more compelling storylines this week. Most outlets have moved the Colts only slightly, while some actually dropped them despite the victory. The Colts now faces another tough test at Pittsburgh in Week 5, which should clarify whether this two-game streak is real.
Where the Colts Sit in Week 5 NFL Power Rankings
NFL.com: 22(-2)
ESPN: 22(+1)
Sports Illustrated: 17(-2)
CBS Sports: 22(-2)
The Athletic: 19 (no change)
What Do Experts Say About the Colts?
“Sometimes an unfortunate injury produces a favorable outcome for the opposition. That’s part of what helped the Colts on Sunday, as they capitalized on Marcus Mariota’s exit, overcame two Daniel Jones turnovers (which are becoming a concerning problem) and recorded some quality victories for their maligned defense against a third-string rookie quarterback. You’ll take any and every win in this league, although this one doesn’t inspire a ton of confidence in these rankings,” Nick Shook, NFL.com
“The Colts have managed to get to .500 with consecutive wins, but there are so many questions about their viability as playoff contenders. The defense has played better but hasn’t faced a major test in the past two weeks after getting exposed in the opening two weeks. And on offense, only the Vikings are averaging fewer yards per play than the Colts (4.5). Sunday’s win somehow produced 30 points despite QB Daniel Jones posting his lowest passing total in a full game since joining the Colts last season (143,” Stephen Holder, ESPN
“I don’t really care what happens to this iteration of the Colts, but following the Sauce Gardner trade last year, literally the only sensible follow-up is to continue pouring resources into this team and trading for Colts legacy son Marvin Harrison Jr.,” Conor Orr, SI
“At 2-2, they have righted things after opening 0-2. They wised up in the victory over the Commanders and gave the ball to Jonathan Taylor,” Pete Prisco, CBS Sports
“The Colts went to London and didn’t have to do much to beat up on the undermanned Washington Commanders. But there’s rising concern about Jones, who completed 19 of 34 passes for just 143 yards with no touchdowns and an interception in his return from an Achilles injury,” Chad Graff and Josh Kendall of the Athletic
