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Spencer Shrader kicked five field goals in Pittsburgh on Sunday, and the Indianapolis Colts still lost 34-22 to the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Five field goals weren’t enough against a team that found the end zone four times.
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Daniel Jones threw for 267 yards without a turnover, and tight end Tyler Warren caught seven passes for 83 yards and ran for a touchdown, according to the Associated Press. On the other side, Jaylen Warren piled up 188 total yards for Pittsburgh.
Indianapolis is 2-3, and every ranking we track moved the Colts down a spot or two. They now sit between No. 20 and No. 24.
Fox Sports
This week’s ranking: 20
Last week’s ranking: 18
Ralph Vacchiano has the Colts highest of the four, but he was also the one who raised the hot seat. He thinks Indianapolis has too much offensive talent to keep coming up empty, pointing out that Jones didn’t throw a touchdown pass and Jonathan Taylor ran for 45 yards. Because Steichen is an offensive coach without a defense to lean on, Vacchiano wrote, “he needs to come up with some answers.”
He backed it up with numbers. The Colts are tied for the fewest takeaways in the NFL with two and allow the fourth-most yards per game, which is why they need major improvement to stay in the playoff conversation.
Pro Football Talk
This week’s ranking: 23
Last week’s ranking: 22
Mike Florio moved Indianapolis down one spot and went straight to the big picture. He believes an overhaul is coming.
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That’s a big statement about a team that’s a game under .500 in October. The first month already showed three positives and three negatives, and Sunday didn’t settle which list matters more.
ESPN
This week’s ranking: 24
Last week’s ranking: 22
Stephen Holder wrote that tackling is the root of a long list of defensive problems. According to ESPN, the Colts rank 28th in yards allowed after contact and 31st in yards allowed per play, and it showed on Jaylen Warren’s 50-yard touchdown run. Holder put most of the blame on the linebackers.
Tyler Warren and Shrader were among the bright spots, landing with the three winners and two losers from Pittsburgh.
CBS Sports
This week’s ranking: 24
Last week’s ranking: 22
Pete Prisco also dropped the Colts two spots and admitted he can’t get a read on them. Some weeks they look good and some weeks they don’t, he wrote, but he sees a good chance to regroup this week.
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The winless Tennessee Titans visit Indianapolis on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
More on the Indianapolis Colts
- Indianapolis Colts’ Run Defense Ranks Last in EPA Under Lou Anarumo
- Why Did the Colts Sign Germaine Pratt? Veteran LB Returns After Starting 12 Games for Indy
- Where Are the Colts in NFL Power Rankings Following Blowout Loss to Steelers Week 5?
- Do the Colts Have a First-Round Pick in the 2027 NFL Draft? Where Their Pick Sits Now
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This story was originally published October 14, 2026 at 3:10 AM.