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Colts Drop 2 Spots in Latest ESPN Power Rankings

The Indianapolis Colts saw a slight fall in the power rankings after a Week 1 loss to the Houston Texans.

Andrew Moore

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) leaves the field Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, after losing a game 29-27 to the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) leaves the field Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, after losing a game 29-27 to the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. / Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK
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The Indianapolis Colts suffered a disappointing 29-27 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday to kick off the 2024 season. The loss marks the 11th straight Week 1 defeat for Indy.

While it was a close battle between two AFC South rivals that saw Anthony Richardson and his explosiveness go toe to toe with the playmaking ability of C.J. Stroud, the NFL Nation crew over at ESPN dropped the Colts two spots in the Week 2 NFL Power Rankings. The Colts fell from 18th in their preseason rankings to 20th this week.

A slight drop in the power rankings is typically expected after a loss. Although the Texans are ranked sixth in the power rankings, the Colts made it a game despite giving up an unexpected 212 rushing yards. Indy has some things to clean up before these two teams face off in Houston in Week 8.

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The NFL Nation reporters were also asked to identify the best newcomer performance for each team. Stephen Holder identified rookie wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, who, despite having one catch for two yards, impacted the game. If a couple of throws had gone differently, Mitchell's stat line, and maybe the game result, would have been much different.

"Two overthrows on deep balls from QB Anthony Richardson were disappointing because Mitchell had easily beaten his defender," Holder wrote. "On one, Mitchell's route was so good that Houston CB Kamari Lassiter had no choice but to grab Mitchell as he ran past him, drawing an illegal contact penalty. Look for Mitchell to have an impact in the coming weeks."

Richardson, Mitchell, and the Colts will have the chance to get back on track in Week 2 as they head north to take on the Green Bay Packers. The Packers sit 12th in the power rankings but will likely be without starting quarterback Jordan Love. Sunday's game could be a prime opportunity for Indy to grab their first win of the season.

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Andrew Moore

ANDREW MOORE

Andrew Moore is the Senior Analyst for Horseshoe Huddle and an Indianapolis Colts expert. Andrew is also the co-host of the Horseshoe Huddle Podcast and the former co-host of A Colts Podcast.

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