Colts' Season MVP Revealed in Latest NFL Power Rankings

While this season hasn't been the best for the Indianapolis Colts, some stars are shining through the turbulence.

Dec 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) hands the ball off to running back Jonathan Taylor (28) in the third quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

It's been nothing short of an up-and-down season for the Indianapolis Colts through 15 weeks of NFL football. After the happenings of Sunday's events vs. the Denver Broncos, that trend only continued for what would ultimately be a 12-31 loss to sink this team to a 6-8 record in the 2024 campaign.

A disappointing effort in Mile High brings the Colts two games back from the 7th seed in the AFC, trailing behind the Los Angeles Chargers. For a postseason appearance to be in the cards for the first time since 2020, Indianapolis needs significant luck on their side to make it happen, and while anything can happen in the NFL, the playoff status in Indianapolis looks unlikely.

However, the regular season is far from over, and with three weeks of the year left to go, another batch of NFL power rankings from The Athletic and Josh Kendall stacked up the Colts to the rest of the league, also handing out a team MVP to 32 names around the league.

Once landing on Indianapolis, following a crushing loss and debilitating blow to their postseason chances on Sunday, their rank fell from a previous placement of 20 down two spots to 22. However, Kendall threw out an interesting pick for the team's MVP of the year, especially considering the events from Sunday-- that being running back Jonathan Taylor.

"Yes, Taylor gets it despite making Sunday’s worst play, dropping the ball short of the goal line to turn a touchdown into a turnover and give Denver all the momentum," Kendall said. "On the positive side, he had 22 carries for 107 yards and now has 911 yards for the season. If the 25-year-old gets over 1,000, it will be the first time he has done that since 2021, when he had 1,811 yards and was second in offensive player of the year voting."

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Of course, the biggest lowlight, possibly of the entire Colts' season, came from Taylor on Sunday when dropping a would-be touchdown in the end zone that wiped away a two-score lead from Indianapolis, and set this team back for an eventual Broncos domination in the second half.

Call overturned! This TD was ruled a touchback 😳 pic.twitter.com/jRlTeq9QQs

— NFL (@NFL) December 15, 2024

Despite the implications of Taylor fumble, he's remained a key cog in the Colts' offensive game plan throughout a year filled with many shifts and adjustments on that side of the ball.

Taylor is on pace to reach his third year with over 1,000 rushing yards. Quarterback Anthony Richardson has emerged as an increasingly strong threat on the ground, ultimately taking away some of Taylor's opportunities. Still, the tailback has remained a solidified immense role in this Colts offensive attack.

It's going to be tough to forget about Taylor's momentum-shifting fumble against the Broncos this last Sunday, but Indianapolis would likely be in a much worse spot if their star running back wasn't in the fold to be an established weapon at Richardson's disposal.

Taylor will have an opportunity to bounce back from a brutal gaffe when the Colts return home on Sunday to face the 3-11 Tennessee Titans, hoping to sweep this team in the season series for the second time in two years.

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