The Indianapolis Colts venture into uncharted territory following their inspiring 25-20 win in Week 10 over the Las Vegas Raiders.
The unprecedented move to hire Jeff Saturday as interim head coach seems to have lit a fire for a team that has been struggling and even though beating the Raiders is no incredible feat, this was the first time in a while the Colts showed fight.
Though a playoff run is still unlikely, it cannot be completely dismissed out of hand. The real test will come against a Philadelphia Eagles team that is coming off their first loss of the season.
Here’s where the Colts sit in the power rankings entering Week 11:
USA TODAY
Author: Nate Davis
Rank: 26 (+6)
Link to article
Author’s Take: “Despite the sideshow they’d become over the last week, Jeff Saturday and Co. are just one back in the win column when it comes to scrapping for an AFC wild-card berth. Replicate Saturday’s Sunday formula, and Indianapolis could even find its way back to the top of the AFC South.”
Touchdown Wire
Author: Mark Lane
Rank: 27 (+2)
Link to article
Author’s Take: “The wild experiment of going with an outside interim coach worked for at least one week as the Colts beat the Raiders 25-20. Indianapolis’ problem all season has been inconsistency, and they be back on the rollercoaster as they host a mad Philadelphia Eagles team in Week 11.”
Bleacher Report
Author: NFL Staff
Rank: 22 (+5)
Link to article
Author’s Take: “It was quite the week for the Indianapolis Colts.
First, the Colts fired Frank Reich and named longtime center Jeff Saturday interim head coach. Then Saturday benched quarterback Sam Ehlinger and turned the offense back over to veteran Matt Ryan. And then the floundering Colts went into Las Vegas and beat the Raiders.
Ryan played arguably his best game as a Colt, completing three quarters of his passes and posting a passer rating just south of 110. Indianapolis also got a big game from star running back Jonathan Taylor, who picked up 147 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries.
Much was made of Saturday’s lack of coaching experience heading into his debut. But he told reporters that he was confident that the Colts would answer the bell.
“In truth, I felt very at peace,” Saturday said. “I felt like we had a very good plan in place. I felt like all the men who I had talked about empowering and giving them the ability to do what they could do exceptionally well, they all stepped up. It’s an incredible day. It’s one win but, heck, they’re hard to get in this NFL.”
“The NFL is weird. Just when something seems obvious, the opposite happens,” Sobleski said. “The Colts had no right to win a game after firing Reich on Monday and inserting the completely unproven Saturday as interim head coach. Yet Indianapolis played a more sound and physical brand of football for its new leader, albeit against the floundering franchise that is the Las Vegas Raiders.
“However,” he continued, “A short-term bump isn’t the same as sustained improvement. Let’s see how the Colts fare when the schedule becomes far more difficult with the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys as two of the team’s next three opponents before its bye.”
ESPN NFL Nation
Author: Stephen Holder
Rank: 21 (+6)
Link to article
Author’s Take: “Who was on the hot seat in preseason: Coach Frank Reich (fired Nov. 7)
Unfortunately for Reich, we nailed this one. He was fired in the midst of his fifth season after a 26-3 loss to the Patriots. Reich was beset by a revolving door of quarterbacks during his tenure, leading to slow starts to seasons and inconsistent results. He is still highly regarded and will want to coach again. We’ll see what the marketplace thinks of him in the coming months. As for his replacement, Jeff Saturday, he’s embarking on an endeavor unprecedented in the modern era — becoming a head coach without any college or pro experience. He’ll either revolutionize NFL hiring or be a funny footnote in history.”
Sporting News
Author: Vinnie Iyer
Rank: 19 (+2)
Link to article
Author’s Take: “The Colts’ week of surprises continued as new coach Jeff Saturday put Matt Ryan back as the starting quarterback and made a healthy Jonathan Taylor the centerpiece of the offense again. Indianapolis had its most inspired performance in weeks and it showed.”
List Wire
Author: Barry Werner
Rank: 29 (–)
Link to article
Author’s Take: “The Jeff Saturday era is off to a 1-0 start. Jonathan Taylor delivered and so did Matt Ryan. Next: vs. Philadelphia Eagles”
Pro Football Network
Author: Dalton Miller
Rank: 22 (+5)
Link to article
Author’s Take: “The Colts had one of the wildest weeks I can remember. Capping it off with a win has to feel sweet for the organization and for the fanbase. Making Jeff Saturday the interim head coach was a controversial decision, but winning will make them feel a lot better about the decision.
Jonathan Taylor finally got going for the first time this season, and Matt Ryan had an efficient day under center. How things progress in Indianapolis will be fascinating to follow. They’re in uncharted territory.
NFL.com
Author: Dan Hanzus
Rank: 27 (+3)
Link to article
Author’s Take: “The Colts are the most unpredictable show on television. Just six days after the dismissal of Frank Reich and stunning hire of Jeff Saturday, Indy threw another curveball with the surprise decision to bring Matt Ryan out of mothballs and send the overmatched Sam Ehlinger back to the bench. Ryan took the opportunity and made the most of it, running the offense like the decorated veteran he is in a 25-20 win over the Raiders. It certainly helped Ryan that the offensive line played its best game of the year and Jonathan Taylor suddenly looked like his 2021 superstar self again. This had to be a tremendously annoying game for Reich to be watching from his couch.”
CBS Sports
Author: Pete Prisco
Rank: 21 (+3)
Link to article
Author’s Take: “Jeff Saturday is 1-0. So much for all the laughing you did when he was named interim coach. The smartest thing he did was bring back Matt Ryan as a starter.”
