Houston Texans

Despite Disappointing Start to Season, Colts Now 2nd Place in AFC South

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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While the Indianapolis Colts started the season sluggishly–losing 3 of their first 4 games, the team is somehow now in 2nd place in the AFC South.

Just last week, the team was in the cellar of the division–only to now trail the division-leading Houston Texans by just one game (and a tie breaker), who sit atop the throne of mediocrity that is the AFC South.

Oct 23, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) and Tennessee Titans running back DeMarco Murray (29) after a Colts win at Nissan Stadium. The Colts won 34-26. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

That’s continued life in the friendly confines of the AFC South.

One week you’re playing for first place, the next you’re last in the division. Just a week later, you’re in second place.

It doesn’t matter how poor you’re playing because the way the division is currently being contested between 4 flawed teams–you’re never really out of contention for the AFC South crown.

With the way the front-runner Houston Texans’ Brock Osweiler played last night at quarterback (and without J.J. Watt), one has to have confidence that the Colts can eventually win the AFC South with clearly the division’s best quarterback Andrew Luck.

However, the Colts squandered their last opportunity to take charge of the division in Week 6 against the Houston Texans–collapsing late, so it doesn’t appear to be a given either.

Oct 23, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) after a Colts win against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. The Colts won 34-26. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

This is a team that continues to shoot itself in the foot with self-inflicted wounds, so the Colts are far from a juggernaut.

That being said, the Colts have what no other team in the division currently has, a superstar quarterback, and that could very well be the difference in an AFC South that lacks clear separation between teams right now.

It also helps that all of the Colts remaining 3 division games against the AFC South: Week 11 Tennessee, Week 14 Houston, and Week 17 Jacksonville are all at home–meaning the Colts have a great opportunity to still win the division.

(There’s no question though that the looming Week 14 game against the Houston Texans appears to be a must-win.)

Nothing’s a certainty though, but the AFC South continues to be the gift that keeps on giving for the Colts–if the team could just simply capitalize.