Indianapolis Colts on the Rise in Week 18 NFL Power Rankings

The Indianapolis Colts held on to beat the Las Vegas Raiders 23-20 on Sunday behind big performances from quarterback Gardner Minshew and running back Jonathan Taylor.

Minshew threw for 224 yards and a touchdown, good for a 111.5 passer rating. Taylor rushed for 96 yards and a touchdown. The defense came up with two sacks including DeForest Buckner's seventh on the season. 

The Colts are one step away from the playoffs. With a win against the Houston Texans, Indianapolis clinches a wild-card spot. If the Jacksonville Jaguars also lose, the Colts are AFC South champs.

A steady rise up the various NFL power rankings followed the Colts' success this season. NFL.com moved Indianapolis up two spots to No. 13 following the win over the Raiders. Interestingly enough, Houston leads the AFC South at No. 11 with the Jaguars coming in at No. 12.

"It would have been fun to see two rookie QBs face off, but that has been off the table for months now, as Gardner Minshew just keeps chugging along for the Colts in Anthony Richardson's stead, making enough big plays to keep the offense afloat," wrote Eric Edholm on NFL.com."

"Indianapolis' defensive numbers against the pass are fairly respectable, even if the Colts haven't exactly faced the league's toughest QB schedule of all time this season. C.J. Stroud stung them back in Week 2, and rookie Aidan O'Connell (299 yards, two TDs) carved them up a bit Sunday. Getting CB Kenny Moore (who missed the win over the Raiders) back and having a healthy RB Jonathan Taylor in Week 18 could do wonders.

"Taylor was in and out of the Raiders game, but he was effective when he played. Selfishly, I just want an all-hands-on-deck battle in this divisional showdown. It should be a doozy."

ESPN moved the Colts up three spots from No. 17 to No. 14. They also have Houston at No. 11 on their NFL Power Rankings.

They also name Michael Pittman the player with the contract to watch in the offseason. Pittman is scheduled to be a free agent at the end of the season, and he'll get a hefty raise on the $4 million he makes this season.  

"Pittman is in the final year of his rookie contract and has clearly established his importance to the Colts' offense," wrote Stephen Holder on ESPN. "He has missed two games in the past two seasons. The Colts were outscored 53-10 in those two contests and averaged 167 passing yards. The Colts are a different team when Pittman is on the field, and he'll be looking for a contract that reflects that reality. Are the Colts ready to offer it?"

Indianapolis has roughly $75-million in available-cap space according to Spotrac. It's hard to picture a scenario where the Colts don't offer a market competitive contract to Pittman. Buckner is also a free agent at the end of the year. He's in some elite company when it comes to sacks. 

The Colts would do well to secure two of their foundational pieces to contract extensions heading into 2024. Do that, and Indianapolis might find themselves starting the NFL power rankings at no lower than No. 13 next year.