Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Has the Indianapolis Colts Hype Fizzled Out after Third Loss in Four Games?

The Colts have lost the top spot in the AFC and the top spot in the division within a span of 4 weeks!

Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Eight weeks into the 2025-26 NFL season, the Indianapolis Colts and their success were the talk of the town. After 4 seasons of missing the postseason, the Colts finally turned the switch with the signing of former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones.

Along with Jonathan Taylor in the backfield, and led by new team CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon, the Colts completely transformed the franchise and took the league by storm. In fact, as they kept winning games, there was a growing belief that they would lock up the number one seed in the AFC.

That, however, is not the current scenario, as the Colts have lost more games recently and have handed over the advantage of the one seed to the Broncos and the Patriots. So, what has gone wrong for the Indianapolis Colts, and what does the remainder of the season look like for the AFC South franchise?

How the Colts Have Fared in Their Last 4 Games

After starting the season with an unexpectedly strong 7-1 start, the Colts have now dropped three of their last four games, including Sunday’s 20-16 loss against the Texans. What that means now is that Indianapolis, which at one point was easily leading the division, has now lost the top spot to the Jacksonville Jaguars, even though both teams are 8-4.

The Jaguars took care of business against the Titans on Sunday and now hold control of the AFC South. But with the loss against the Texans, Houston now finds itself right on the heels of the Colts, just 1 game behind with a 7-5 record.

final. pic.twitter.com/MIFvY5z9D0
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) November 30, 2025

On offense, the biggest talking points over the season have been those of Daniel Jones and Jonathan Taylor and how their performances have helped the Colts ease past their opponents. However, neither player has played up to the standard they have set earlier in the season.

Injury Concerns to Be Wary Of

Moreover, the Colts are also dealing with injuries to key players. Jones is reportedly playing through a fracture in his fibula, while newly signed cornerback Sauce Gardner has picked up a mild calf strain, as per reports.

The initial fear was that Gardner may have suffered an Achilles tear, but as per the latest update, it seems to be a calf strain. Nevertheless, he is expected to miss the next few games, which is a big blow considering the tough schedule they have coming up.

From @GMFB: #Colts CB Sauce Gardner is expected to miss some time with a calf strain, though he'll have an MRI today to determine how much. pic.twitter.com/wkS8Tz1D1A
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 1, 2025

Indianapolis Colts Upcoming Schedule

With Week 13 nearly in the books, the Colts still have five more regular-season games left to play. This final stretch of the season is going to be extremely crucial as they will be playing three divisional games and two of the toughest NFC teams.

First and foremost, the Colts will be playing their AFC South rivals, the Jaguars, twice in the space of four weeks. Splitting with the Jaguars may not be sufficient for the Colts to regain the top spot in the division, but winning both games will be a challenge.

"Potentially… the Indianapolis Colts are going to miss out on the playoffs." – @jjones9

Should Colts fans be worried?👀 pic.twitter.com/BcmoVQJG37
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 1, 2025

Secondly, they will once again take on the Texans in the final game of the season, but that will be on the road. If yesterday’s game was anything to go by, Colts fans have a lot to worry about. And finally, their remaining two games are against the 49ers and the Seahawks, both teams have won 9 games and are challenging for the top spot in the NFC West.

The schedule is rough, the injuries are taking a toll, and perhaps the shine of this team is starting to wear off. Now, more than anything, would be the right time for the Colts to peak; otherwise, that blistering start to the season would account for nothing.

Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Daniel Jones

Indianapolis Colts

Jonathan Taylor

NFL

Devavrat Kulkarni

nfl

I am a content writer for the NFL team, and joined The Playoffs after working with Sportskeeda and NFL Analysis as an NFL writer. After starting my professional career as a French-to-English translator, working as a content writer is a new adventure for me. I started out in the sports media field for two main reasons: my love for sports in general, especially the NFL, NBA, and Tennis, as well as my passion for writing. The best part of this job is that I get to write a variety of pieces with the freedom to explore content from various angles. It also enables me to stay up to date with the sporting world, which otherwise can be difficult to do in the day-to-day grind. In a world full of chaos, sports unite and entertain like nothing else!