The “hungry” Colts are eager to play after their Week 11 bye

The 5-5 Colts still have a shot to contend for the AFC South title or a Wild Card berth going into the bye week.

The Colts are in a positive position heading into their bye week. They are in the running for a playoff place at 5-5 after winning their past two games.

The Colts would be outside looking in if the postseason began right now, but not by much. They are ranked ninth in the AFC according to the current NFL playoff standings.

That’s even more remarkable in light of the injuries and hardships the squad has faced during the first ten weeks of the season.

Nor are their dreams of taking home the AFC South eliminated. Although they are now third in the rankings, they have important games left against the Texans and Titans that might help them gain momentum as the season progresses.

Defensive end Kwity Paye declared, “There’s no quit in this team.” “Right now, we’re playing for a lot, but we’re also playing for our coaches and each other. Guys seem to be stepping up even while they are injured.

“It just speaks to how Shane [Steichen] has continued to change the culture here.”

The team now believes they can compete with anyone, which is something tight end Mo Alie-Cox claimed they lacked the previous season.

Our mindset is, in my opinion, one of hunger and the conviction that we can succeed in every game we play. “There’s no surrendering,” stated tight end Mo Alie-Cox. “We played in a number of close games last year, and sometimes they would suddenly blowout.” We had setbacks and disappointments this year, but despite everything, everyone possesses the fortitude, resilience, and willpower to recognize that life is a game that we can win at any time.”

This kind of thinking should help them as they get ready for what appears to be a doable final-round schedule, which begins in Week 12 when they visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after returning from bye.

The Colts only face three teams with records better than.500 as of November 14. The overall record of their opponents is 32-33, which, according to Steichen, may seem to be in the team’s advantage but means nothing if they don’t take care of business.

“I think in the league obviously, you look at the standings, but you got to take it one week at a time and focus on what you can focus on and control what you can control,” Steichen stated. “And that’s taking it week by week and concentrating on finishing 1-0 each and every week. Then, as the final weeks approach—Week 15, Week 16, Week 17—you can see how it develops and, based on the standings, it truly takes on the feel of the playoffs.”

Steichen and the other coaching staff members will therefore use the bye week to brainstorm strategies to make sure the team plays their best football remaining.

“I’ll take a day or two to reboot, but obviously, looking at stuff is gonna be big going forward and make sure we have a really good plan in all three phases moving forward,” Steichen stated. “During these bye weeks, self-scouting is crucial. Gaining improvement is something you can learn a lot from. And as I mentioned earlier, playing complementary football in all three phases will be the most important thing for us going ahead.”