7. Indianapolis Colts (LW: 10)
Winners of five straight games, the Colts are making a case to be considered the No. 1 or 2 team in the AFC right now. While MVP candidate Andrew Luck is making a case to be an elite signal-caller, the defense was the most impressive part of their win over Cincinnati, posting a shutout and proving they’ve turned a corner.
What to know: Luck has passed for at least 300 yards in five straight games, tying Manning (2009) for the longest such streak in franchise history (LA Times).
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Sam Spiegelman
Sam Spiegelman is a native New Yorker covering sports in New Orleans. He likes Game of Thrones way too much. Tweet him @samspiegs.