Why Colts are real contenders as Denver defy odds

The Indianapolis Colts firmly established themselves arsenic genuine contenders connected different pulsating NFL Sunday, while nan Denver Broncos staged nan mother of each comebacks.

The Colts lead nan convention but challengers are coming from each angles, pinch nan New England Patriots continuing their resurgence and nan Kansas City Chiefs firmly backmost successful business.

Jalen Hurts yet sewage nan Philadelphia Eagles offence moving, nan Green Bay Packers showed their battling qualities and nan Dallas Cowboys are still nan league's gunslingers.

There's nary denying nan Colts are nan existent woody now arsenic they apical nan NFL astatine 6-1 aft dismantling nan Chargers 38-24 successful LA, pinch Daniel Jones banishing doubts astir his flying commencement to nan play being a flash successful nan pan.

Running backmost Jonathan Taylor is simply a touchdown instrumentality - scoring his 3rd hat-trick of nan play to return his full to 11 successful 7 games.

That prima powerfulness has been cardinal successful Indianapolis being apical scorers successful nan NFL pinch much than 33 points a crippled - and their cardinal spot is conscionable really objective they are successful possession.

They entered nan crippled pinch nan champion points per thrust stats successful nan convention and against nan Chargers scored 5 touchdowns and a section extremity pinch their 9 possessions.

When they don't person nan shot they're nan third-best astatine forcing turnovers (11) and erstwhile they person it they seldom springiness it distant and almost ever score.

The defence gives distant plentifulness of yards but astatine 20 points a crippled is seventh best, and it each combines for a increasing juggernaut that really does look reliable to stop.

No doubting nan crippled of nan week, pinch Bo Nix going bananas and starring nan Denver Broncos to a mind-boggling 33-32 triumph complete nan plucky, and unlucky, New York Giants.

Being shutout 19-0 aft 3 quarters, Nix became nan first backmost to person 2 passing and 2 rushing touchdowns successful a 4th quarter, pinch Denver's 33-point blitz nan second-best successful history.

Even erstwhile Nix someway sewage Denver successful front, awesome Giants rookie backmost Jaxson Dart generated a consequence pinch his 4th full touchdown of nan crippled seemingly winning it pinch conscionable 37 seconds left.

That was capable clip for Nix to lead a section extremity drive, though, and get Denver retired of jailhouse again - but they'll person to do amended if they're to spell acold this season.

The Super Bowl champions came roaring backmost aft consecutive losses pinch Hurts yet opening up his shoulders to propulsion for 326 yards, 3 touchdowns and a cleanable passer standing of 158.3 arsenic nan Eagles hit nan Vikings 28-22.

Hurts hasn't been connected nan aforesaid page arsenic his receivers of late, but DeVonta Smith had a career-best 183 yards and a people while AJ Brown caught 2 touchdowns successful a freewheeling show Eagles fans person been crying retired for.

There's usually a much blimpish attack from Philadelphia, but pinch Hurts throwing for nan astir yards connected 20-yard throws (215) successful his career, it could beryllium a motion that they're taking nan handbrake off.

Patrick Mahomes was besides letting nan shot alert successful his 93rd regular-season victory, arsenic returning receiver Rashee Rice sparked a 31-0 shutout of nan alternatively woeful Las Vegas Raiders.

Much bigger tests are to travel but it's now 4 wins successful 5 for nan 4-3 Chiefs aft a sticky start, averaging 31.5 points a crippled complete nan past 4 and pinch only nan Colts much objective successful possession.

The Chiefs are decidedly connected nan up.

Drake Maye will play his measurement into MVP contention if he continues pinch specified poise and accuracy for nan Patriots.

He group a squad grounds pinch a 91.3% completion complaint successful their triumph complete nan Titans and, erstwhile you see it's a squad that had Tom Brady astatine backmost for 2 decades, that's rather an accomplishment successful conscionable his 2nd season.

The Pats are 5-2 and person won each 4 distant games, including nan past three, moreover though this latest 1 was against nan Titans.

Green Bay edged Arizona 27-23 but it was acold from convincing - Micah Parsons had 3 sacks which proved decisive but Cards back-up backmost Jacoby Brissett still sewage immoderate joyousness against nan Packers defence.

They besides looked a spot toothless connected offence whenever Josh Jacobs wasn't connected nan field, truthful cardinal to their advancement is keeping their prima moving backmost fresh moving forward.

There was a 4th consecutive crippled pinch 3 touchdowns for Dak Prescott arsenic nan Dallas Cowboys again showed their attacking prowess to hit a struggling Washington, who mislaid Jayden Daniels pinch a hamstring injury.

That's a monolithic interest for nan Commanders, who had nary reply to CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens and Javonte Williams who mixed for 308 yards and 2 scores.

At 3-3 Dallas could easy spell connected a tally and pinch their onslaught could hit anyone, but they've still sewage a batch to beryllium connected defence.

Only nan Patriots tin lucifer Chicago's four-win streak aft nan Bears overcame a hot-and-cold Caleb Williams to hit nan struggling Saints.

The Bears ran for 222 yards and 2 scores while nan defence leads nan convention pinch 16 turnovers, aft 3 interceptions and a fumble by Spencer Rattler - and that operation tin return you a agelong measurement successful nan NFL.

But they'll want much from Williams.

The San Francisco 49ers person their wounded problems but arsenic agelong arsenic they've sewage Christian McCaffrey they've sewage a chance.

The Niners are now 5-2 aft McCaffrey had 201 full yards and 2 touchdowns to hit nan Atlanta Falcons 20-10.

Hapless Miami proved nan antidote to Cleveland's problems, arsenic nan Browns ran up 31 points to hit nan Dolphins - having antecedently not managed much than 17 successful a game.

And yet nan New York Jets, who benched Justin Fields during their 13-6 conclusion by Carolina, person dropped to 0-7 for conscionable nan 3rd clip successful their history.