Frank Reich and the Indianapolis Colts came into the 2021 NFL season expected to be serious contenders in the AFC. Unfortunately, they got off to a very rough start to the year. A lot of that had to do with quite a few injuries to key players, but the team is beginning to start turning things around over the last few weeks.

Following their Week 10 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Colts moved back to .500 with a 5-5 record. That has placed them firmly in the mix in the early AFC playoff picture. However, Indianapolis knows that the road will not be easy to get into the playoffs.

Looking at the Colts' upcoming schedule, they have their work cut out for them. The rest of the way they will face the Buffalo Bills on the road, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home, the Houston Texans on the road, the New England Patriots at home, the Arizona Cardinals on the road, the Las Vegas Raiders at home, and the Jaguars on the road. That schedule is daunting, to say the least.

Despite a tough schedule ahead, the Colts feel confident in the roster they have put together. They have started coming into their own defensively and the offense has shown signs of being very dangerous. Carson Wentz has played a very good season so far despite receiving quite a bit of criticism from fans and local media.

All of that being said, let's dive in and take a look at three reasons the Colts are still a legitimate contender in the AFC at this stage in the season.

Colts Are Legitimate Contenders In The AFC

3. The Colts are more than capable of winning tough games

Taking a look at the toughest opponents the Colts still have to face this season, they should be able to compete just fine. Going up against Josh Allen, Tom Brady and Kyler Murray won't be easy. No one is saying that the Indianapolis is going to dominate those teams, but they do stack up decently against them and should be in contention to win a couple of those matchups.

Indianapolis should be able to take care of business against both the Texans and Jaguars. They also should be able to knock off the Raiders, who are going through a lot of off-the-field drama and are starting to come down to Earth after a good start to the year. The Patriots are a tough game, but the Colts should be able to win that game if they play up to their potential against a rookie quarterback.

With that being said, the Colts will need to win at least two of their three tough games on the schedule. That would help in case they lose one of the games they should win. Indianapolis will have a good chance to win two of those three games if they play to their full potential.

2. Carson Wentz has been much better than the media thinks

So far this season in 10 games, Wentz has completed 63.5 percent of his pass attempts for 2,378 yards, 17 touchdowns and three interceptions. He has also picked up 120 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Those numbers don't look like a quarterback that local media and fans would like to see get benched.

Related NewsArticle continues below
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) celebrates after defeating the New York Jets during overtime at Hard Rock Stadium.
Dolphins star Tyreek Hill’s agent reveals reaction to Colts’ schedule release video
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) on the field before the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
Colts apologize to Tyreek Hill for ‘insensitive’ schedule release video
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) walks off the court after game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena.
Colts’ perfect shoutout after Pacers’ dismantling of Cavs

Wentz has been fantastic so far this season. He has put up those numbers under duress from opposing defenses. The Colts' offensive line has not been great protecting Wentz.

No one is going to sit there and say that Wentz is an MVP candidate. That much is clear and will not be debated. However, he has played well enough to lead the Colts to playoff contention and is good enough to pick up a few tough wins down the stretch of the season against good football teams.

1. Indianapolis has a new superstar in Jonathan Taylor

Following yet another stellar performance against the Jaguars, it is safe to say that everyone will agree that Jonathan Taylor has reached superstar status for the Colts. After being selected with the No. 41 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, it has taken Taylor one-and-a-half year to be one of the most feared running backs in the league.

Taylor is the biggest reason why this Colts team is a legitimate contender even with a 5-5 record.

Taylor has racked up 937 yards and nine touchdowns on just 161 carries. If you do the math on that, you will find out that he is averaging 5.8 yards per carry. In addition to his rushing numbers, Taylor has caught 29 passes for 303 yards and another touchdown.

With Taylor on the field, the Colts will be able to grind out tough wins and open up the passing game for Wentz as well. Taylor is the piece that opposing defenses have to game plan against the most. Even with defenses trying to shut him down, Taylor has been breaking off big gain after big gain.

Indianapolis has to feel confident with their offense with Taylor and Wentz leading the way. If their defense can keep playing solid football, the offense will find a way to get them into the playoffs.