Here's a look at the first half of the season for the Indianapolis Colts (4-5) and a preview of what to expect in the second half:
Grade: D+. You can't give a team with a losing record a passing grade. The good news is the Colts slightly improved their grade after beating the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday. I had them at a D-minus prior to Sunday's game. The Colts weren't expected to have the best record in the AFC at this point of the season, but they also weren't expected to have a losing record with the healthy return of quarterback Andrew Luck, who has dominated the AFC South throughout his career and led the Colts to the playoffs all three seasons he was healthy. But the same problems continue to hurt the Colts: poor offensive line play and a defense that can't sack the quarterback and has issues tackling.
Midseason MVP: Luck has been one of the few bright spots for the Colts. He would likely be in the NFL's MVP discussion if the Colts had a better record. Luck has erased any doubts about having a carryover from 2015, which was the worst season of his career. He's on pace to have a career high in completion percentage. One of the biggest reasons behind Luck's turnaround has been improved footwork, which has helped his completion percentage and helped him cut down on his turnovers, and he's making smarter decisions with the ball by not forcing throws.
Best moment: Running back Frank Gore ended a 55-game regular-season streak of the Colts not having a 100-yard rusher when he rushed for 106 yards on 22 carries against the Houston Texans in Week 6. Gore actually rushed for more than 100 yards twice in the game. He reached 101 yards in the fourth quarter only to go back to 99 yards on a 2-yard loss before topping it again later in the game. The 33-year-old Gore moved ahead of Hall of Famer Jim Brown for ninth place on the NFL's all-time rushing list in the first quarter against Chicago in Week 5. Adam Vinatieri making his 43rd straight field goal, which set an NFL record, against Tennessee also gets credit.
Worst moment: Fourteen-point lead. Three minutes remaining. Easy victory? Nothing is easy when it comes to the Colts. They collapsed down the stretch by making Houston quarterback Brock Osweiler look like a Pro Bowler when he led the Texans to a 26-23 overtime victory on Oct. 16. Defensive coordinator Ted Monachino referred to the loss as a “tremendous hit to the gut” after his unit couldn't hold the lead. The Colts' meltdown that night topped the one the defense had when it couldn't stop Detroit in the final 37 seconds in the Colts' Week 1 loss to the Lions.
Player to watch: Linebacker Robert Mathis could be down to his final games with the Colts. The 35-year-old pass-rush specialist acknowledged that he's a step slower and it's shown on the field, as too often he's ended up getting close to the quarterback without being able to complete the play. It took Mathis six games for him to get his first sack. The Colts shied away from pursuing a pass-rusher during free agency last spring because they thought Mathis had enough left in the tank to get the job done. Mathis was drafted in the fifth round in 2003 and he's spent his entire career with the Colts.
Second-half outlook: The Colts haven't missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons since the 1997-98 seasons. They have an uphill climb to avoid having that happen again. Not only do the Colts trail the Texans in the division, they've got to make up ground by facing three teams in their final seven games that currently have a winning record. What they have in their favor is that they face all three division opponents at home. Colts owner Jim Irsay didn't give Luck a $140-million contract in the offseason to miss the playoffs.