Not done yet

19. Arizona Cardinals (4-6, No. 23) 20. Indianapolis Colts (4-5-1, No. 31) 21. Cleveland Browns (3-6, No. 17) 22. Atlanta Falcons (4-6, No. 21) 23. Los Angeles Rams (3-6, No. 18) 24. Denver Broncos (3-6, No. 20) 25. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-6, No. 29)

Colts coach Jeff Saturday started his interim tenure with a 25-20 win over the Raiders, but the real story is the return of quarterback Matt Ryan after a strange two-game benching for second-year backup Sam Ehlinger. Ryan showed veteran command of the offense, completing 21 of 28 passes for 222 yards and a touchdown and even scrambling for 40 yards to pick up a crucial first down late in the game. That’s the player the Colts were hoping for when they traded a third-round pick for the former Falcons star this offseason. Ryan’s return coincided with a breakout performance for running back Jonathan Taylor, who rushed for 147 yards after being held under 100 in five straight games. Indianapolis might have dug itself too deep of a hole to climb out of, but there’s at least some optimism that this season isn’t completely hopeless.

The same can’t be said of the defending champion Rams, who lost 27-17 to the Cardinals in a duel of backup quarterbacks. Things already looked bleak heading into the week with Matthew Stafford in concussion protocol, and then star receiver Cooper Kupp suffered a nasty ankle injury that could keep him out for an extended period of time. That might be the final blow for any hope of a Super Bowl repeat, let alone a return to the playoffs. The Rams can rest comfortably knowing their bold moves produced a title, but the championship window might be closing fast, especially if Stafford can’t return to being one of the league’s best quarterbacks. Given their bloated salary cap and lack of draft picks, this could be the start of a slow downturn for Los Angeles. That’s the price you pay for going all-in.