INDIANAPOLIS — The month of November was not kind to the Indianapolis Colts.

The starting quarterback was benched and reinstated. The offensive line went through a series of lineup shuffles caused by injuries. And, at a time when teams around the league are trying to put their best foot forward for a postseason push, the Colts won just one of the four games on their schedule.

It’s left the team scrambling to start December, with injuries continuing to mount and the margin for error reduced very nearly to zero.

Given the circumstances, Indianapolis head coach Shane Steichen was asked this week what gives him faith his 5-7 team can turn things around and qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2020.

“I think it’s the guys in the locker room,” Steichen said “You’ve heard me say this before. I’ve got a lot of faith in those guys, and all it takes — you get one game rolling. You get on a little rhythm. You get on a little roll. We’re looking forward to that this week.

“So, hopefully, we get on our roll, get on our rhythm and we go from there.”

One factor seemingly in the Colts’ favor is a lightening of the strength of schedule.

Indianapolis has lost four of its last five games against teams with a combined record of 39-18. Its final five games will be played against teams with a combined record of 17-41.

It begins Sunday with a visit to the 3-9 New England Patriots.

The once dominant franchise has struggled in its first season of the post-Bill Belichick era.

The Pats rank 31st in the 32-team NFL in scoring offense (16.2 points per game) and 19th in scoring defense (23.5).

But there have been a few encouraging signs since rookie quarterback Drake Maye was elevated to the starting role.

The third overall pick in April’s draft has completed 65.5% of his passes for 1,458 yards with 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions and is 2-5 as the starter.

Scoring is up a tick to 19.3 points per game under Maye, and he’s posted two games with a quarterback rating north of 100. He threw for 276 yards and two touchdowns with a rating of 109.7 in a 32-16 loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 20, and he threw for 282 yards with two scores and a pick for a rating of 100.6 in a 28-22 loss against the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 17.

Maye has also rushed 33 times for 286 yards and one touchdown.

“He can make plays,” Colts defensive coordinator Gus Bradley said. “I got a chance to be with and get to know Drake, just with the draft process with my son going through it last year, and they worked a lot together. So his personality — he’s a guy that has no fear. He’s very accurate. He can make plays on the run. I think he’s really gotten better and better and more comfortable week after week in the system.

“… (T)here’s a reason why he was taken high, right? He’s got good poise. Nothing seems to bother him. He extends plays, can make plays on the run. I think he’s getting better with each game. So we expect to see a really good version of him.”

The Colts hope to answer with the best version of Anthony Richardson.

The 22-year-old quarterback has looked more decisive in the pocket in his two starts since returning to the starting lineup, and he’s been showcasing his elite running ability on a more consistent basis.

Richardson’s 61 rushing yards last week against the Detroit Lions were a career high, and he’s rushed for 93 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries over the past two weeks.

The stat that matters most, however, is wins.

The Colts are 1-1 since Richardson’s return and 4-4 with him as the starter for the season.

The offense will be challenged Sunday without wide receivers Josh Downs and Ashton Dulin, right tackle Braden Smith and center Tanor Bortolini.

But Indianapolis badly needs to find a way to win heading into the bye week to set up a Dec. 15 showdown against the Denver Broncos (7-5), who hold the seventh and final playoff position in the AFC.

“Man, everything’s still on the table for us,” Richardson said. “But there’s a sense of urgency just getting some W’s, stacking them up because we know that we need the rest of them to get what we want. So there’s definitely a lot of sense of urgency in the building to get this one and just keep stacking them up.”