The Indianapolis Colts suffered their fifth consecutive loss on Sunday, falling 27-23 to the Dallas Cowboys to drop to 2-7 on the season. Despite another disappointing result, several young players continued to show encouraging signs, while others had performances they'd like to put behind them.

Here's a look at whose stock is trending up and whose is heading in the opposite direction following Week 9.

Risers

Caden Curry

Caden Curry continues to make the most of the extra opportunities he's earned in the last two weeks.

Curry recorded his first pro sack and recovered a fumble against Dallas, becoming the first Colts rookie to record a sack and fumble recovery in the same game since Josh Mallard in 2002. His ability to consistently make plays around the football has been an encouraging development for a defense searching for reliable contributors.

Curry has proven to be an excellent find in the seventh round of last year's draft as he's beginning to establish himself as a player worth giving more runway too the rest of the season.

Jaylahn Tuimoloau

Fellow rookie defensive end Jaylahn Tuimoloau also turned in an impressive performance against Dallas.

Tuimoloau also recorded his first career sack and generated four pressures, continuing what has been an encouraging stretch for the second-year pass rusher. Tuimoloau has steadily worked his way into the defensive line rotation and is beginning to show why Indianapolis invested a second-round pick in him, even if results weren't immediate.

With the Colts potentially giving more opportunities to their younger players down the stretch, Tuimoloau has an opportunity to build on his recent progress.

Seth McGowan

Seth McGowan rushed for 45 yards on just six attempts, averaging 7.5 yards per carry while scoring his first career NFL touchdown, building on what is turning into an impressive rookie campaign.

His 36-yard run was the longest rushing play of the afternoon for Indianapolis and demonstrated the explosiveness he can bring to the backfield. With Jonathan Taylor's future in Indianapolis increasingly uncertain with the trade deadline on the horizon, McGowan could have an opportunity to step into a much larger role. His performance was an encouraging development for the Colts' future at running back, regardless of if Taylor is a part of that future.

CJ Allen

CJ Allen is making a strong impression after stepping into a larger role in the Colts' linebacker corps. The rookie followed up his first NFL start with a second straight game with double-digit tackle numbers.

Allen has demonstrated an encouraging level of confidence and awareness despite being thrown into a difficult situation. Even in a defense which has struggled throughout this season, Allen's presence is clearly felt when he's on the field. His ability to contribute immediately is particularly important for a defense that has dealt with injuries and significant personnel changes. Indianapolis could have an important building block in its young linebacker.

Fallers

Jonathan Taylor

Jonathan Taylor endured a difficult afternoon. The veteran running back finished with 46 rushing yards on 13 attempts, averaging just 3.5 yards per carry, while also losing a key fumble late in the game.

Although Indianapolis' offensive line deserves some responsibility for the team's recent rushing struggles, Taylor hasn't been able to consistently generate the production expected of him. His future is also becoming an increasingly prominent storyline with Tuesday's trade deadline approaching. If Sunday's performance was his final appearance in Indianapolis, it wasn't the finish anyone envisioned.

Bernhard Raimann

Bernhard Raimann had an unusually difficult afternoon against Dallas. Indy's $100-million left tackle committed three penalties that contributed to several frustrating offensive sequences. One illegal formation penalty erased an eight-yard completion to Deion Burks on third down, while a fourth-quarter holding penalty turned a manageable third-and-six into a much more difficult third-and-16.

Raimann has established himself as an important piece of the offensive line, but Sunday's performance was a step in the wrong direction for the veteran tackle.

Josh Downs

Josh Downs had a particularly disappointing afternoon against Dallas, finishing with three receptions for 24 yards on six targets. More concerning were his two drops, including a critical third-down opportunity late in the fourth quarter that forced Indianapolis to settle for a field goal.

The Colts needed their receivers to make plays in a close game, and Downs failed to deliver when his team needed him most.

Downs' ongoing trade situation has also added another layer of uncertainty to his future in Indianapolis. With the deadline approaching, his stock has taken a hit at an unfortunate time.