The Indianapolis Colts are gearing up for a make-or-break season. The Daniel Jones experiment paid off in spades, but it left questions that will only be answered in the regular season. Jones showed flashes under Shane Steichen, but an untimely injury made it impossible to draw a conclusion. Fans will know Daniels’ ceiling with the Colts by the end of the year.
In a huge year for the franchise, here’s a look at the biggest games and toughest matchups.
Top 3 Biggest Opponents On Colts’ Schedule
Perhaps the biggest game of the year will be against the Houston Texans. The Colts will have home-field advantage with a chance to play from ahead in the division. A loss against Houston could take the division out of reach as soon as Sept. 27. Of course, a win would change everything in a year that many expect Houston to be the top team in the division.
If Houston doesn’t take the division, the Jacksonville Jaguars are next in line with their red-hot offense. After a breakout season, the Jaguars could end up resting starters in the teams’ Week 18 matchup at the end of 2026. As such, the division could be decided on Nov. 1. The contest takes place in Jacksonville, so it won’t be easy for Daniel Jones.
The Tennessee Titans are a wild card that could blow up projections for the AFC South. Cam Ward showed flashes last year, and if the Titans take a step forward and the Colts tread water, a wild card spot could be decided by the Week 15 matchup in Tennessee on Dec. 20. If things go completely off-script, it could also be a game for the division.
3 Games Where Shane Steichen’s Squad Will Fall Short
The Colts might be doomed heading into the team’s primetime matchup against the Chiefs. Indianapolis failed to defeat the compromised version of the team despite holding a commanding lead in the contest. The setting and sense of urgency on the side of Kansas City will set up the Colts to be hit hard.
The Philadelphia Eagles tend to show up in various forms depending on the year, but those versions have flip-flopped between Super Bowl contender and playoff contender. Expect the Colts to have their hands full heading into Week 14.
The Baltimore Ravens will be led by Lamar Jackson, who has more motivation than perhaps any other quarterback heading into the year. Jackson lost John Harbaugh and saw the Ravens add Diego Pavia to the squad, which is about as loud a message as the quarterback can receive. However the season turns out, expect Jackson to give his best punch to the Colts in Week 1.
Overview
The Colts have some difficult matchups to start the year, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel if the franchise pushes hard into November. If Jones can get through the first nine weeks with a winning record, it may have a chance to make a run at the No. 1 seed.
Here’s a look at the full picture, courtesy of ESPN.
| Date | Opponent | Time (EST) |
| Sun, Sep 13 | vs Baltimore | 1:00 PM |
| Sun, Sep 20 | @ Kansas City | 8:20 PM |
| Sun, Sep 27 | vs Houston | 1:00 PM |
| Sun, Oct 4 | vs Washington * | 9:30 AM |
| Sun, Oct 11 | @ Pittsburgh | 1:00 PM |
| Sun, Oct 18 | vs Tennessee | 1:00 PM |
| Sun, Oct 25 | @ Minnesota | 1:00 PM |
| Sun, Nov 1 | @ Jacksonville | 1:00 PM |
| Sun, Nov 8 | vs Dallas | 1:00 PM |
| Sun, Nov 15 | vs Miami | 1:00 PM |
| Thu, Nov 19 | @ Houston | 8:15 PM |
| Sun, Nov 29 | vs New York | 1:00 PM |
| BYE WEEK | ||
| Sun, Dec 13 | @ Philadelphia | 1:00 PM |
| Sun, Dec 20 | @ Tennessee | 1:00 PM |
| TBD – Flex Game | vs Cincinnati | TBD |
| Sat, Jan 3 | @ Cleveland | 1:00 PM |
| TBD – Flex Game | vs Jacksonville | TBD |
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