INDIANAPOLIS – The setting for the start of the new season is the same as it was when last season ended.
Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans.
Lucas Oil Stadium.
Obviously, the Colts hope for a different ending to their new beginning.
That’s a multi-layered, early flashpoint as the NFL released the 2024 schedule Wednesday night.
First, it gives the Colts yet another shot at ending their season-opening drought. They haven’t won an opener since whipping the Oakland Raiders in 2013. Receivers coach Reggie Wayne caught eight passes for 96 yards and one touchdown from Andrew Luck. And the Raiders now call Las Vegas home.
Yes, it’s been a while.
Second, it’s the return of quarterback Anthony Richardson, who underwent season-ending surgery to repair a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder suffered in week 5 of his rookie season. The Colts’ future is directly tied to his ability to stay on the field and be the franchise QB that’s been missing since Luck retired in 2019.
Finally, Colts vs. Texans should give everyone a strong indication of what to expect in the AFC South. The Texans captured the division title on the final weekend of last season by holding off the Colts 23-19 in Lucas Oil Stadium.
Houston is considered a serious up-and-comer in the AFC. The Colts remain something of a mystery.
A few other tidbits regarding the Colts. They have:
- Missed the playoffs in seven of the last nine seasons, including three straight, since Luck led them to the AFC title game in 2014.
- Seven games against teams that reached the playoffs last season: Houston (two), Buffalo, Miami, Detroit, Pittsburgh and Green Bay. Five are at Lucas Oil Stadium.
- A schedule tied for the 21st-toughest based on their opponents’ 2023 records: .491 (142-147).
- A chance to get off to a fast start. For just the second time since their relocation in 1984, three of the first four games are at home. The only previous occasion: 1988.
- Just one prime-time game: Nov. 11 on NBC against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
- Lost seven straight in Jacksonville. It’s eight straight road losses if you toss in the setback in London in 2016.
Here’s a look at the 2024 dance card:
PRESEASON
- Aug. 11 Denver, 1 p.m.
- Aug. 17 Arizona, 7 p.m.
- Aug. 22 @ Cincinnati, 8 p.m.
WEEK 1: Sept. 8 Houston, 1 p.m.
*2023 record: 10-7, AFC South champions.
*Series record: Colts lead 33-11-1.
*Record in Indy: Colts lead 17-5.
*Noteworthy: Gardner Minshew II’s failed fourth-and-1 pass to Tyler Goodson with 1 minute remaining in the week 18 win-and-in showdown with Houston at Lucas Oil still stings. The Texans held on and won the AFC South and the Colts were left wondering What if?. But let’s not dwell on that.
The NFL gives us an intriguing opener pairing two of the league’s young guns: Richardson, the No. 4 pick in 2023, and Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick last year. Also, the Colts and Texans are attempting to re-establish themselves.
This rivalry should really heat up.
WEEK 2: Sept. 15 at Green Bay, 1 p.m.
*2023 record: 9-8, 2nd in NFC North, wild card.
*Series record: Colts lead 23-21-1.
*Record in Green Bay: Packers lead 12-9.
*Noteworthy: There’s no better venue than Lambeau Field. The Luck-led Colts whipped the Aaron Rodgers-led Packers on their last trip to Green Bay in 2016. Remember Jordan Todman’s 99-yard kickoff return for a TD? This time they face Jordan Love.
WEEK 3: Sept. 22 Chicago, 1 p.m.
*2023 record: 7-10, 4th in NFC North.
*Series record: Colts lead 25-19.
*Record in Indy/Baltimore: Colts lead 12-9.
*Noteworthy: The No. 4 pick in the 2023 draft (Richardson) squares off against the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft (Caleb Williams). Given our druthers, we’d rather face a much-hyped rookie quarterback early in the season before he has a chance to catch up to the speed of the game and the complexities of defenses. The Bears have done a nice job of building the roster around Williams, but he’s still a rook.
WEEK 4: Sept. 29 Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.
*2023 record: 10-7, 3rd in AFC Central, wild card.
*Series record: Steelers lead 26-7.
*Record in Indy/Baltimore: Steelers lead 8-5.
*Noteworthy: This should be an interesting team to watch with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields in the quarterback discussion. It seems to be Wilson’s job to lose, but maybe a fresh start is all Fields really needs. Will things be resolved this early in the season? Oh, we feel obliged to remind everyone this hasn’t been a good matchup for the Colts even though they whipped the Steelers 30-13 last December in Lucas Oil. That snapped an eight-game losing streak to Pittsburgh.
WEEK 5: Oct. 6 at Jacksonville, 1 p.m.
*2023 record: 9-8, 2nd in AFC South.
*Series record: Colts lead 28-18.
*Record in Jacksonville: Jaguars lead 13-10.
*Noteworthy: We’ll get this out of the way. The last time the Colts won in Jacksonville, Luck passed for 370 yards and four TDs, T.Y. Hilton had five catches for 80 yards, Reggie Wayne added four catches and 62 yards and Ahmad Bradshaw rushed nine times for 65 yards. It was week 3 of the 2014 season. Since then, zilch. Seven straight losses in Jacksonville, eight straight road losses counting the ’16 trip to London.
We should get an early indication of whether Trevor Lawrence and the Jags have put their 2023 death spiral behind them. After getting off to an 8-3 start, they lost five of six and missed the playoffs for the 14th time in 16 seasons.
WEEK 6: Oct. 13 at Tennessee, 1 p.m.
*2023 record: 6-11, 4th in AFC South.
*Series record: Colts lead 37-22.
*Record in Nashville: Colts lead 17-10.
*Noteworthy: Who are these guys? Gone are Derrick Henry, Mike Vrabel, Ryan Tannehill, Denico Autry and so many others. The Titans have put their future in the hands of quarterback Will Levis, the second pick of round 2 in the 2023 draft. It will be interesting how quickly Tennessee can transition from Vrabel to first-year head coach Brian Callahan. The Titans were busy during the offseason, adding wideouts Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd, and running back Tony Pollard.
WEEK 7: Oct. 20 Miami, 1 p.m.
*2023 record: 11-6, 2nd in AFC East, wild card.
*Series record: Dolphins lead 48-28.
*Record in Indy/Baltimore: Dolphins lead 23-15.
*Noteworthy: Miami remains one of the AFC’s more prolific teams behind Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Raheem Mostert. This is one of those games where drafting an edge rusher in round 1 (Laiatu Latu) could come in handy.
WEEK 8: Oct. 27 at Houston, 1 p.m.
*2023 record: 10-7, AFC South champions.
*Series record: Colts lead 33-11-1
*Record in Houston: Colts lead 16-6-1.
*Noteworthy: We’ll point out that Richardson is unbeaten in his head-to-head meetings with Stroud. Of course, it’s just one game. Richardson won the first and only meeting in week 2 at Houston. He led the Colts to an early lead with a pair of first-quarter rushing touchdowns before suffering a concussion on the 15-yard TD near the end of the quarter. Minshew came in and completed a 31-20 win that wasn’t that close. Stroud passed for 384 yards and two TDs.
WEEK 9: Nov. 3 at Minnesota, 1 p.m.
*2023 record: 7-10, 3rd in NFC North.
*Series record: Colts lead 18-8-1.
*Record in Minneapolis: Vikings lead 8-6-1.
*Noteworthy: The Colts return to the scene of that indescribable 2022 crime when they became the first team in NFL history to blow a 33-0 halftime. Sorry to bring that up. This time, they’ll be facing either rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy, the 10th overall pick in the draft, or castoff Sam Darnold, who’s with his fourth team since being selected No. 3 overall in 2018.
WEEK 10: Nov. 10 Buffalo, 1 p.m.
*2023 record: 11-6, 1st in AFC East.
*Series record: Bills lead 38-33-1.
*Record in Indy/Baltimore: Colts lead 19-14-1.
*Noteworthy: The Bills are in transition following several significant offseason departures, including wideouts Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, safety Jordan Poyer, leading sacker Leonard Floyd and center Mitch Morse. But they still have Josh Allen. It appears management will require more from him than ever.
WEEK 11: Nov. 17 at New York Jets, 8 p.m. (NBC)
*2023 record: 7-10, 3rd AFC East.
*Series record: Colts lead 44-32.
*Record in Meadowlands: Colts lead 22-15.
*Noteworthy: Who knows how this one will look? If Aaron Rodgers makes a complete recovery from the torn Achilles he suffered in week 1 last season, the Jets should be in the thick of the AFC East and playoff race. If not, the Colts could be prepping for Tyrod Taylor or Jordan Travis or...
WEEK 12: Nov. 24 Detroit, 1 p.m.
*2023 record: 12-5, 1st in NFC North.
*Series record: Colts lead 22-19-2.
*Record in Indy/Baltimore: Colts lead 11-10-1.
*Noteworthy: The Lions appear primed to make a serious run at the Super Bowl. Talk of running it back. In the offseason, management invested roughly $440 million in new four-year deals for quarterback Jarod Goff ($212 million), wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown ($120 million) and offensive tackle Penei Sewell ($112 million). The Lions are a force to be reckoned with in the NFC.
WEEK 13: Dec. 1 at New England, 1 p.m.
*2023 record: 4-13, 4th in AFC East.
*Series record: Patriots lead 53-30
*Record in Foxboro: Patriots lead 31-12.
*Noteworthy: A new era dawns in New England. For the first time since 1999, Bill Belichick won’t be standing on the sideline in one of those unfashionable hoodies. This is Jerod Mayo’s team now. And he’ll be relying on Drake Maye, the No. 3 overall pick in the draft.
WEEK 14: BYE
WEEK 15: Dec. 15 at Denver, 4:25 p.m.
*2023 record: 8-9, 3rd in AFC West.
*Series record: Colts lead 15-14.
*Record in Denver: Broncos lead 8-5.
*Noteworthy: Maybe Sean Payton knows what he’s doing. Maybe Bo Nix, selected 12th overall in April, is the right guy. The last time the Colts ventured into Denver – Oct. 6, 2022 – they returned home with a 12-9 overtime victory. Ugly – a combined 10 sacks, four interceptions, six fumbles and seven field goals – but effective.
WEEK 16: Dec. 22 Tennessee, 1 p.m.
*2023 record: 6-11 (4th in AFC South).
*Series record: Colts lead 37-22.
*Record in Indy: Colts lead 20-12.
*Noteworthy: The Colts hope the late-season rematch is a stepping stone toward the postseason, but it’s never easy against the Titans.
WEEK 17: Dec. TBD at New York Giants
*2023 record: 6-11, 3rd in NFC East.
*Series record: Colts lead 12-7.
*Record in Meadowlands: Colts lead 7-4.
*Noteworthy: The Giants’ fan base is getting restless, and you don’t want to irritate those guys. Brian Daboll could do no wrong in his first year as head coach in 2022 – Coach of the Year, 9-7-1, an NFC wild-card spot – but the Giants were unable to recover last season when quarterback Daniel Jones missed the final 11 games with a torn ACL. Their 6-11 finish marked the sixth time in seven seasons they lost at least 10 games. Jones is expected to make a full recovery and enter the season as the Giants’ starter. But if he struggles again, maybe Daboll will turn to Drew Lock.
WEEK 18: Jan. TBD Jacksonville
*2023 record: 9-8 (2nd in AFC South).
*Series record: Colts lead 28-18.
*Record in Indy: Colts lead 18-5.
*Noteworthy: Again, this needs to be a game that holds either division or playoff-seeding ramifications. As much as the Colts have had no clue in Jacksonville, they’ve generally handled business against the Jaguars in Indy. Even with falling 31-21 in the ’23 season opener at Lucas Oil, the Colts have won nine of the last 11 in Indy.
You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.