Interesting Schedule Don't You Think?

[dn4192]

Reviewing over this years schedule it seems to me that the way the NFL set it up, they wanted to make it as difficult for the Colts to do well. Now I know the teams we play are pretty much pre set by record and a rotation of such. However, where and what time we played are set by the NFL. Two years in a row we start on the against a division foe. This year we go to NE and Baltimore back to back and in what might be kida "wintery" conditions and we have an upcoming 3 game Road TRIP? After 8 games we will have played 5 on the road and just 3 at home. Our buy is towards the end of the rotation for bye weeks. Of the 5 non divisional home games we get: Pitts/Clev/Car/Atlanta/Chiefs at home but go to TB/NE/Balti/NO/Bengals.

So I ask, how are schedules determined? Is it just me or does it seem like the Colts have a very unique if not unfair schedule?

[tonychen]

whatever, this yr we are having zero winnable game left so why bother?

[oldunclemark]

I dont know...I dont want to play New England every year..

but they gave us all divsion games down the stretch....and we get the bye week late int he year..when you need it more..

..and you're right..its all rotation and last year's position...

[chad72]

The schedules are pre-determined except for 2 games on the schedule.

1) 6 games vs division opponents - that stays the same every year.

2) 1 entire AFC division and 1 entire NFC division. Most home and road games out of these 8 are determined based on where you played them last time when you played this AFC and NFC division.

3) 2 games with AFC opponents in the other 2 divisions based on where you end up in your division, those are the only ones determined based on record.

NE is a weird exception here for whatever reason, whenever we finished the same in the AFC South as they finished in the AFC East and in the years where we do not play the entire AFC East - 2004, 2005, we played them 2 times in a row at Foxboro or 2 times in a row at Indy - 2007, 2008.

2006 & 2009 - we played the entire AFC East and since in 2003, we played NE as part of the AFC East in Indy, so in 2006 we played NE as part of the AFC East in Foxboro, and in 2009 we played NE as part of the AFC East in Indy. Thus, it ended up that in 2004, 2005, 2006 we played in Foxboro while the Pats played us in Indy in 2007, 2008 & 2009. So, 2010, 2011 & 2012, we play NE in Foxboro.

As to when the home and road games are scheduled, that is up to the NFL and TV contracts etc. Thanks to the Colts resting starters in the past for meaningless games since they clinched a lot of things, which did not sit well with the NFL; they decided to not decide a lot of divisions till the end of the year thus moving a lot of division games towards the end of the year (most teams have 2 out of their last 3 games within the division, in our case it is 3 out of 3).

Edited October 13, 2011 by chad72

[-JJ-]

also as to when the games are scheduled (what time of year) they have to manipulate 32 teams so what might not seem fair for one team can't be changed without throwing a monkey wrench into the whole 32 team schedule

and the above poster is right with respect to the reason for scheduling division games at the end.

[GoDeep]

I dont know...I dont want to play New England every year..

Why not? Peyton vs. Brady is stuff dreams are made of.

[doogansquest]

The schedules are pre-determined except for 2 games on the schedule.

1) 6 games vs division opponents - that stays the same every year.

2) 1 entire AFC division and 1 entire NFC division. Most home and road games out of these 8 are determined based on where you played them last time when you played this AFC and NFC division.

3) 2 games with AFC opponents in the other 2 divisions based on where you end up in your division, those are the only ones determined based on record.

NE is a weird exception here for whatever reason, whenever we finished the same in the AFC South as they finished in the AFC East and in the years where we do not play the entire AFC East - 2004, 2005, we played them 2 times in a row at Foxboro or 2 times in a row at Indy - 2007, 2008.

2006 & 2009 - we played the entire AFC East and since in 2003, we played NE as part of the AFC East in Indy, so in 2006 we played NE as part of the AFC East in Foxboro, and in 2009 we played NE as part of the AFC East in Indy. Thus, it ended up that in 2004, 2005, 2006 we played in Foxboro while the Pats played us in Indy in 2007, 2008 & 2009. So, 2010, 2011 & 2012, we play NE in Foxboro.

As to when the home and road games are scheduled, that is up to the NFL and TV contracts etc. Thanks to the Colts resting starters in the past for meaningless games since they clinched a lot of things, which did not sit well with the NFL; they decided to not decide a lot of divisions till the end of the year thus moving a lot of division games towards the end of the year (most teams have 2 out of their last 3 games within the division, in our case it is 3 out of 3).

This. The end.

[jskinnz]

Reviewing over this years schedule it seems to me that the way the NFL set it up, they wanted to make it as difficult for the Colts to do well. Now I know the teams we play are pretty much pre set by record and a rotation of such. However, where and what time we played are set by the NFL. Two years in a row we start on the against a division foe. This year we go to NE and Baltimore back to back and in what might be kida "wintery" conditions and we have an upcoming 3 game Road TRIP? After 8 games we will have played 5 on the road and just 3 at home. Our buy is towards the end of the rotation for bye weeks. Of the 5 non divisional home games we get: Pitts/Clev/Car/Atlanta/Chiefs at home but go to TB/NE/Balti/NO/Bengals.

So I ask, how are schedules determined? Is it just me or does it seem like the Colts have a very unique if not unfair schedule?

1) The NFL is not out to screw anyone

2) To truly determine if the Colts got the short end of the stick, you need to go through every team's schedule. Did you do that? Guessing not. But if you did, I would bet you will find that every team has a tough stretch of games. I would bet if you went to every team's message board you would also find that their fans think the league is sticking it to their team as well.

And it simply ain't true.

[dynasty13]

1) The NFL is not out to screw anyone

2) To truly determine if the Colts got the short end of the stick, you need to go through every team's schedule. Did you do that? Guessing not. But if you did, I would bet you will find that every team has a tough stretch of games. I would bet if you went to every team's message board you would also find that their fans think the league is sticking it to their team as well.

And it simply ain't true.

Right. For example, looking at my teams schedule this year, we have a 6 week stretch where we play the Steelers, Giants, Jets, Eagles, and Colts. Doesnt look as daunting right now, but I remember at the beginning of the year thinking that was going to be one of the worst stretches in recent memory.

As far as starting against a division opponent...half of the league did just that, so the NFL isnt out to screw the Colts. And regarding the end of the season being division games, its that way for every team, and you have your own Colts to thank for that...as the league is trying to make it so that teams dont mail it in for the final weeks of the season.

[MAC]

It really isn't healthy to assume that someone is out the get the Colts. WHY would that even be considered a remote possibility?

Others have pointed out the change in the divisional games and then are correct. In addition, I would point out that the leagues primary goal is to make money, and the Colts are one of several franchises that now have such a big national fan base (thanks to winning consistently) that if ANY manipulation goes on it is to put the Colts front and center for the biggest TV rating's possible - such as the timing of the Patriot game. If you think that ANYONE in the league office or one of the networks is pleased about Peyton being injured you are mistaken. It's going to cost them.

In that sense you could just as easily conclude that someone is favoring the Colts. The teams with the real problem are the ones which are so irrelevant that they are largely ignored.

[willysp]

Good post, but if we couldn't beat KC at home with a 17 point lead, it really doesn't matter what our schedule it, does it? Without Manning, Polian and Tweety-Pie have built a 3-5 win team, and it has been such for several years.

[willysp]

whatever, this yr we are having zero winnable game left so why bother?

+1

[Andy]

Next year we have the NFC West + AFC East...

[Andy]

plus 2 worse team from the AFC West (Broncos), and the worse team from the AFC North (Browns). Next year is our year!

[chad72]

Next year we have the NFC West + AFC East...

Partly correct, next year we play the NFC North (Packers, Lions, Bears, Vikings) and AFC East (Patriots, Jets, Bills, Dolphins) plus 2 bottom feeders from AFC North (most likely Browns) and AFC West (most likely Broncos or Chiefs).

NFC divisions rotate every 4 years and AFC divisions rotate every 3 years since we are in the AFC. We played NFC North in 2008, NFC West in 2009, NFC East in 2010, and NFC South in 2011, so we play NFC North in 2012. We played AFC East in 2009, AFC West in 2010, AFC North in 2011, so we play AFC East in 2012.

Edited October 15, 2011 by chad72

[Andy]

Partly correct, next year we play the NFC North (Packers, Lions, Bears, Vikings) and AFC East (Patriots, Jets, Bills, Dolphins) plus 2 bottom feeders from AFC North (most likely Browns) and AFC West (most likely Broncos or Chiefs).

NFC divisions rotate every 4 years and AFC divisions rotate every 3 years since we are in the AFC. We played NFC North in 2008, NFC West in 2009, NFC East in 2010, and NFC South in 2011, so we play NFC North in 2012. We played AFC East in 2009, AFC West in 2010, AFC North in 2011, so we play AFC East in 2012.

you're right, my bad... that makes our schedule that much tougher

Edited October 15, 2011 by Andy246

[FanFromtheWasteland]

Partly correct, next year we play the NFC North (Packers, Lions, Bears, Vikings) and AFC East (Patriots, Jets, Bills, Dolphins) plus 2 bottom feeders from AFC North (most likely Browns) and AFC West (most likely Broncos or Chiefs).

NFC divisions rotate every 4 years and AFC divisions rotate every 3 years since we are in the AFC. We played NFC North in 2008, NFC West in 2009, NFC East in 2010, and NFC South in 2011, so we play NFC North in 2012. We played AFC East in 2009, AFC West in 2010, AFC North in 2011, so we play AFC East in 2012.

Great

The one bright spot I had hoped for with the losing season we will have is that we wouldn’t have to see the Pats next year. So much for that.

I am actually getting quite nauseous having to see them on our schedule EVERY FREAKING YEAR. Enough is enough

[cmgww]

I do think the NFL plays a small part in the scheduling "messing over" that some people claim...I know the scheduling rules. The Colts have rested starters for years, after clinching homefield or not having anything to play for, but so do plenty of other teams. The Colts weren't the only ones. In fact, the Pats are about the only team I can think of that really doesn't rest starters at the end of the season, for different reasons (Belichick's philosophy of keeping them sharp, or in 2007 just sticking it to everyone in the wake of SpyGate, and going for 19-0). Thus, the NFL went to putting more division games at seasons' end, for all teams, not just the Colts.

Where I do think the Colts get a bit of the short end is home/road games. I know some of it is pre-determined (Pats for example), but some are not. You know the NFL wanted to see the Colts on the road against the Saints. Even with Manning that would have been a tough out, but a great TV matchup. The Houston opener on the road two years in a row is what sticks in my craw though. That was ALL NFL there...almost like they were pushing Houston like all the pundits do..."this is the year they break through"

So in summary, the Colts did this to themselves in part by not going for 16-0 and resting starters yearly since they became dominant in the Manning era....(btw, you will NEVER hear me say "throwing the perfect season" or "quitting", b/c 16-0 was never in the plans and it had been done before, and we still LOST the Super Bowl, going 16-0 wouldn't have changed that!)

My only beef w/ this year is opening at Houston, again.

[chad72]

My only beef w/ this year is opening at Houston, again.

Yeah, I can see that as a valid grudge . If I had to take a guess, we open with a non-divisional opponent on the road next year, either the Jets or Lions. If it continues to be a division game, it will be at home, in all likelihood. Just a guess.

[Jason_]

I do think the NFL plays a small part in the scheduling "messing over" that some people claim...I know the scheduling rules. The Colts have rested starters for years, after clinching homefield or not having anything to play for, but so do plenty of other teams. The Colts weren't the only ones. In fact, the Pats are about the only team I can think of that really doesn't rest starters at the end of the season, for different reasons (Belichick's philosophy of keeping them sharp, or in 2007 just sticking it to everyone in the wake of SpyGate, and going for 19-0). Thus, the NFL went to putting more division games at seasons' end, for all teams, not just the Colts.

Agreed...the Colts are hardly the only team to rest their starters once playoff seeding is determined. I'm not sure what other people's views are on the late season divisional games but I love the idea. Now it will take one team going virtually undefeated against all non-divisional opponents whereas the other teams in their divisions would pretty much have to lose all of them in order for playoff seeding to be determined before going into the final 3 weeks of the season. There is a distinct possibility that there are few, if any divisional winners going into the last 2-3 weeks of the season. Typically, going into those final 2-3 weeks we're talking about all of the different scenarios in which a team could make it in as a wildcard but this year they'll still be trying to win divisions so we may not even be talking about the 10 different things that have to happen for a team to make it as a wildcard.

Edited October 15, 2011 by Jason

[MAC]

Agreed...the Colts are hardly the only team to rest their starters once playoff seeding is determined. I'm not sure what other people's views are on the late season divisional games but I love the idea.

Me too. I actually had a wierd brainstorm a few years back and laid out a prospective schedule which was even more "division centric". Essentially, every team would play three division games in a row in the first half of the season followed by their bye week, and three division games in a row to wrap up the season. You could also do things such as always starting the year with the out-of-conference games (to get them out of the way while teams are still feeling there way, and avoid late season "potential super bowl matchups"). Starting out cold on the road against a division rival is about as bad as it can get. And it also addresses one thing I can not stand which is the period when some of the teams in a division have had their bye while others have not, so you really have no idea whose leading.

Maybe this is just the way my brain works - trying to make order out of chaos - but there really is no reason for the schedule to be so random considering the limited number of variables. You just need to make sure that everyone in the division is doing the same thing at the same time. Easier to schedule AND fairer to the teams.

[OLD FAN MAN]

Reviewing over this years schedule it seems to me that the way the NFL set it up, they wanted to make it as difficult for the Colts to do well. Now I know the teams we play are pretty much pre set by record and a rotation of such. However, where and what time we played are set by the NFL. Two years in a row we start on the against a division foe. This year we go to NE and Baltimore back to back and in what might be kida "wintery" conditions and we have an upcoming 3 game Road TRIP? After 8 games we will have played 5 on the road and just 3 at home. Our buy is towards the end of the rotation for bye weeks. Of the 5 non divisional home games we get: Pitts/Clev/Car/Atlanta/Chiefs at home but go to TB/NE/Balti/NO/Bengals.

So I ask, how are schedules determined? Is it just me or does it seem like the Colts have a very unique if not unfair schedule?

if we are good enough it dosent matter, but the pats do seem to get an easy schedule every year, and they seem to get the same refs everytime they play us. what?

[Jason_]

if we are good enough it dosent matter, but the pats do seem to get an easy schedule every year, and they seem to get the same refs everytime they play us. what?

The only reason the pats have had an "easy" schedule is because they've been in a division where the other teams have been horrible whereas the AFC South was a very tough division during the same time. Now things have flipped with the improvement of the Bills and Jets and Tenn and Jax are no where near what they were a few years ago so I would give the AFC East the nod as being the tougher division right now. The pats' schedule is determined just like every other teams so they haven't been "getting" an easy schedule on purpose.

[OLD FAN MAN]

The only reason the pats have had an "easy" schedule is because they've been in a division where the other teams have been horrible whereas the AFC South was a very tough division during the same time. Now things have flipped with the improvement of the Bills and Jets and Tenn and Jax are no where near what they were a few years ago so I would give the AFC East the nod as being the tougher division right now. The pats' schedule is determined just like every other teams so they haven't been "getting" an easy schedule on purpose.

can you explain to us in the dark fans just how schedules are determined?

[Jason_]

can you explain to us in the dark fans just how schedules are determined?

Well I could...or you could just scroll up the page a little bit and read Chad72's post. ;) screw it, I'll help you out....

The schedules are pre-determined except for 2 games on the schedule.

1) 6 games vs division opponents - that stays the same every year.

2) 1 entire AFC division and 1 entire NFC division. Most home and road games out of these 8 are determined based on where you played them last time when you played this AFC and NFC division.

3) 2 games with AFC opponents in the other 2 divisions based on where you end up in your division, those are the only ones determined based on record.

NE is a weird exception here for whatever reason, whenever we finished the same in the AFC South as they finished in the AFC East and in the years where we do not play the entire AFC East - 2004, 2005, we played them 2 times in a row at Foxboro or 2 times in a row at Indy - 2007, 2008.

2006 & 2009 - we played the entire AFC East and since in 2003, we played NE as part of the AFC East in Indy, so in 2006 we played NE as part of the AFC East in Foxboro, and in 2009 we played NE as part of the AFC East in Indy. Thus, it ended up that in 2004, 2005, 2006 we played in Foxboro while the Pats played us in Indy in 2007, 2008 & 2009. So, 2010, 2011 & 2012, we play NE in Foxboro.

As to when the home and road games are scheduled, that is up to the NFL and TV contracts etc. Thanks to the Colts resting starters in the past for meaningless games since they clinched a lot of things, which did not sit well with the NFL; they decided to not decide a lot of divisions till the end of the year thus moving a lot of division games towards the end of the year (most teams have 2 out of their last 3 games within the division, in our case it is 3 out of 3).

I'm surprised your "sources" couldn't help you out with this.

:hmm:

Edited October 16, 2011 by Jason

[OLD FAN MAN]

Well I could...or you could just scroll up the page a little bit and read Chad72's post. ;) screw it, I'll help you out....

I'm surprised your "sources" couldn't help you out with this.

:hmm:

thanks, i ask my guy at practice other things about the team, i dont want him to know i dont know how schedules are picked, he thinks i have some football knowledge

Edited October 16, 2011 by jim

[jskinnz]

if we are good enough it dosent matter, but the pats do seem to get an easy schedule every year, and they seem to get the same refs everytime they play us. what?

My goodness this is a mind-numbingly bad post.