Colts 2018 Schedule Announced [Merge]

[rockywoj]

30 minutes ago, HarryTheCat said:

To get to 11-5 with this team you'd not only need for all the stars to align, you'd need to rip the fabric of space-time itself. 

Well, I don’t think it’s THAT far out of the realm of possibility, considering the turnaround in 2012.  If Luck indeed comes back better than ever, as he says he expects, then who knows, anything is possible.  I stand by the range I predicted, though, 6-10 to 9-7.

[Indyfan4life]

Can’t say I expected more than the mandatory TNF game. If we kill it this season, we may get a flex. Who knows. 

[Narcosys]

9-7...maybe 10-6

[NewColtsFan]

 

I think this is as good a schedule as the Colts and their fans could possibly hope for.

 

*** The Bye Week is week 9,  right in the middle of the season.     Since we're not projected to be very good,  I feared it might be Week 4, as it was in Pagano's first year.     So, a great bye week.

 

*** No bad weather games,  unless you don't like the two games in September in DC and Philly.    Those games will be hot and muggy.    But there are no terrible winter games like Buffalo last year.

 

*** And we've got a rare three game home streak in weeks 10, 11 and 12.   

 

*** Five of our six division games are in the second half of the season, when, in theory at least,  the young Colts should be improving and Luck hopefully will be hitting his stride.

 

All in all,  as good as we could hope for.    I'm very pleased.

 

I have no idea what kind of record to expect because we don't know when Luck will return and we don't know just how good he'll be when he does?    So, all I'll predict is better than last year...   and hope our young team gets better every month.

 

 

 

[DaveA1102]

Its a bit of catch 22 as, although the second half of the season has a lot of home and divisional games where we can get a run going, it means the first half of the schedule has some pretty tough games, including going on the road to the two teams who contested the Superbowl last year. 

 

My fear is we don't go 2-0 in the first two games, which most will be looking for based on current position, and then we start taking losses and our heads go down before we get into the run of home, winnable games.  That would be on Reich to keep the heads up though, which I think he can do.

 

I am going into this season with four main hopes and, if these things happen, I wont be too concerned about the record as we are in transition as a franchise and this would lead to positivity for 2019 and beyond:

1.  
2. 1. Luck comes back and looks healthy and plays well. Not expecting the world, just to be healthy and play to a decent level, as there will be rust, undoubtedly.
3. 2. A big jump from our 2nd year players.  I want to see specifically Hooker and Wilson come in and look like 100% starters and start making their presence felt.
4. 3. Solid rookie class giving us starters.  With the draft capital we have (which may even be added to), we need to see that translate into bona fide starters on both sides of the ball
5. 4. Strong returns from injured players.  If we can get Kelly, Swoope, Geathers and Mewhort back and playing like we know they can, that will make a huge difference to next year and hopefully going forward.

 

If I had to throw out a prediction just now, it would be 6-10 due to the strength of the division and I think the transition to a new defense may take more time to bed in than some would hope.  But if the above four things happen, I would be happy as we look to the future.

 

[jvan1973]

11 hours ago, MTC said:

Disappointing, but expected, to see only one primetime game. 

I love it.   Playing them all at 1:00 is fine with me

[Chucklez]

34 minutes ago, jvan1973 said:

I love it.   Playing them all at 1:00 is fine with me

Early games for us fan in Europe are just fine! 1 pm Eastern time (6pm in the UK) starts mean we don't have to be up until 3:30am just to watch the game!

[icf]

11 hours ago, DownHillRunner said:

Not one Sunday Night or Monday Night Game this year for us. They threw us to the Patriots on Thursday Night at Foxboro. What a joke. 

 

They are coming off a 4-12 season, with a big question mark about Luck being able to play QB.

 

It sucks to get the Pats in New England, again, but I don't understand why anyone would have expected more than 1 or 2 prime time games.

[lollygagger8]

All these leaks are making me have to go take one

 

[chad72]

To me, the stretch after the bye will determine our playoff future with all the divisional games stacked there.

 

If, miraculously, we are 5-3 at the bye, I like our wild card playoff chances. Dallas game could be flexed, if we are in the division race hunt, or if they are in the division race hunt, IMO. 

[Old Colt]

12 hours ago, The Fish said:

My early prediction no one wants (or is going to like). I see 6 or 7 wins there and that's with Luck. That first game is almost a must win and that's looking at it in April. 

BR has Colts at 5 - 11 and tied for 3 pick in 2019 draft....  building thru the draft, Ballard may get his wish...

[PrincetonTiger]

1 hour ago, jvan1973 said:

I love it.   Playing them all at 1:00 is fine with me

I can enjoy Sunday Ticket

[Fisticuffs111]

5 hours ago, DaveA1102 said:

 

2. A big jump from our 2nd year players.  I want to see specifically Hooker and Wilson come in and look like 100% starters and start making their presence felt.

 

Yeah, this is a big one for me too. It'll tell us a lot about our new coaching staff if they can develop these guys. Eberflus and the DB coaches could really earn their stripes with that young group. And I'd want nothing more than for Phair to help get Basham going.

[shasta519]

12 hours ago, Smonroe said:

 

I said that we’d be lucky to get a Sunday night game when someone started a thread guessing how many night games we’d get.  

 

With Lucks status up in the air, in the eyes of the networks, they wouldn’t want to risk putting on dogs and lose ratings.  And Indy isn’t exactly a big market either.  

 

Yep...said the same thing. I thought maybe the PHI game could be primetime with Reich here now and them coming off a Super Bowl win...but alas.

 

The NFL just isn't going to chance it...and I assume the TV people aren't happy about last season when most people were led to believe he would be back. That's not really anyone's fault...but they aren't going to fall for it twice.

 

Still....that is a lot of 1:00 games.

 

It's funny that they would flex a Week 16 game against the NYG. There's probably a 99% chance that is a meaningless game in the context of the playoffs. If I had to guess, that could be Eli's farewell...and Peyton and Archie will be there in Indy to see it. But that only happens if there isn't a juicy matchup with big playoff implications that same day.

 

 

 

 

[shasta519]

40 minutes ago, PrincetonTiger said:

I can enjoy Sunday Ticket

 

Wouldn't you get those 4:00 and PT games without the NFL Ticket?

 

If anything, the Colts playing all of their games at 1:00 would prevent one from enjoying the benefits of the NFL Ticket because that is when most of the other games are on.

[shasta519]

It would appear that the NFL isn't convinced of Luck's return, or at the very least, aren't willing to chance it. They gave the Colts no primetime games, outside of the requisite TNF game.

 

Or it could just be the usual bias. For example, the NYG, who actually finished one behind the Colts in overall standings, have 3 primetime games this season. Not to mention a week 17 game against DAL, which they will likely flex.

[JPFolks]

7 hours ago, DaveA1102 said:

Its a bit of catch 22 as, although the second half of the season has a lot of home and divisional games where we can get a run going, it means the first half of the schedule has some pretty tough games, including going on the road to the two teams who contested the Superbowl last year. 

It also includes a third road game against the conference finalist Jaguars which in total might be a net benefit simply because those are 3 likely losses (as any) so might as well lose them on the road making the home games a tiny bit more winnable. 

[RomanianColtsFan]

Excellent schedule, most games at 1:00 PM, it helps players get into a nice routine.

Bye week in the middle, what else would they want!

As for the predictions, nobody knows. Based on the record last year few people who like to look knowledgeable have the audacity to predict a *itive 2028 record for the Colts. I hope they are one of those teams who make a great jump from one year to next.

[Myles]

Not my picks.

 

Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 9, vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 1:00 p.m. ET

The Colts will open the season with a victory for the first time since 2013 with or without Luck as their starting quarterback. Record: 1-0

Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 16, at Washington Redskins, 1:00 p.m. ET

The last time Alex Smith faced the Colts he only had six incompletions while throwing for 223 yards and two touchdowns as the starting quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs. Smith beats the Colts again, only this time he's the starter in Washington. Record: 1-1

Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 23, at Philadelphia Eagles, 1:00 p.m. ET

Reich returns to the city where he spent the previous two seasons as offensive coordinator, including playing an important part in helping the Eagles win the Super Bowl last season. It's not going to be a great trip to Philadelphia for Reich and the Colts. Record: 1-2

Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 30, vs. Houston Texans, 1:00 p.m. ET

The Colts got two of their four victories against the Texans last season. Indy will make it three straight over their AFC South foes. Record: 2-2

Week 5: Thursday, Oct. 4, at New England Patriots, 8:20 p.m. ET

This game has double significance. This will be the Colts' first trip to Gillette Stadium since they were embarrassed the Patriots in the AFC Championship game which resulted in Deflategate in January 2015. And then there's Josh McDaniels. He agreed to be the Colts' coach in February, only to change his mind in the 11th hour to return to the Patriots as offensive coordinator. The rivalry may be back on GM Chris Ballard's eyes, but the Colts fall to 0-6 against New England since selecting Luck in 2012. Record: 2-3

Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 14, at New York Jets, 1:00 p.m. ET

The Colts could get be getting a look at the quarterback the Jets selected in the draft as a result of the two teams swapping picks -- the Colts moved down to No. 6 and Jets moved up to No. 3. Record: 3-3

Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 21, vs. Buffalo Bills, 1:00 p.m. ET

Former teammates T.Y. Hilton and Vontae Davis squaring off will be the marquee matchup. There won't be a blizzard in Lucas Oil Stadium like last December in Buffalo. And there also won't be a Buffalo victory. Record: 4-3

Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 28, at Oakland Raiders, 4:05 p.m. ET

The last trip to Oakland ended the Raiders' chances of making a run deep in the playoffs, but not because the Colts won the game. Raiders quarterback Derek Carr broke his leg while being taken down by former Colts linebacker Trent Cole in December 2016. The Raiders will beat the Colts again. Record: 4-4

Week 9: Bye

Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 11, vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 1:00 p.m. ET

The Jaguars beat the Colts by a total of 47 points in the two meetings last season. There won't be a shutout this time in Indianapolis, but the Colts will struggle moving the ball against the stellar Jaguars defense. Record: 4-5

Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 18, vs. Tennessee Titans, 1:00 p.m. ET

Like the Jaguars, the Titans swept the Colts in 2017. It'll be three straight victories for the Titans by the end of the game. Record: 4-6

Full regular-season NFL schedule

The Eagles kick off the NFL season against the Falcons on Thursday, Sept. 6. View the complete week-by-week schedule here.

• Record predictions, analysis for all 32 teams
• Winners, losers of the schedule release
• More NFL coverage
• NFL draft news, analysis

Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 25, vs. Miami Dolphins, 1:00 p.m. ET

Running back Frank Gore and Luck will both be playing in this game. The difference is they won't be teammates for the first time since 2014. Luck shows Gore the type of quarterback he could have been when healthy, which Gore didn't see too often his Colts' tenure. Record: 5-6

Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 2, at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1:00 p.m. ET

The Colts have lost three straight games to the Jaguars in Jacksonville. No reason to believe the losing streak will stop. Record: 5-7

Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 9, at Houston Texans, 1:00 p.m. ET

J.J. Watt, who -- like Luck -- has battled injuries the past couple seasons, gets reunited with the quarterback in the backfield. And Deshaun Watson is back to his pre-injury form while picking the Colts apart. Record: 5-8

Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 16, vs. Dallas Cowboys, 1:00 p.m. ET

The Colts keep their faint playoff hopes alive by containing Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott and the Dallas running game. Record: 6-8

Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 23, vs. New York Giants, 1:00 p.m. ET

The Colts could be facing the No. 2 pick in the draft in this one. It could be running back Saquon Barkley, pass-rusher Bradley Chubb or a quarterback. Indianapolis beats that rookie and the Giants. Record: 7-8

Note: The NFL will decide no later than after Week 8 whether the Giants-Colts will be played on Saturday (Dec. 22) or Sunday (Dec. 23). If the game is played on Saturday, it will be at either 4:30 p.m. ET or 8:20 p.m. ET on the NFL Network; if the game is selected for Sunday, it will be 1 p.m. ET.

Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 30, at Tennessee Titans, 1:00 p.m. ET

The Colts are playing for nothing but pride while the Titans are playing for playoff seeding. Tennessee sweeps the Colts for the second straight season. Record: 7-9

[Stephen]

On 4/19/2018 at 9:47 PM, Four2itus said:

You said that last year...

Gotta be right one year lol