Source: Kevin Sabitus / Getty
INDIANAPOLIS – Games against 7 playoff teams, including 5 of them at home, dots a much more quarterback-decorated 2024 Colts schedule.
With games against the AFC East and NFC North in 2024, the Colts will only travel outside of the Eastern/Central time zones once next year (at the Broncos).
By finishing 3rd in the AFC South, the Colts will also cross match up against the Steelers at home and the Broncos and Giants on the road.
On paper, the home slate includes some marquee quarterbacks, whereas the road slate only has one game against a team who won double-digit games.
Here’s a look at the 2024 opponents of the Colts, with dates and times to be announced in the spring:
Home
–Bears (7-10): Who will be the Bears quarterback for this one? And will Matt Eberflus be inside of Lucas Oil Stadium? It’s the “once every 8 years” trip for the Bears to Indianapolis.
–Bills (11-6, AFC East Champs): Josh Allen has never played a game in Indianapolis, so this’ll be a first for the Colts seeing the volatile Bills QB. Buffalo won 5 straight to end the season and win the AFC East.
–Dolphins (11-6, AFC Wild Card): It’s a much-better slate of opposing quarterbacks inside of Lucas Oil Stadium in 2024, with Tua Tagovailoa also making his Indy-debut as an opponent.
–Jaguars (9-8): It was quite the late-season collapse by the Jaguars, with Trevor Lawrence getting banged up. The Colts were swept by the Jaguars in 2023.
–Lions (12-5, NFC North Champs): The fighting Dan Campbell’s will be in Indy next season after they won their division and hosted a playoff game for the first time in 30 years.
–Steelers (10-7, AFC Wild Card): This matchup seems to be an annual one and will occur at Lucas Oil Stadium for a 3rd straight year. The Steelers snuck into the postseason on the final week of the season.
-Texans (10-7, AFC South Champs): The Texans had quite the first-year campaign for DeMeco Ryans and C.J. Stroud. They look like legit AFC South contenders for years to come.
–Titans (6-11): The Titans have some questions to answer in the offseason with many of their core players, and now at head coach with the surprising firing of Mike Vrabel.
Road
–Broncos (8-9): So much for seeing Russell Wilson in this matchup. The Colts and Broncos face off in 2024 after both teams finished 3rd in their respective divisions last year. This is the longest road trip of the season for the Colts.
-Giants (6-11): Who will be the Giants quarterback in 2024? That a major question after they missed the playoffs this past season. This is the “extra” 17th game next year for the Colts.
–Jaguars (9-8): Yes, again we have to point it out: the Colts have not won a game in Jacksonville since the 2014 season.
–Jets (7-10): It’s multiple trips to MetLife (and that turf) in 2024. This one will be to face Aaron Rodgers and the Jets.
–Packers (9-8, NFC Wild Card): Jordan Love and the Packers will welcome the Colts to Green Bay, the first Lambeau trip for Indy since the 2016 season.
–Patriots (4-13): Yes, it’ll be a 4th straight matchup against the Patriots, and this one comes with a return to Foxborough, and not playing in Frankfurt, Germany. Who will be the Patriots QB? Who will be the Patriots head coach?
–Texans (10-7, AFC South Champs): This matchup with C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson should be a potential primetime game after what happened in Week 18.
–Titans (6-11): The Colts got over their Titans/Mike Vrabel hump in 2023 by sweeping Tennessee, after having previously lost 5 straight to them. But now they’ll see a new head coach for the Titans in 2024.
-Vikings (7-10): The Vikings have some quarterback questions entering the offseason, with Kirk Cousins a free agent after a torn Achilles. This road game will be one of the louder environments the Colts will encounter in 2024.
