Source: Michael Hickey / Getty
INDIANAPOLIS – We can now put dates and times with the opponents and locations.
The Colts will take on the AFC North and NFC South this season, with a 17th game vs. the Rams to go along with their normal AFC South slate of games.
On paper, the Colts have had far more daunting schedules than this one in 2023.
Here’s the 2023 schedule for the Colts:
1. Week 1: vs. Jaguars, September 10th (Sunday, 1:00 PM, FOX)
Source:Getty
The Colts will open up the 2023 season at home. Jacksonville has to be viewed as the overwhelming favorite in the AFC South this year. And, yes, the Colts haven’t won a season opener since 2013—the longest Week 1 drought in the NFL.
2. Week 2: at Houston, September 17th (Sunday, 1:00 PM, FOX)
Source:Getty
Under new head coach DeMeco Ryans, the Texans made quite the draft splash in selecting Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud at No. 2 overall and then Will Anderson out of Alabama at No. 3. It’s back-to-back AFC South games to start a second straight season.
3. Week 3: at Baltimore, September 24th (Sunday, 1:00 PM, CBS)
Source:Getty
After quite the off-season drama, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens will host the Colts in 2023. The Ravens came back to beat the Colts at home in a Monday night overtime game during the 2021 season.
4. Week 4: vs. Rams, October 1st (Sunday, 1:00 PM, FOX)
Source:Getty
This is the ‘extra’ 17th game this season, with the Colts hosting an NFC opponent. The Rams are sticking with Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford after some uncertainty following a disappointing last season.
5. Week 5: vs. Titans, October 8th (Sunday, 1:00 PM, CBS)
Source:Getty
Even though the Colts have been unable to beat the Titans in recent years, this game will still get circled on the calendar because Tennessee has been the most consistent AFC South team under Mike Vrabel.
6. Week 6: at Jaguars, October 15th (Sunday, 1:00 PM, CBS)
Source:Getty
Yes, we have to point it out: the Colts have not won a game in Jacksonville since the 2014 season and got shutout there this past season. And, for a second straight year, this Colts schedule has a huge chunk of their AFC South schedule early on (4 of their 6 AFC South games before Halloween).
7. Week 7: vs. Browns, October 22nd (Sunday, 1:00 PM, CBS)
Source:Getty
Lucas Oil Stadium has seen Deshaun Watson before, but this time it’ll be in a different color uniform as the Browns visit Indianapolis next season. You have a couple of other connections here in Bubba Ventrone going to Cleveland in the offseason and Rodney McLeod most recently signing there.
8. Week 8: vs. Saints, October 29th (Sunday, 1:00 PM, FOX)
Source:Getty
Unlike the Drew Brees era, the quarterback question is there for the Saints after some Jameis Winston/Andy Dalton action this past season. They went out and gave Derek Carr a 4-year deal, and might just be the favorites in the NFC South now.
9. Week 9: at Panthers, November 5th (Sunday, 4:05 PM, CBS)
Source:Getty
Good amount of intrigue for this matchup as you have Frank Reich leading Carolina now (and a couple more Colts staffers). Plus, we could get an Anthony Richardson/Bryce Young matchup in this one.
10. Week 10: at Patriots (Frankfurt, Germany), November 12th (Sunday, 9:30 PM, NFL Network)
Source:Getty
Instead of heading to Foxborough for perhaps the toughest road environment of the season, the Colts are off to Frankfurt, Germany to play the Patriots. That means 7 road games to go along with their 9 home games and 1 neutral site contest this season.
11. Week 11: Bye
Source:Getty
Unlike in 2016, the Colts will have their bye week following their international game. This bye week comes earlier than the December byes the Colts have had in each of the last two seasons.
12. Week 12: vs. Buccaneers, November 26th (Sunday, 1:00 PM, CBS)
Source:Getty
So no Tom Brady in this matchup, with the Bucs signing Baker Mayfield in the offseason as the quarterback carousel in the NFC South continues. This will be the 20th year anniversary of the Colts historic Monday Night Football comeback in Tampa (although this game will be in Indy).
13. Week 13: at Titans, December 3rd (Sunday, 1:00 PM, CBS)
Source:Getty
The Titans have won 5 straight games against the Colts, but they look to be on the brink of a rebuild after losing several key veterans following last year’s tailspin.
14. Week 14, at Bengals, December 10th (Sunday, 1:00 PM, CBS)
Source:Getty
The Colts have yet to see Joe Burrow/Jamar Chase and the high-powered Bengals in recent years. They will in a trip down I-74 next season, as they return from their bye week with arguably their hardest game of the season.
15. Week 15: Steelers (TBD)
Source:Getty
It’ll be the Steelers coming to Indianapolis for a second straight season, following a Monday Night Football appearance this past year. Mike Tomlin continued his beyond impressive run of 17 straight seasons coaching the Steelers to a .500 or better season.
16. Week 16: at Falcons, December 24th (Sunday, 1:00 PM, FOX)
Source:Getty
So the Matt Ryan feels for this one will not be as apparent. It looks like Desmond Ridder will get a chance to be the full-time starter for the Falcons in 2023.
17. Week 17: Raiders, December 31st (Sunday, 1:00 PM, CBS)
Source:Getty
The Raiders had quite a bit of dysfunction last season, and are now going with Jimmy Garoppolo under center. This is the 6th straight year of the Colts and Raiders meeting.
18. Week 18: Texans (TBD)
Source:Getty
Is C.J. Stroud a Day 1 starter for the Texans? Certainly, perhaps more so than the Colts, the Texans have injected some much-needed life to the most important position in sports.
