Looking at the 2010 schedule for the Colts, they face a rough opening
stretch, with road games in three of their first four games and only two home
games in their first six before heading into their bye in Week 7.
Two of
their first six games will be in prime time, with Sunday night contests against
two NFC East teams in the Giants and Redskins. First up is a home tilt
against Peyton Manning's brother Eli Manning in Week 2. That will be a
game marked by media hype and compelling storylines, but not something that the
Mannings are likely to discuss at the dinner table at Thanksgiving.
Washington had a relatively quiet offseason by their standards, but it will be
interesting to see what the veteran presence of Donovan McNabb brings to a squad
that has made it clear that they do not want to repeat the failures of 2009.
The NFC East had two playoff teams in 2009 and the Redskins were the only
club to finish with a losing record, so they are a difficult non-conference draw
for the Colts. In 2009, Indianapolis posted a 4-0 record in non-conference
play and it will be difficult for them to duplicate that feat in 2010.
In the AFC, the Colts catch a break in that they get to play against the
still-developing AFC West. The Kansas City Chiefs will be looking to
rebound from a 4-12 finish last season and the Raiders have struggled through
most of this century, posting a 5-11 record last year.
What's interesting
is that Indianapolis draws the Denver Broncos at Denver in Week 3. The
Broncos have historically fared better in the first half of the season than in
the second and are especially tough at home in the early going, so the Colts
should be prepared for a fight in that early-season matchup.
San Diego has
been a matchup nightmare for Indianapolis the past few seasons, so the Week 12
battle versus the Chargers on a Sunday night figures to be just that.
Home-road splits have not proven to work to the advantage of the Colts in the
recent history of that series, but it is fortunate that that game is at Lucas
Oil Stadium.
As the AFC South division winner in 2009, Indianapolis faces the other
division winners from last season in Cincinnati and New England. The
Patriots have proven to be a tough out in any season and the Bengals will look
to improve the potency of their offense after a strong defensive performance in
2009. It would have been preferable if the Ravens and Dolphins had won
their respective divisions last season, as the Colts match up more favorably
against those clubs, but a team can only play the games on their schedule.
With six home games in their last ten, it is critical that Indianapolis head
into their Week 7 bye with a winning record. If they can host Houston in
Week 8 with at least a 4-2 record, they will be well-positioned to win their
division, which would guarantee them a playoff spot and a chance to compete for
another title. The key to success for Indianapolis this century has been
getting out to a fast start and they will need to repeat that effort to have
continued success in 2010. But, simply getting off to a fast start may not
be sufficient.
In order to win their division and advance to the postseason, the Colts need
to continue their dominance of the AFC South. The past four seasons,
Indianapolis has gone 21-3 in their division, which has been instrumental in
their success. They have four division games after the bye versus two
before the bye, with three of those contests after the bye coming at home.
They need to avoid a late-season swoon — especially against Tennessee, who they
play twice, with one of those games coming on the road on a Thursday night after
four days rest following a tough home game against a talented Cowboys team —
lest they lose their hold on the division. So far this century, for the
most part, the road to an AFC South title has gone through Indianapolis and the
Colts need that to continue.
2010 Indianapolis Colts Schedule
| Date |
Opponent |
Time |
| Sept. 12 |
at Houston |
1 p.m. |
| Sept. 19 |
New York Giants |
8:20 p.m. |
| Sept. 26 |
at Denver |
4:15 p.m. |
| Oct. 3 |
at Jacksonville |
4:05 p.m. |
| Oct. 10 |
Kansas City |
1 p.m. |
| Oct. 17 |
at Washington |
8:20 p.m. |
| Nov. 1 |
Houston |
8:30 p.m. |
| Nov. 7 |
at Philadelphia |
4:15 p.m. |
| Nov. 14 |
Cincinnati |
1 p.m. |
| Nov. 21 |
at New England |
4:15 p.m. |
| Nov. 28 |
San Diego |
8:20 p.m. |
| Dec. 5 |
Dallas |
4:15 p.m. |
| Dec. 9 |
at Tennessee |
8:20 p.m. |
| Dec. 19 |
Jacksonville |
1 p.m. |
| Dec. 26 |
at Oakland |
4:05 p.m. |
| Jan. 2 |
Tennessee |
1:00 p.m. |
Visit the ColtPower.com forums!
Follow ColtPower's updates on Twitter!
Take advantage of our FREE seven-day trial!