During July, the Sports Events Guide NFL department will be analyzing the schedules of every team in the NFL and ranking each game in order of difficulty (with one being the most difficult). This series will be split up into the eight most difficult games (ranked 1-8) and the eight easiest games (ranked 9-16) for each team. In this article, the Indianapolis Colts most difficult games are the focus.
Indianapolis Colts Most Difficult Games in 2016
1. Week 9, Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are one of the most dangerous teams in the National Football League, and the Colts know it. With the likes of Aaron Rodgers, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Eddie Lacy, Davante Adams, and Jeff Janis on offense, they can score a lot of points in a hurry. The Packers are pre-season favorites to be in the NFC Championship, and if the Colts want to prove themselves as legitimate contenders, they need to win this game.
2. Week 12, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the best teams in the AFC. If the Colts are going to be serious about winning the Super Bowl in 2016, home-field advantage would be huge, and beating Pittsburgh is something they’ll have to do. Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell, and Antonio Brown are among the best players in the NFL, and this game could quickly turn into a shootout.
3. Week 2, Denver Broncos
For the first time in his career, Andrew Luck will play the Denver Broncos without the media circus. For the first time since 2012, the Broncos are heading into the regular season without Peyton Manning. No more unfair comparisons, no more media buildup, just one good team versus another good team. A good start isn’t mandatory to a good season, but it certainly helps. Facing off against the defending Super Bowl champions on the road is a tall order. The Colts were mediocre without Luck last year, winning this game would put the rest of the league on notice.
4. Week 8, Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs have the longest active regular season winning streak in the NFL. They’ve got a strong defense, a great running attack, and a talented young tight end. The Chiefs might not be the sexiest team in the league, but they’re definitely dangerous. The only reason Kansas City isn’t higher on this list is that the next three teams on this list have played in a Super Bowl in the last decade.
5. Week 15, Minnesota Vikings
Much like Oakland, the Minnesota Vikings are a bright young team with a lot of potential. The defense is littered with stars like Harrison Smith, Linval Joseph, and Anthony Barr, and they won’t make life easy on Andrew Luck. On offense, it doesn’t get any easier as Indianapolis will have to contain Adrian Peterson, one of the best rushers of all time. The difficulty of this game hinges on whether quarterback Teddy Bridgewater steps up or not in 2016. The Vikings went out and got him weapons this off-season, and if his numbers continue to be mediocre, so will the team.
6. Week 16, Oakland Raiders
Not much needs to be said about the 2016 Oakland Raiders. They’ve received a massive amount of hype this off-season and are expected to make the playoffs. The Colts and Raiders don’t lock up until week 16, but depending on how the rest of the schedule plays out, this game could be huge. Andrew Luck and the Colts against Khalil Mack and the Raiders with the playoffs on the line? If the Texans or Jaguars give the Colts a run for the AFC South, the Raiders could play spoilers for Indianapolis.
7. Week 13, New York Jets
The New York Jets are one of the biggest mysteries in the NFL. New York was one of the surprise teams in 2015, winning ten games and setting several franchise records. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick broke Vinny Testaverde‘s record for touchdown passes in a season when he connected with Brandon Marshall for his 30th score in week 17, and Marshall’s 109 catches, 1502 yards, and 14 touchdowns were also records. Individual achievements aside, the Jets were also fourth in the league in total defense.
The Jets just narrowly missed out of the playoffs in 2015, and common sense dictates that they’d be contenders again in 2016, especially with the suspension of Tom Brady. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for New York. Firstly, the stars of the team aren’t getting any younger. Fitzpatrick is 33, Marshall is 32, and recently signed running back, Matt Forte, is 30. Secondly, in a bizarre twist, the aging Fitzpatrick has yet to re-sign.
Reportedly, Fitzpatrick wants a big, multi-year contract, and the Jets aren’t budging. In his eleven year career, Fitzpatrick has never thrown for 4,000 yards, and before 2015, he hadn’t thrown for 30 touchdowns. The Jets won’t overpay Fitzpatrick, and Fitzpatrick won’t pay for less than the number in his head. If the Jets have a different quarterback under center, this game might be on the wrong list.
8. Week 6, Houston Texans
The Houston Texans were the champions of the AFC South in 2015 while the horseshoes struggled. Of course, they barely edged Indianapolis out, finishing with one more win than the Luck-less Colts. In 2016, they’ll try to right this wrong by facing the Texans for the first time in week six. Luck and the Colts will have to travel to Houston, in primetime, on national television to play J.J. Watt and the Texans.
Houston made some moves this off-season, signing quarterback Brock Osweiler and running back Lamar Miller to revamp their offense. It remains to be seen if Osweiler and Miller can transform the Texans into serious contenders, but with the help of star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, they certainly have to potential to give the Colts a hard time.
Two years ago, the Colts were in the AFC Championship game. If they plan on returning this year, they’re going to have to overcome some very difficult opponents, especially on the road. As is often the case, this team will live or die on the arm of it’s young quarterback. Whether Luck finally breaks into the stratosphere and carries his team to the promised land remains to be seen.
Be sure to check out the eight easiest games on the Colts schedule.
