Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis Colts 2021 Schedule Analysis

Episode Date: May 13, 2021

On today's episode, Evan is joined by Stampede Blue's Stephen Reed to go over the Indianapolis Colts' 2021 schedule. After Indy's 17-game schedule was revealed, what stands out most? We dive into all the biggest takeaways, plus predict each week.If you want in-depth analysis on the Colts' schedule, you're going to want to check this one out! What's your prediction for how the Colts finish the 2021 season? Evan and Stephen provide their final record predictions, plus so much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You are Locked On Colts, your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello everybody, welcome back into your latest episode of Locked On Colts, part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Today's always your host, Evan Sidery, joined by Stephen Reed of Stampede Blue here to go over the Colts schedule. We finally have some games to talk about here, Stephen, looking ahead to the regular season in September. The full schedule is out, 17 games this year for the first time ever.

I mean, the biggest takeaway to me, Stephen, I mean, getting 17 games looks a lot different on paper, saying maybe 12-5 or 10-7 instead of 10-6 or 12-4. I mean, what's your overall thoughts, first off, just on the schedule and finally having it out? I mean, I'm excited. It's always good to know where and when you play, guys. We've obviously known for a while who we were playing. We just didn't know the when and the where. I'll tell you that the first five games of the schedule is really tough, but then the back

half of the schedule is a lot more manageable, I think. And then having the bye week so late in the season, I think could be really tough for a team that, honestly, I don't think that they would have minded having the bye week early this year with the signing of Eric Fisher officially announced, I think, today. I think that they would have probably preferred to have a little bit earlier of a bye week, but the NFL gave the Colts, again, no favors. So that's not super surprising. Yeah, the late bye week is very interesting to me. Week 14 is their bye. So 13 straight weeks. From a Colts fan's perspective, three straight months of Colts football

without a week break on is fun. But for the players, that's going to be a really tough sledding for that, especially integrating guys like Eric Fisher, Dio Oding, but back into the mix later in the season. But, Stephen, let's go over really quick. I'm going to go through the schedule, weeks 1 through 18, and after I go through it all, we'll go through each game and some important marks in the season to look out for.

Week 1, the home opener is against the Seahawks at 1 o'clock. Next week, home against the LA Rams at 1 o'clock. Then three straight games on the road, the Titans, the Dolphins, the Ravens. The Ravens is on Monday night football. And then the Texans on the 17th, the 49ers at San Francisco on the 24th of October. That's on Sunday night football. Then on Halloween, they have Titans at 1 o'clock. The Jets Thursday night football at home November 4th.

That's their only home primetime game this year on Thursday night football against the Jets. And then they play Trevor Lawrence the week after that for the first time with Jacksonville. And then the week after that, they have the Buffalo Bills November 21st. Tom Brady Thanksgiving weekend is going to be fun back at Lucasola Stadium at one o'clock. And then they play the Houston Texans December 5th at one o'clock. By week, week 14. And the final four games, December 18th and 19th, the New England Patriots. Christmas Day, that's, I think, the first time ever, Stephen, that's ever happened to the Colts. Christmas Day at Arizona against the Cardinals, a primetime matchup.

And their last two games, home against the Raiders and away against the Jaguars on January 9th. First reaction, Stephen, what's your overall thoughts on that schedule there? Because that's our first fight. The one that stands out to me the most is the first five weeks. I mean, that is super tough sledding there. You open against Russell Wilson. The week after that, you play Matt Stafford and Aaron Donald,

and you're on the road three straight weeks against five legitimate playoff contenders with Tennessee, Miami, Baltimore. All five of those teams have a real shot at making the playoffs next year, Steven. Yeah, I mean, it's, it's tough. I'll be honest that I first saw the opening stretch of the, those first five, six games and said, wow, that's, that might be the hardest first set of five games in the NFL.

I think the winning percentage of those teams last year was like 65. So like six, when you're in point 650. And then, but then the back half of the schedule, those those winning record of those guys were like, point 350. So you're looking at 3500 versus versus like 6,500 to start. Yeah, what gets me is, you know, the first five games, you know, I noticed that was difficult to start. I'm a little upset that the Tennessee games are early in the season. I think both Tennessee games are in the first half of the season, which kind of stinks because those are going to be your AFC South contenders likely at the end of the season.

So I would have much rather had those games when they like more meaningful. So every game matters, but that you kind of put a little bit more pressure, more emphasis in those games that are late in the season. So I would have much rather had Tennessee be later in the year than having them both right up front. I mean, quite honestly, Eric Fisher might not be back for either Tennessee game. So that's kind of a little bit of a gut punch by the NFL there to do that to their Colts. Now, again, when the schedule was made, they didn't know the Colts weren't going to have,

were going to sign Eric Fisher or anything like that. But it's tough. The other thing that I like to look at, um, is basically who teams play before they play the Colts, which I think is interesting. Um, you know, and I brought up Tennessee in those first opening of the season, um, you know, week three, and I think week eight is when they play their two Tennessee games and having Tennessee that first week or that third week of the season in that first meeting Tennessee the week prior is at Seattle which is a very difficult place to play out there in Washington and then the second game that the Colts play against Tennessee in week eight. The week prior to that, the Titans play at home versus Kansas City.

So Tennessee doesn't get any breaks either leading up to it, which kind of works out well for the Colts. I just think that they really grouped in the really tough games for the Colts all into a couple blocks. You've got those first five games, and then you've got there in the middle of the season at Buffalo, and then home against Tampa Bay. Everything surrounding that, I feel like the Colts are probably going to end up with a pretty good record if they can make it out of those first five weeks at 3-2, 4-1. I think that Frank Reich and Chris Ballard will be ecstatic about that.

Yeah, it's going to be really interesting. We're going to close the show going through each game with a record prediction and see what happens at the end of it. But looking over that schedule for the first five weeks, again, it's Seattle, L.A., at Tennessee, at Miami, at Baltimore. After that, though, week 11 and week 12, you have at Buffalo and at home against the Buccaneers. But before that, between weeks 6 through weeks 10, like that's a really soft part of the schedule.

I think the Colts could really capitalize on it. If they start out slow, let's say hypothetically, somehow they go 1-4, they go 2-3, they could really bounce back in short order here. They have the Texans at home at San Francisco on Sunday Night Football. I think Sam Fran might still be playing Jimmy Garoppolo at that point. Tennessee, then Zach Wilson and Trevor Lawrence back-to-back weeks for the first time in their rookie seasons.

I think I could see easily, Stephen, over this stretch of games here, I could see the Colts going 4-5-0 here. And you have the Tennessee Titans at home, too, for the second time, so that could be a really good matchup for them as well. They're going to be fully healthy this time around. The Colts should have won last year at home at the Casillas Stadium when they played Tennessee, but COVID-19 wiped out their team for that one week.

I think this stretch of games here, before they play Buffalo and Tampa Bay in weeks 11 and 12, from weeks 6 through weeks 10, that's a really, really good part of the schedule where they can really bounce back if they have to. Yeah, traditionally what you see is teams that will break up the schedule into quarters.

So you look at the first four games, second four games. Now with 17-game schedule, you really can't do that. It's not a clean break anywhere. So, yeah, I think you're right though. After that first five games, the next four or five games in there are all very winnable games. You know, hosting Houston, going on the road to San Francisco on a Sunday night football game, which the Colts will be pumped for

because it'll be their second national game there in three weeks because they'll be at Baltimore on Monday Night Football. And then you get to host Kansas City. You get a short week. Thankfully for the Colts, that short week that they have, even though they do play Tennessee the week before, they host the Jets, which for the Colts, in years past, I think they've almost exclusively been

on the road for Thursday Night Football, and that was mainly their only primetime game of recent memory. And so I'm very excited for the Colts to get to host a Thursday night football game because on a short week, not having to travel, being able to stay at home, I think it's going to give the Colts just a significant advantage over a first-year coach over there with Robert Saw and a, you know, rookie quarterback. You know, then you've got that Jacksonville game hosting Jacksonville. You've got a great opportunity to string off five straight wins there. And really, if you struggle to start the season, it really gives you a chance to kind of recoup that and be able to come back and give yourself a strong push leading into that Buffalo game. And if you played well during that first five games of the season, you can really put a stranglehold on the AFC South.

Looking at the latter part of the schedule here, we'll just combine Buffalo and Tampa into the last part of the schedule here. We can really have those two games be on its own there, but just to make it easier, at Buffalo, home against Tampa Bay, at Houston, by week, week 14, and then New England, Arizona for Christmas, Las Vegas, and Jacksonville. Outside of those first two games, Buffalo and Tampa, which could easily be both losses, quite honestly, Stephen. After that, though, the Colts could run the table.

I mean, Houston, you have New England with Mack Jones at that point, I think will be the starter over Cam Newton. Kyler Murray and Arizona is going to be a really tough matchup, though, in my opinion, on Christmas Day. Then you have Vegas, who their defense is really poor. I think the Colts do very well against them. We saw it last year. And then at Jacksonville, in a playoff-type environment for them,

I think they're going to win that game when Jacksonville has nothing to play for. What do you think about that last part of the schedule there over those last seven games? I think after the Tampa Bay game, the Colts again could run that table and go five and oh four and one and feel really confident heading into the playoffs one thing that frustrated me about the schedule making in itself is that the Colts when the Colts host New England in week 15 um typically you know teams will get their opponent will be playing the week before um in this situation this year new england has a bye week um so the nfl again negated the colts bye week advantage by giving the opponent also a bye week so it's kind of again a frustrating thing that the schedule makers do um but as a whole, I think after you get past Tampa Bay, you know, Houston, New England, Arizona, Las Vegas, and Jacksonville, none of those teams really scare me.

And so it gives the Colts a really good opportunity to get rolling heading into the playoffs. Yeah, that's the really good part about it. It's a really murderous row stretch for the first five weeks of the season. But really the last four to five weeks of this season, it could see exact opposite. It could be a cakewalk type scenario for them. I think New England's not going to be that good this year. They're going to be playing a rookie quarterback most of the year. Arizona is the one team on this list I'm kind of worried about. They could really take a leap this year with Kyler Murray. But outside of that, though, I think that could be like a four-in-one type of stretch for them where

they could really take advantage if they'd have to with a tough part of the stretch of the first part of the season, Stephen. But let me ask you about the season opener, though. Russell Wilson, the Colts haven't won a season opener since 2013, Andrew Luck's second season in the NFL. Of course, the Colts are trying to break that streak, Stephen, but of course the NFL gives them Russell Wilson and the Seahawks. Yeah, I'm not – the Seahawks have been kind of so up and down. Recently, one of the

things with the schedule makers, again, is normally when a team goes west coast to what ultimately is kind of east coast going from Seattle to Indianapolis, it's a pretty long plane ride. Most of the time that happens in the middle of the season so that the home team gets a little bit of an advantage because it's a long flight. And so to have it be the opening game of the season is, you know, it kind of stinks for the Colts in that because they don't get any kind of advantage to it. As a whole, I don't think Seattle is as good as they've been in the past. Their defense is questionable. They've replaced a couple starters there. The offense, I really don't know too much about Seattle. I just know that they've got Russell Wilson, and it'll be a good test, honestly,

for the Colts' defense to start the season because Russell Wilson and it'll be a good test, honestly, for the Colts defense to start the season because Russell Wilson is a more mobile quarterback and that's the quarterback that the Colts have had a lot of trouble with, at least throughout last season. So I think it's going to be a really good test for those young defensive ends and the guys that they've signed to see if they're able to contain Russell Wilson and be able to keep hold of him. And it's going to be a really good test for the corners because DK Metcalf is, you know, which is an absolute beast. And I think if the Colts are going to be able to be successful here,

they're going to have to get to Russell Wilson. Because if you let DK Metcalf run on the fast track here in Indianapolis, it could be a long day for the secondary. So you kind of hope that they're able to stop Russell Wilson and come up big. Then you've got the offense that you hope is going to be able to, you know, really establish the run early, which is, I think, probably going to be the goal, at least to start the season. Probably it's going to be really similar to how when Andrew Luck came back

after he was injured, how Frank Reich just kind of nursed him into the system and let him get his confidence back before really unleashing things. Last point here, Steve, before we dive game by game into it and get our predictions on the board here, our way-too-early predictions for the 2021 season with the schedule release being tonight here on Wednesday. I mean, the individual matchups here across the schedule, the one that stands out the most to me is week two, Aaron Donald, Quentin Nelson.

That is going to be a titan of a matchup there. I think they should have a camera on Fox for that matchup, Stephen. Just follow those guys around on the line of scrimmage the whole game because we're probably going to see about six, seven, eight viral moments between those two guys going one-on-one yeah i would love that like they just do this guy cam and it's just is it just stays right there on that matchup whenever they match up now quite honestly what i think you know the rams are going to do is they're going to move aaron donald off of clinton nelson move him over to to Mark Lewinsky because they really don't – because Quentin Nelson could effectively negate Aaron Donald.

Like, he's really that good of an offensive guard. He would at least slow him down a lot better than Mark Lewinsky would. So I would think that the Rams are going to try to move Aaron Donald around, but I would love to see that matchup. There's, you know, there's a couple good matchups. I'm looking forward to seeing Darius Leonard and those linebackers try to keep track of Lamar Jackson in that Baltimore on the Monday night game. It's the first Monday night game that the Colts have had in several years.

So I'm really excited about that. Let's see. Yeah, there's some good ones in there. You got the rematch versus Buffalo, which I think is going to be a really exciting game right there. Week 12, I think, or week 11. And so the Colts have got some really good games this year. I'm surprised that the Buffalo game wasn't a primetime game. I'm also surprised the Tampa

Bay game wasn't a primetime game, but I'm very excited for the Colts to get that Arizona game on Christmas day. Yeah, that's going to be a really fun one. Having that Christmas experience with the family and watching some Colts football, it's going to be really fun for everyone out there listening. But last point here, I guess I'll say, Stephen, because I've seen a lot of the beat writers like Jim Aiello, Joel Erickson, Kevin Bowen all chime in with their stories tonight about this. But what's your thoughts on the Colts getting these primetime games? They have four total.

It could be five if they flex New England later in the year. But as of right now, they have just one primetime home game, and it's a throwaway game, so to say, against the New York Jets where the Colts could easily just beat them by 20-plus points. And a lot of people might tune out nationally after the first half or so. It seems like to me a lot of people, and I think it's fair to say, like the Colts haven't had – it's crazy to say, Stephen, the Colts have not had a Monday night football game

or a Sunday night football game at home in Lucas Oil Stadium since 2015. That's going to be six straight years now, Stephen, without the Colts having a Sunday night or a Monday night football game at home in Lucas Oil Stadium since 2015. That's going to be six straight years now, Stephen, without the Colts having a Sunday night or Monday night game at Lucas Oil Stadium. That's crazy, isn't it? That really is crazy because Lucas Oil Stadium is one of the most – it's one of the most beautiful stadiums in the NFL. It's one of the coolest stadiums to see a game in.

And the NFL, I feel like really loves like showing Lucas Oil because it's really an architectural just beautiful beautiful venue um I really I was frustrated about that too where the only home game they get is the New York Jets and they're like what's the least you can do you know to give us a home game this year and they're like okay fine we'll give you one on Thursday night and it's the Jets and that's literally the least they could do um is for the Colts and so I'm frustrated with it too you know to you know go on the road Monday night football to Baltimore that that really kind of is it's tough and then you know Sunday night football. There's San Francisco.

Both of their – two of their three primetime games on the road are across the country, which is difficult for an East Coast team. So, like, San Francisco, that time change, you're running the game at, like, they play it at 820, so it's effectively going to be 1120 Indianapolis time. Arizona, I don't know what time the game is going to be. I don't remember what time the game is on Christmas. But it's still going to be two to three hours later. So that's going to be tough.

The one game I do think that they might flex if they get the opportunity is maybe that Week 12 game with Tampa Bay. I think that would be a really good one for the NFL to flex out, flex it up to the Sunday game if they can do that. Hey Colts fans, listen up. Nugenix, the number one selling free testosterone booster at GNC, is offering a complimentary bottle to all football fans in America. To get a complimentary bottle of Nugenix Total, text DRAFT to 231231.

This unique man-boosting formula is powered by testofen, which helps boost free testosterone and total testosterone levels and increase energy and lean muscle mass. Plus, texts now include a bottle of Nugenics Thermo, their most powerful fat incinerator ever, with key ingredients to help you get back in shape absolutely free. Text DRAFT to 231231. That's DRAFT, D-R-A-F-T, to 231231. Messages and data rates may apply. That's DRAFT, D-R-A-F-T, to 231-231. Measured data rates may apply.

Let's dive in, Stephen, now. We're going to go game by game real quick through this schedule for the Colts. We talked about this at the top of the show, but looking at this first game, week one, Russell Wilson coming to town with the Seattle Seahawks. I think the Seahawks are vulnerable here, though. The Colts have not won a season over since 2013. The Seahawks' defense we saw at points last year get absolutely decimated by teams with good offenses. If Carson Wentz can really come out and really just get an immediate sync

with Frank Reich, which I think is a real possibility, like we saw with the Brewers last year, I think the Colts can win this game. I think it's going to be a shootout type of game. Russell Wilson, I think, will do some damage against the Colts' defense as they start to gel together for the first couple weeks. But I'm going to go with the Colts breaking the streak, Stephen. I'm going to have them beating the Seattle Seahawks and start off the year 1-0. What about you? Yeah, I agree. I think the Colts are going to beat the Seahawks there week one. I think the defensive line is really

going to start to try to set the tone in that game early. And I don't think Seattle's done enough to help the offensive line. And if Russell Wilson gets hit, he's going to get a little bit yiddish. He's going to cough up the ball. I think that they're going to be able to really set the tone with DeForest Buckner up front. And then Quidipe, I think – Quidipe's got an opportunity to have a really big game to start the season, which I think would be huge for him.

And I think the offensive line for the Colts is going to be able to just run the ball – run the damn ball. And that's what they're going to do. So we both have 1-0 to start the year. If that's the case, that's going to be really good because the Colts have not had that in their record in a very long time since 2013 week two homing it's the Los Angeles Rams Matthew Stafford is now the quarterback and Sean McVay's offense you have obviously Aaron Donald leading the Rams defense Gian Ramsey's also on that side of the ball too I'm kind of worried

about this game too I think the Rams match up very well with the Colts I think they can control line of scrimmage if they want to, if Aaron Donald comes out to play. I could see, actually, the Rams moving Aaron Donald over to defensive end in this game if they want to, and have him over Sam Tevey. And that could be a really bad thing for the Colts if they have Aaron Donald on an island against Sam Tevey

or Leonard Floyd, too. He's a very underrated defensive end. I think the Stafford- McVay connection, the Rams offense, too, they're probably going to throw in some new wrinkles we haven't seen before because Sean McVay has never had a quarterback like Matthew Stafford. So I'm going to say that the Colts drop this one. I'm going to go one and one on the season. I think it's going to be a really closely contested game, but I think the Rams edge out the Colts in this one. I think this one's a tough one. My gut reaction says that the Colts will win this game

because the Rams are coming across the country. They don't typically, you know, a lot of West Coast teams don't typically play well when they cross country. It'll be the second game for Matt Stafford in this new system. It's, you know, with the same kind of protocols that are going in, it's a new system for him, new wide receivers. Who knows if they've got an opportunity to work out as much as Carson Wentz and his wide receivers have at this point.

So I kind of think that the Colts have an opportunity to sneak this one out. I do think it's going to be a close game. I would actually probably have the Colts. I feel like the Colts are going to win this game here and go start the season 2-0. Yeah, I could totally see that. This one was one of my biggest toss-ups for me because I could see it really going either way. So I have 1-1. Stephen has 2-0 through the first two games. Week 3 at Tennessee. These are always close to contested battles. How do you see it happening in Nashville, Stephen? That's going to be a wild atmosphere, I imagine, too.

I know the Titans fans, for some reason, they're always talking about the Colts on Twitter. That seems like the Colts are always in their head a little bit. So that's going to be a fun atmosphere there in Nashville for this one. I think the Colts are going to win in Nashville. And I know that it's, I'm starting the season off 3-0 right now. I just, the Colts, for whatever reason, play great in Tennessee. It's like, you know like Lucas Oil Stadium South there in Nashville. They always have a ton of fans. It's almost not even like a home game for Tennessee when the Colts come to town. I don't think Tennessee's

done enough to fix their defense. I think they've lost a ton of skill position players this year. Losing Corey Corey Davis losing Johnny Smith you know Diana Rossini of ESPN mentioned oh they brought in that one wide receiver this offseason and that and Mina Kimes had to like tell her what what his name was and that's who they replaced. These two really call quality skill position players. I just, I just don't think the Titans are as good as their record has shown the past couple of years. You know,

I give them credit for winning the division this first time since like 2008. But I just don't think that they're as, as good as they think they are. Yeah, I think losing Arthur Smith especially too, now the head coach with the Atlanta Falcons, he brought a lot of creativity to that offense. I think the Colts are going to win this game as well. I think it could actually be a blowout game for them

because I think the Titans offense is going to be looking a lot different this year. I think Derrick Henry might be losing some steam as well. I know he's been having really good seasons with Tennessee, but I wonder when those wheels start to fall off there. He's had, I think, over 500 touches in the last two, two and a half years. So you have to wonder how his body's going to hold up at this point. We'll have to see.

But I have the Titans and the Colts in week three, the Colts winning in that one. So I have two and one. Steven, you have three and O. You're on to Miami. This is going to be a fun match. I think they're pretty evenly matched up on paper. I would say I think the Colts are a tier above Miami. But if Tua Tagovailoa does take a leap this year in 2021,

that Miami team could be actually really good this year. I have the Colts winning this game at Miami. I think it's going to be really close to contested again. I think they kind of rattled Tua, though, in this one. Tua has not handled pressure well so far in his career on the rookie level. We'll have to see how it adjusts in year two, but a lot of young pieces there in Miami, I don't know if they're on the Colts level just yet, so I'm going to go with the Colts winning this

one. Yeah, I agree and quite honestly for pretty much the same reasons. I just don't think Tua is going to be able to take that step and they're not going to have Fitzmagic there or Ryan Fitzpatrick to save them in the fourth quarter if he needs to. Miami is going to take a step, but I just don't think they're quite on the level of what the

Colts are this year. So I'd have the Colts winning that game as well. So that's 4-0, and if this does happen, I have to wonder what the schedule that the Colts have in the first five weeks of the season. If the Colts are starting 4-0 in the scenario that you're pointing out here, Stephen, I think Carson Wentz might be getting some early MVP buzz, or at least comeback player of the year, like consensus comeback player of the year at this point. Because if they start 4-0 through this gauntlet of the first part of the schedule, not only will Colts be so on Carson Wentz, but I think Carson Wentz will start to turn heads nationally too. Yeah, I agree.

And when we finally get done with the schedule and you see that I've got them going 17-0, I agree. And you know, when we finally get done with these, the schedule and you see that I've got him going 17 and 0, I'm just joking. Yeah, I think that the, at that point, he'd be the front runner for comeback player of the year with how poorly he played last year in Philadelphia. He would be right up there in that conversation. And quite honestly, I think that he's got this opportunity to be a top 10, top 12 quarterback in the NFL. And that's just if he just comes in and does what he's supposed to do. If he comes back to the level that he was in Philadelphia in 2017 to 2019, he's probably a top five quarterback in the MVP discussion, especially after, you know, in my scenario starting off 4-0, and quite honestly,

in your scenario too, 3-1, that's still a really good start given how difficult the opening part of the schedule is. Yeah, I think it's going to be really interesting to see what happens here. Week 5, though, is really a tough matchup for them, closing out this gauntlet of a stretch. Week 5 at Baltimore, Monday Night Football, it's going to be a crazy atmosphere there in Baltimore, Maryland. Lamar Jackson got them last time when they played last year at Lucasola Stadium.

Obviously two different teams now this year, but I have the Colts losing this game at Baltimore. I'm really curious to see how the Baltimore offense does this year, but I don't know. This feels like one of those games to me, Stephen, where I'm going to put a loss down just because it feels like to me, it just feels like a loss. I don't know if that will happen in October, but when you see the schedule off first glance, at least to me, I feel like this might be a scheduled loss.

Yeah, I'm in that same boat. This is my first loss of the season for the Colts is here at Baltimore on Monday Night Football. Baltimore gets really hyped for primetime games, and they get extra hype when Indianapolis comes to town because they refuse to put Colts on the billboard or on the scoreboard. It's just Indianapolis. And so there's a lot of the pent up angst in the city of Baltimore and you can feel it, um, from whenever you drive through there, uh, how much they really don't like the Colts.

And so, yeah, I just think that this is going to be a tough matchup for the Colts. I think it'll be a good matchup. And I think this game will be a lot closer than people think it might be. But I think this is one where the Colts end up dropping it at the end. So we are now – I have three and two. Steven, you have four and one. That's through the gauntlet of dropping it at the end. So we are now, I have three and two, Stephen, you have four and one. That's through the gauntlet of the stretch of the schedule, which is the first part of it.

And I think the Colts fare very well if they even go three and two or four and one. They're set up very well here for the next couple of weeks, I think to really make some separation if they want to in the AFC South. But we're on to week six, which is a home against the Houston Texans. No clue if Deshaun Watson even plays this year with what's going on off the field with him. It's just a dumpster fire there in Houston. They might be an 0-17 team this year, the way their roster is constructed right now, if Deshaun Watson does not play.

I think this is a game where the Colts come back. They're pissed off after losing in Baltimore if that does happen. And they just put a butt whooping on the Houston Texans. I think they could win this game by 20-20 plus, like we saw last year at the Jets game. I agree. I think that this is a win. The difficult thing is they're going to be coming off a short week against a tough opponent in Baltimore,

but they really got kind of a blessing that they come home and they play Houston. They have a couple of those situations where they have a tough week or they've got, you know, there's some intricacies of the scheduling. But, yeah, with Houston here, I think that this is just going to be a blowout. Yeah, I totally agree with that. I think this is the easiest one to predict on the schedule right now when you look ahead toward October 17th when the Houston Texans come to town.

And I think they're going to get really a blowout win for the Colts against the Texans. But week seven, this is one of the more interesting matches to me on paper, Steven. At San Francisco, Sunday night football, no clue if Jimmy Garoppolo or Trey Lance is starting quarterback at that point. But this is going to be a defensive slugfest. This is DeForest Buckner's return to San Francisco.

He's going to have a lot of motivation on the line to go prove his old team wrong for trading him away. I think this is going to be a slugfest type game.'m thinking like 16-14 Colts winning this one I yeah I think that the Colts are going to win I don't know about it being low scoring because Kyle Shanahan's offenses usually can can put up points but I do think that it's going to be a slugfest from the defense I think it's going to be a proven game for DeForest Buckner. He wants to go out and show to them that the 49ers made the wrong decision trading him away. And so I think he's going to make the night very long for whoever is there

starting at quarterback for San Francisco. So I do think that the Colts come out and again, are pumped to be on primetime. Want to kind of make up for the fact that they would have gotten beat in week five at Baltimore and really show the nation what they've got. So I think the Colts will come out and win this game. Moving on here to week eight with the Tennessee Titans, Halloween Day at Lucasolo Stadium.

That's going to be a really fun matchup here, the last match against the Tennessee Titans. I had the Colts sweep the Tennessee, Stephen. I think this year is the one where they go out and sweep the Titans, and they start to get back on that roll against them. I had the Colts winning. It might not even be a close game. I think this could be one where the Colts have

extra motivation to put Tennessee away early in the divisional race. Yeah, I agree. I've got the Colts winning here. I think Tennessee playing Kansas City the week before has been a really wear them out. They might get blown out, and they might want to have a bounce back game here against the Colts. But I think that the Colts at home with the weapons that they have, and like I talked about earlier with what Tennessee has lost and not done to regain,

I think it's going to be the biggest problem for them. So I really do feel like this is the opportunity for the Colts to kind of put the division away. You effectively get an extra game advantage since you will have won both of the head-to-head matchups. So it gives the Colts a little bit of breathing room there at the end of the season if they want to, you know, depending on where they're at in terms of seeding,

if they're able to win both the games against Tennessee, it gives them a little extra wiggle room to drop a game late if they want to rest, guys. BetOnline is the fastest and easiest way to bet on all your sports action. Baseball scenes and full swinging track all the action over at BetOnline. Get all the latest news, odds, and info for all your sporting needs, including MLB, NBA, NHL, and your UFC action. For the next pitch, head over to BetOnline.com or laptop or mobile device and check out all the great sporting news, sign-up bonuses, and contest

information. Don't sell the signs anymore. This is your chance to get into the game as teams prepare for their runs to the playoffs. Head to the website or use the mobile device right now to sign up today and receive a 50% off welcome bonus on your first deposit. Again, that's 50% off on your first deposit with BetOnline and the promo code is LOCKEDON.

L-O-C-K-A-D-O-N. 50% off over at BetOnline with the promo code LOCKEDON. BetOnline, your online sportsbook experts. Bilt Bar is the best tasting protein bar ever. They have nine delicious flavors, and ones really that are limited time or their usual ones that all taste so good. I've tried Bilt Bars every single flavor, and they truly are incredible. It tastes nothing like a protein bar, and it's a healthy candy bar, so to say, which makes it even better. There's something for everyone out there on Bilt Bar and most flavors have 17 grams of protein

and only 4 grams of sugar all within 130 calories. So a great tasting snack that's hydrating throughout the day while you enjoy a Bilt Bar. Order today and get whatever flavors you like over at Bilt Bar. Go to BiltBar.com and use promo code LOCKED15, and you'll get 15% off your first order of Bilt Bars.

Again, use promo code LOCKED15, L-O-C-K-E-D-1-5, for 15% off at BiltBar.com. Yeah, looking at really the halfway point, it's hard to say the halfway point, whether it's week 8, week 9 now, and the 17-game regular season. But for me, 6-2 at this point, Stephen, for you, seven and one, this Colts team, if this does happen, they will be one of the top teams in the AFC and one to be a force to watch

out for throughout the rest of the season. Going on to week nine, the only home primetime game this year for the Annapolis Colts, hoping it's Zach Wilson, number two overall pick and the New York Jets. What's your thoughts on this one, Stephen? I think this is another one where almost at the Houston game, they get under Zach Wilson's skin early. They rattle the rookie quarterback,

and this could be a really long day for the Jets. Yeah, I think this is a cold squint. It's a short week for the New York Jets to fly to Indianapolis. Robert Sala, again, a rookie head coach. You know, you've got a rookie quarterback. You're going to be in prime time, and so I think it's going to be tough for them to really kind of come up to the lights and then zach wilson in college he like basically never got

touched at byu so i'm going to wonder how he's feeling at week nine in the season after finally getting hit a few times in the nfl uh i feel like the colts are going to be able to get under his skin um and he's going to make some unforced errors kind of like what Sam Darnold did last year against the Colts. Back-to-back rookie quarterbacks now for the first time. I think a lot of matches here in the future, Trevor Lawrence, new Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback, number one overall pick coming to town week 10,

Luke Sola Stadium. What's your thoughts on this one? Back-to-back rookies. See the number two pick the week before, Zach Wilson, number one pick now, Trevor Lawrence. I think the Colts win this one. Back-to-back rookies. See the number two pick the week before, Zach Wilson. Number one pick now, Trevor Lawrence. I think the Colts win this one. It could be going away here too. I wonder how Lawrence is going to do in his rookie year.

He's going to be a really good quarterback in the NFL, but his rookie year might be a little bit of a steep adjustment period. What's your thoughts on week 10, first time to play the Jaguars? I think the Colts win this one. So right now I've got the Colts going 9-1 season. The difficult thing for Jacksonville is they play Buffalo the Colts going nine and one season. Difficult thing for Jacksonville is they play Buffalo the week before they do host Buffalo. So that's a benefit for them, but it's going to be a tough game for them to have Buffalo then Indianapolis back to back.

I don't like the Jacksonville roster. I don't think it's very good. I think they've got a lot of work to do. There's a reason that they were in position to, they only won one game last year. Now, sadly, it was against the Colts. But they've got a lot of work to do, and I don't know how well Urban Meyer and his philosophy in coaching is going to translate to the NFL. Moving on now to Week 11. We both have a win in the column there for the Colts in their first match against Jacksonville. Week 11 at have a win in the column there for the Colts in their first match against Jacksonville.

Week 11 at Buffalo, one of the toughest games on the schedule this year. I have them dropping their wild card rematch. I think they lose in Buffalo. I think it could go either way, though, with the way the Colts improved the trenches this year. So I have them losing this one and having their third loss of the year on my schedule. What say you, Stephen, week 11 at Buffalo in that wild card rematch?

Yeah, I've also got this. this as a loss as of right now. I feel like the Bills, they didn't really lose anything major in free agency. And so I feel like they're going to be able to come out and try to run it back. Playing in Buffalo is very difficult. It's going to be like mid-November. So you're probably looking at least like two feet of snow in Buffalo. I'm joking, obviously, but you never know there. It's difficult to play in Buffalo. You're going to have a full stadium. The Bills Mafia is going to go crazy. It's going to

be nuts. I just feel like Buffalo is going to be really pumped for this game. And so I think this one might be one that the Colts drop as well. On the week 12 now, Stephen, Tom Brady paused me for the very last time going into the Colts' Lucas Oil Stadium on Thanksgiving weekend to play with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I had this one being a loss, first time the Colts dropped back-to-back losses here on the schedule. I just don't know if I can go against Tom Brady right now with the way he's been playing throughout his career.

Hopefully the Colts end up winning this game, but I think the Bucs come out and win just barely. here on the schedule. I just don't know if I can go against Tom Brady right now with the way he's been playing throughout his career. Hopefully the Colts end up winning this game, but I think the Bucs come out and win just barely over the Colts here. What about you, Steven? Yeah, I've also got this one as a loss. It's the first home loss of the season on my board. Yeah, it's the first home loss of the season. I feel like Tampa Bay, bringing back all 22 starters along with Antonio Brown and some other guys, they've added some quality in the

draft and in free agency. I feel like Tampa Bay is primed to run it back. And they were really kind of hitting their flow there late in the year. And so bringing back everybody, having that continuity. Bruce Arians is a great coach. I feel like Tampa Bay is probably going to win this one, not to mention their defensive line is stacked. And a tough defensive line is always going to give your quarterback fits. Now, the Colts, obviously, with a strong offensive line, could be able to negate that.

But I just feel like Tampa Bay might be a little too much. Week 13 now, back-to-back losses on both of our boards here, Stephen, with Buffalo and Tampa Bay. A really good rebound matchup here for the Colts. A little bit of frustration at Houston on December 5th, week 13, right before their bye week. I think just like the first Houston matchup, Stephen, this could get really ugly for the Texans.

Yeah, same way. I think this is This could get really ugly for the Texans. Yeah, same way. I think this is going to be a win for the Colts. So that puts us here, Stephen, through the bye week, through 13 weeks. I have 9-4. You have 10-3. What's your thoughts on that? Let's say the Colts have a 9-4, 10-3 start to the season. I think Colts are feeling pretty good at this point.

Yeah, I think that they're really excited. I think at that point they're probably in the driver's seat for the AFC South, which people will tell you that's the main goal. That's your first goal is to win your division. And if you can do that, you make the playoffs. If you can make the playoffs, who knows what can happen. I mean, Tampa Bay, they were on the road, I think, for every game in the playoffs except oddly enough the Super Bowl last year so all you need to do is get in and I think as a Colts fan if you're sitting there at nine and four looking at New England Arizona Las Vegas and Jacksonville to close out your

season you're feeling pretty confident that you're probably looking at 13 and 4 12 and 5. Week 14 obviously the bye week Stephen they have a week off after 13 straight weeks of playing football. Week 15, at home against the New England Patriots and Bill Belichick, Mack Jones, their first round pick probably is starting at this point of the year, taking over for Cam Newton. This is going to be a ruckus atmosphere at Luke's first time New England's been at home since the early Andrew Luck days. I think the Colts win this one. I think they win this one going away with how, I think, been at home since the early Andrew Luck days. I think the Colts win this one. I think they win this one going away with how, I think,

it's crazy it's going to be Lucasville staying with the atmosphere. Yeah, it's going to be – not only going to be crazy with the atmosphere because it's the first time New England's been back since, like, Andrew Luck has been probably eight years since New England's been back around or six, eight years, something like that. But this will also be the return of Josh McDaniels. Maybe the first introduction of Josh McDaniels there for the Colts, having New England back in the building.

And so I think that the fan base is going to be crazy. I think the building is going to be rock because it's going to be nuts. I think that the players are going to feel that. I think they're going to feel that energy, and it's going to really translate to the guys on the field. Week 16 now, Stephen. Christmas Day at Arizona, 8-15 Eastern time kickoff in the desert. I always feel like, honestly, I put one random loss on the board here this year.

I usually do most years because I feel like one random loss always happens each year for the Colts. Unfortunately, I feel like Christmas Day is that one this year for the Colts with Arizona. I think the Cardinals are a really good team. Cliff Kingsbury is a questionable head coach. This is a really approved year for them and GM Steve Kime. But I think with Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins,

they have an improved defense this year with the pass rush with J.J. Watt and Chandler Jones. I think they barely sneak by and beat the Colts here. This was like one of those weird losses that we could see the Colts having this year. Unfortunately, it does fall on Christmas Day on my schedule with a scheduled loss here, but what about you, Steven? Do you think Christmas Day they come out with a win? So I have the same thought process on it, which is weird. I know that every year they do have that random loss, and this was the one that I picked on my little whiteboard that I drew out the entire schedule. I feel like they're going to slip after having such a huge

up game against New England and being able to beat New England and then go to Arizona. Arizona is very talented. They've got some great playmakers there. Kyler Murray, obviously, if he improves again, he's got DeAndre Hopkins there to throw to. He's got some quality. He's got good running backs. He's got a good tight end. The defense is improved, which is important for them. I think that this could be a loss.

I'm going to predict it as a loss, but I could just as easily see them winning this game. Final two weeks of the season here. January 2nd, their last home game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Vegas and the Colts always play close, so I think this is going to be a close one. But I think with just how bad the Raiders defense is, they still have a lot of work to do on that end. They didn't really

address much this offseason. I think Carson Wentz has a field day in this one, Jonathan Taylor as well, and the Colts put up 30-plus points here and beat the Raiders. Yeah, I'm saying I think that they're going to beat the Raiders. So week 18, Steven, final one of the regular season at Jacksonville, Trevor Lawrence for the second time this year to close it out on January 9th.

The week after that, obviously, Wild Card Weekend. What's your thoughts on this one? I think the Colts, I think this is really a good opportunity for them to fine-tune themselves and really get into a playoff rhythm here before Wild Card Weekend. Yeah, I've got them as a win. This could easily be a game that they set their starters. You know, if they are able to pull out this game in Arizona, they're at week 16.

I could see them sitting their starters here in Jacksonville just to kind of give them a bye week's rest because they're probably not going to be the number one seed, so they're not going to get that bye. And so I feel like this is a game that they'll win but I wouldn't be surprised if they set their starters this week and and take the loss so Steven overall we just went through the whole schedule for you guys I have 12 and 5 Steven you have 13 and 4 I think either way 12 or 13 wins that's a very very good year for the

Colts and probably when it puts them around like possibly even the second seed or the third or fourth seed. I think they're probably a top three seed, honestly, if they go either route, 12 or 13 wins. Yeah, I think they're probably a third or fourth seed because I think you're going to see Kansas City and Buffalo be your one, two. And then you're probably going to see Cleveland up there as well. Just based on, you know, what we're looking at Cleveland or maybe Baltimore, I feel like Cleveland's a much better team than Baltimore,

to be honest. Steven, any closing thoughts here before we wrap up tonight's podcast? I know we had a solid schedule a couple hours ago, but we're finally going to be able to start looking forward to Colts football. And if you're out there listening and you want to travel to a game or two, you can start planning your flights wherever you want to go to this year with a lot of restrictions being lifted off COVID-19 any closing thoughts here Stephen for the schedule no I'm really excited you know

I wish that the bye week was maybe a little bit earlier in the season but you know getting the lake bye week's not not a terrible thing I'll be really interested to see how they pull out those first five games because again if they can go three and two, four and one through that stretch, I think the Jim Irsay and Chris Ballard, Frank Reich, they're going to be incredibly excited about that. Because after that Baltimore game, they've got a stretch of, you know, five games where they can really make a bit of a run before they run into Buffalo and Tampa Bay.

And who knows, they might be able to squeeze out one of those wins, too, if they're on a roll. Steven, I always enjoy having you on each week here on Locked on Colts. Colts fans, if you're not already, go ahead and follow Steven on Twitter, if you're not already, at NiceReadSteven. And go listen to his podcast, as always, over on Stampede Blue. Steven, I appreciate the time tonight. Thanks, Evan. Have a good one.