The Indianapolis Colts schedule release — along with the full 2026 NFL schedule unveil — arrives Thursday. What was once a routine announcement has evolved into one of the league’s marquee offseason events, trailing only the draft in buzz and anticipation.
What To Know About the Indianapolis Colts 2026 NFL Schedule
We’ll soon learn when every matchup lands on the calendar, but before the complete slate drops, here are the biggest things to know about Indianapolis’ 2026 schedule.
Colts Opponents
We already know who the Colts will face in 2026. Thursday’s release will simply reveal when those games will be played.
Indianapolis and the rest of the AFC South draw matchups against the AFC North and NFC East this season — divisions that sent just one team each to the playoffs last year.
Here are the Colts’ home and away opponents, along with the number Vegas set as each team’s over/under win total for 2026:
Home games
- Texans (9.5)
- Jaguars (9.5)
- Titans (6.5)
- Ravens (11.5)
- Bengals (9.5)
- Cowboys (8.5)
- Giants (7.5)
- Dolphins (4.5)
Away games
- Texans (9.5)
- Jaguars (9.5)
- Titans (6.5)
- Steelers (8.5)
- Browns (6.5)
- Commanders (7.5)
- Eagles (10.5)
- Chiefs (10.5)
- Vikings (8.5)
Colts schedule 4th-easiest by 2025 win percentage
The good news for Indianapolis: Based strictly on their opponents’ combined win percentage from 2025, the Colts are tied for the fourth-easiest schedule in the NFL.
The bad news? Last season’s win percentages are far from a perfect predictor of future schedule strength. Teams change dramatically every offseason through free agency, trades, coaching changes, and the draft. Plus, a 17-game season is a small sample size and often heavily influenced by injuries and luck.
So take these rankings with a grain of salt. Still, here are the 10 easiest schedules based on opponents’ 2025 records:
- Browns: 125-165 (.429)
- Saints: 125-163-1 (.434)
- Bengals: 130-159 (.450)
- (tie) Colts: 134-154-1 (.465)
- (tie) Falcons: 134-154-1 (.465)
- Lions: 134-153-2 (.467)
- Texans: 136-151-2 (.474)
- Titans: 137-151-1 (.476)
- Ravens: 138-150-1 (.479)
- Eagles: 138-149-2 (.481)
Colts’ win total sits right on the playoff bubble
Vegas has set the Colts’ over/under win total at 8.5 victories for 2026, which is fitting considering Indianapolis has finished either 8-9 or 9-8 in three of the past four seasons.
That includes last season, when the Colts collapsed after an 8-2 start and finished 8-9.
Indianapolis hasn’t made the playoffs since 2020, giving the franchise the NFL’s third-longest active playoff drought, tied with the Saints and trailing only the Jets and Falcons.
- Dec 28, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (14) warms up before a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images
Colts schedule 9th-easiest by Vegas win totals
A more forward-looking way to evaluate schedule difficulty is by adding opponents’ projected Vegas win totals, since those odds account for offseason roster changes and market expectations.
By that metric, the Colts have the NFL’s ninth-easiest schedule entering 2026.
Here are the 10 easiest schedules based on projected win totals, via Sharp Football Analysis:
- Lions
- Saints
- Bengals
- (tie) Browns
- (tie) Jets
- Ravens
- Eagles
- 49ers
- Colts
- Chiefs
And here are the 10 toughest schedules, starting with the toughest:
- Cardinals
- Dolphins
- Panthers
- Cowboys
- Rams
- Bears
- Texans
- Commanders
- Giants
- Buccaneers
What the Colts should hope for with the schedule release
One of the biggest issues behind the Colts’ playoff drought has been late-season collapses.
That was especially true last year, when Indianapolis finished 0-7 after its 8-2 start. While Daniel Jones’ injury deservedly drew much of the blame, the schedule also played a role. The Colts benefited from a relatively soft opening stretch before running into a brutal closing slate.
Ideally, Indianapolis would prefer to see some of its weaker opponents — such as the Titans, Browns, Giants, Dolphins, and Cardinals — positioned later in the season during a potential playoff push.
At the same time, with Jones returning from a torn Achilles, there’s also value in avoiding an overly difficult early-season stretch. So the best-case scenario may simply be a balanced schedule with those weaker opponents spread throughout the year.
Like every NFL team, the Colts will also be hoping to avoid too many short weeks, excessive travel stretches, and awkward scheduling quirks.
How to watch the 2026 NFL Schedule Release
The NFL’s official 2026 schedule release show airs Thursday, May 14, at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and NFL Network.
