The Indianapolis Colts have released their schedule and now we know what the potential path to a playoff berth looks like.
With the release of the schedule comes way-too-early record predictions. We gave some predictions of our own for the Colts, going through game-by-game.
The experts around the league also weighed in on how the Colts might fare during the 2024 season. Here's a look at how they predicted the season will go:
NFL experts predict Colts' 2024 win total
Maurice Moton, Bleacher Report: 9-8
Indianapolis will once again straddle the playoff cutoff line in a conference of heavyweights.
Cynthia Frelund, NFL.com: 7.9 wins
The return of Anthony Richardson, along with some great new pieces (AD Mitchell, Laiatu Latu), creates a ton of upside for this young team. The Colts' hardest four-game stretch comes in the middle of the season (Dolphins, at Texans, at Vikings, Bills), with a trip to the Jets and a home game against the Lions immediately following. That's a lot of different playing styles they'll need to adjust to over a six-week period. The good news: My models have Indy favored in each of its final four games of the campaign (at Broncos, Titans, at Giants, Jaguars).
Marcus Mosher, The 33rd Team: 9-8
Despite Anthony Richardson missing most of the 2023 season, the Indianapolis Colts managed to post a winning record. However, they fell just short of winning the AFC South, losing the crown to the Texans in the season's final game.
The Colts have many possible outcomes this year, depending on Richardson's health and development. However, their roster should be good enough to keep them competitive in the AFC South.
Ben Arthur, FOX Sports: 9-8
The Colts aren’t respected nationally entering 2024, as they have just one primetime game (Week 11, Sunday Night Football at the Jets). But a healthy Anthony Richardson paired with star running back Jonathan Taylor, who has played just two regular-season snaps with last year’s No. 4 pick, could be lethal under second-year coach Shane Steichen. The franchise has stressed continuity this offseason too, re-signing and extending most of its core. Having a tame final stretch of the season on paper (Patriots, Broncos, Titans, Giants and Jaguars) could reap huge rewards for Indianapolis in playoff jostling
Matt Verderame, Sports Illustrated: 8-9
The Colts have a chance to compete for the AFC South or win a wild-card spot. That said, having to contend with the AFC East and NFC North divisions will make things problematic. For Indianapolis, the key could be handling a tough home slate including dates with Buffalo, Miami, Detroit and Chicago.
