Breaking Down Indianapolis Colts' Late-Season Schedule

With five weeks left on the NFL schedule, everybody knows what every team is about. Teams can pretty neatly be categorized into elite, playoff-bound, mediocre and dumpster fire.

And no, there's no category between playoff-bound and mediocre, because really, going 8-8 is mediocrity. That is, unless you're in the NFC South; then you're playoff-bound.

So, for the Indianapolis Colts—who are playoff-bound—how does the rest of the schedule shake out?

On paper, their remaining schedule couldn't easily be graded anything harder than a "C."

Indy still faces matchups against the Houston Texans (home) and the Tennessee Titans (road), two near locks for victory.

They also host the putrid Washington Redskins in Week 13, which is little more than a chance for the Colts to smile in self-assurance that they selected Andrew Luck over Robert Griffin III with the first pick of the 2012 NFL draft.

That leaves the (potentially) playoff-bound Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys, both on the road.

Let's take a closer look at how the rest of the schedule will go down for the Colts.

Week 13: Versus Washington Redskins

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

There's no guarantee he even starts in Week 13.

This contest will no doubt be billed as Andrew Luck vs. Robert Griffin III.

However, there's a real chance only one of those two even takes the field.

Redskins head coach Jay Gruden has been given the green light to bench Griffin if he sees fit, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Now, according to NFL Media's Albert Breer (h/t NFL.com), Gruden doesn't see fit—at least, not yet.

But regardless of the starting QB for the 'Skins, nothing seems to be working for this team. Currently cellar-dwellers in the NFC East, their 3-8 record is tied for fourth-worst in the league with another NFC East squad, the New York Giants.

Considering what the Colts did to the Giants in Week 9, a similar outcome should be expected against Washington.

Prediction: Colts 34, Redskins 14

Week 14: At Cleveland Browns

Associated Press

A fresh Josh Gordon means sad faces for the AFC North.

Sitting a half-game back of the Cincinnati Bengals for the division lead in the AFC North, the Browns are on the verge of a huge playoff push.

All without that one guy who they drafted in the first round to play quarterback.

Johnny something, I think.

All jokes aside, this is a Browns team that can play some football. They aren't going to the Super Bowl, let's not get crazy. But this will be far from the laugher it would've been as recently as a year or two ago.

What may decide this one is the individual matchup of each team's No. 1 wide receiver and corner. Both teams boast a top wideout—Josh Gordon and T.Y. Hilton—and an elite cover-corner—Joe Haden and Vontae Davis.

Perhaps the biggest factor will be Gordon, who is coming off his first game since last season. Having served a 10-game suspension to start the season, his legs belong in a Subway commercial.

Because they're fresh, get it?

Sorry.

Prediction: Colts 28, Browns 27

Week 15: Versus Houston Texans

Eric Gay/Associated Press

Yeah, he scares me, too.

Earlier this season, Indy embarrassed the Texans to the tune of a 24-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Of course, the Texans raced back into the game by outscoring Indianapolis 28-9 the rest of the way, but a win is a win.

It just goes to show there are no sure things in a division rivalry. The Colts have traditionally manhandled the Texans, but when J.J. Watt is on the other team, there's a certain X-factor at work that can influence the outcome of the game.

Barring another injury, sickness or bout of laziness, the first overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft, Jadeveon Clowney, should get his first crack at sacking Luck in this contest.

Then again, he hasn't sacked anybody, yet, so that might be a more significant milestone.

With Ryan Mallett headed to the IR, one would assume the Texans will return to Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback. That does not bode well for the number in the "Wins" column.

Arian Foster has been known to lay waste to the Colts in the past, so the Texans should be able to score some points.

Just not enough.

Prediction: Colts 38, Texans 20

Week 16: At Dallas Cowboys

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Demarco Murray should probably be in your fantasy lineup for this one.

In the simplest of terms, Demarco Murray is a grown ass man (Some NSFW language).

Barring the fourth-best rushing performance in NFL history from Baltimore Ravens' running back Justin Forsett on Monday Night Football, Murray will be the only tailback in the NFL with at least 1,000 rushing yards so far this season. The thing is, it's not by a little.

It's by a lot.

Murray currently registers at 1,354 rushing yards. Forsett, who is a respectable ninth in rushing yards going into MNF, would have to nearly double his 721 yards to catch Murray.

If the Cowboys' halfback missed his Week 13 game against the Philadelphia Eagles, second-place rusher LeVeon Bell would have to top the current single-game NFL rushing record of 296 yards by 107 yards to tie the leader.

To further the gap from the pack, third-place rusher LeSean McCoy is another 92 yards back from Bell.

Essentially, the man is getting his way. When they welcome the Colts to Dallas in Week 16, it's almost certain they will employ the New England Patriots offensive scheme that led to four rushing touchdowns by non-Demarco-Murray-player Jonas Grey.

Because the Cowboys can actually throw the ball, as well, Indy's defense will have its hands quite full. This one could be tough on the eyes for Colts fans.

Prediction: Colts 24, Cowboys 35

Week 17: At Tennessee Titans

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The Tennessee Titans are a bad team. There's only so many ways to say it.

Will Luck and the Colts ever lose to an AFC South opponent again? Of course.

I mean, probably; law of averages and all that.

However, it won't be this year. The Titans will roll into this game with their eyes set firmly on Marcus Mariota, or some equally sumptuous collegiate prize, and they will have little interest in winning.

Whether or not they have the talent to do so is a different question entirely.

The three-headed beast they have run through at quarterback this season—Zach Mettenberger, Jake Locker and Charlie Whitehurst—have proved more than capable of doing very little. Mettenberger has been somewhat tolerable, particularly for a rookie, but given the opportunity, the Titans would almost certainly draft a top prospect at the position.

With the Colts fighting for playoff seeding and the Titans fighting for the best chance at their favorite college talent in next year's draft, the two teams will be heading into this one with very different mindsets.

Suffice to say, this won't be the Colts' most difficult win of the season.

Prediction: Colts 34, Titans 16