2019 Indianapolis Colts Schedule: Full Listing of Dates, Times and TV Info

Six games into last season, the Indianapolis Colts looked like a franchise in disarray. Andrew Luck couldn't throw downfield, the defense couldn't stop anyone and Frank Reich seemed like the wrong choice after being left at the altar by Josh McDaniels.

The next 10 weeks were a completely different story.

Indianapolis won nine of its last 10 games to earn a wild-card berth and defeated the rival Houston Texans in the AFC Wild Card Round before being eliminated by the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Luck is firmly back in his status as a franchise quarterback, and the Colts enter the 2019 season as favorites in the AFC South. Let's take a look at their schedule and assess the likelihood of them pulling it off.

Colts' 2019 Schedule

Week 1: at Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, Sept. 8 at 4:05 p.m. ET (CBS)

Week 2: at Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Sept. 15 at 1 p.m. ET (CBS)

Week 3: vs. Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Sept. 22 at 1 p.m. ET (CBS)

Week 4: vs. Oakland Raiders on Sunday, Sept. 29 at 1 p.m. ET (CBS)

Week 5: at Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Oct. 6 at 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)

Week 6: BYE WEEK

Week 7: vs. Houston Texans on Sunday, Oct. 20 at 1 p.m. ET (CBS)

Week 8: vs. Denver Broncos on Sunday, Oct. 27 at 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)

Week 9: at Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Nov. 3 at 1 p.m. ET (CBS)

Week 10: vs. Miami Dolphins on Sunday, Nov. 10 at 4:05 p.m. ET (CBS)

Week 11: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Nov. 17 at 1 p.m. ET (CBS)

Week 12: at Houston Texans on Thursday, Nov. 21 at 8:20 p.m. ET (Fox/NFLN/Amazon)

Week 13: vs. Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Dec. 1 at 1 p.m. ET (CBS)

Week 14: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Dec. 8 at 1 p.m. ET (CBS)

Week 15: at New Orleans Saints on Monday, Dec. 16 at 8:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Week 16: vs. Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Dec. 22 at 1 p.m. ET (Fox)

Week 17: at Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Dec. 29 at 1 p.m. ET (CBS)

Analysis

The Colts are tied with the Atlanta Falcons for the seventh- schedule in football this season based on their opponents' 2018 record, according to John Breech of CBS Sports. They'll play the Texans twice, along with games against the Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers and New Orleans Saints.

The AFC South plays its common games against the AFC West and NFC South.

As far as schedules go, the Colts have perhaps the most difficult in the entire league. Four of their five games against 2018 playoff teams are on the road. Add in trips to Jacksonville and Pittsburgh, and they will play six games on the road against teams with designs on making a postseason run.

Indianapolis' home schedule will be far easier. Its most difficult non-divisional opponent coming to Lucas Oil Stadium is the Atlanta Falcons, who could be a playoff team or a 6-10 outfit that disappoints. The same goes for the Carolina Panthers, a team that will be fully dependent on the status of Cam Newton.

Given the common opponents in this division, though, the AFC South isn't going to get two playoff teams. The road is far too difficult, and the Colts arguably have the most treacherous of them all.

Pivotal Matchups

The Colts are the best team in the AFC South. Their schedule, however, makes it vital they take care of business within the division.

Going 4-2 is the bare minimum, and they probably need to be 5-1 or 6-0 to clinch a playoff spot. If they get four wins against the division and succeed in highly winnable games against the Dolphins and Raiders, that gets the Colts to six wins and only needing four to match their 10-6 record from a year ago.

The Colts have enough talent to get there, but they're going to need to play like one of the best teams in football to make it happen.