It will not take long for the Indianapolis Colts to see where they stand within the AFC South this season.
The Colts will play two road games within their division to begin the 2022 NFL season, the league revealed as part of its schedule release on May 12.
First, the Colts will visit the Houston Texans on September 11. Then the following week, the Colts will return to the stadium where their 2021 season ended to play the Jacksonville Jaguars.
But neither of those games will be the team’s biggest test during the first month. For the home opener in Week 3 on September 25, the Colts will host Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
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Matt Ryan, Colts History Against Patrick Mahomes & the Chiefs
The Colts have been fortunate that they haven’t faced Mahomes and the Chiefs in either of the past two years. The last time they played, Indianapolis also won, 19-13, on October 6, 2019.
In that matchup, Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett threw for only 151 yards and no touchdowns with an interception. But Brissett rushed for a score, and Adam Vinatieri made four field goals to carry the Colts to a victory.
Including the playoffs, Indianapolis is 1-1 all-time against Mahomes. The Chiefs defeated the Colts, 31-13, in the AFC Divisional playoffs in January 2019.
Even playing in the NFC, Matt Ryan has actually faced the Mahomes and the Chiefs more recently than the Colts have. Ryan, then the Atlanta Falcons quarterback, visited the Chiefs during Week 16 of the 2020 season.
The Falcons had an opportunity to send the game into overtime, but Younghoe Koo missed a 39-yard field goal to tie the game with 14 seconds remaining. The Chiefs held on to win, 17-14.
Ryan threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns and no interceptions in the loss.
The Colts lead the all-time series with the Chiefs, 17-10. Kansas City won the last time the two teams met in Indianapolis during the 2016 season, but the previous matchup at Lucas Oil Stadium was a very memorable one.
The Colts erased a 38-10 deficit in the second half of an AFC Wild Card matchup in January 2014 to comeback and win 45-44.
Social Media Reacts to the First 3 Games of Colts 2022 Schedule
The NFL didn’t exactly do the Colts any favors with their September slate to begin the 2022 season. Although the Texans and Jaguars don’t have the most intimidating rosters or longest tenured coaching staffs, division matchups, especially on the road, are usually tough.
Then, the Colts turn around to play the Chiefs, who have hosted each of the last four AFC Championship Games.
The Colts will also have to deal with returning to Jacksonville before that matchup. Indianapolis has not won in Jacksonville since the 2014 season. In addition to losing seven straight at Jacksonville, the Colts suffered a heartbreaking, 26-11, loss on the road to the Jaguars in Week 18 during January.
But despite the difficult slate, Colts fans and the media were positive about the beginning of the team’s 2022 schedule.
My #Colts open up the season at HOU and at JAX.. I like it..
Our first home opener is against the Chiefs..
Colts will open the 2022 season at Houston.
It’s good news for Indy, which is trying to snap an eight-game losing streak in Week 1 games (haven’t won an opener since 2013). They beat up on the Texans by a combined score of 62-3 last season.
The Colts haven’t won their season opener since 2013. They are also 2-6 in their last eight home openers and have started 0-2 in five of the last eight seasons.
Home opener versus the Chiefs is pretty good. Lucas Oil definitely needs to be packed!
Colts home opener vs the Chiefs let’s goooo!!!
Although it’s a difficult slate with two road matchups and the Chiefs coming to town, Indianapolis has the talent to end those September blues this season.
Colts home opener isn’t until week 3 & against the chiefs 🤔
The good news is the Colts shouldn’t start another season 0-2 since they open at Houston. Starting 1-1 might be possible with Week 2 at Jax, a place they haven’t won at since 2014. Home opener in Week 3 vs. Mahomes and Chiefs
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Colts Fans, Media React to Tough Home Opener After 2 Road Games