Sports Illustrated Predicts Colts to Have Roller Coaster 2024 Season

Sports Illustrated believes the 2024 season will be full of ups and downs for the Indianapolis Colts.

Aug 22, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) throws a pass against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports / Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

The Indianapolis Colts are just days away from their season-opener against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium. For head coach Shane Steichen, it's all about improving from last year's admirable 9-8 finish, with a postseason berth to follow. For second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson, it's all about remaining healthy while learning the ways of a franchise signal-caller.

While many analysts and experts are high on what Richardson and Indianapolis can do in 2024, Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr isn't in their latest piece predicting all 32 NFL teams' records. Indianapolis finishes less admirably this time but with the same 9-8 record.

"Weeks 5 to 8 concern me a bit for a Colts team that will play outdoors and on the road three times in four weeks. The actual opponents matter a little bit less, though the Colts will get their first look at both the Titans and Jaguars, and second look on the road against the Texans."

- Conor Orr | Sports Illustrated

Orr predicts Indianapolis will sustain a massive four-game losing streak from weeks five through eight. Unfortunately, in this prediction the Colts drop three AFC South matchups against the Texans (second time), Tennessee Titans, and Jacksonville Jaguars. This would be awful given that this losing streak happens before week nine. It might also ruin Indy's playoff hopes before mid-season.

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"Coming off a bye, a very good Shane Steichen–coached team has a slew of winnable games against a rookie QB (the Broncos), a home game and a second crack at the Titans, an uncertain Giants team with who knows at quarterback and a home game against the Jaguars."

- Conor Orr | Sports Illustrated

As Orr alludes to, Indy then finishes the season with possibly softer competition. While Orr had Indy losing weeks five through eight, they have the Colts taking the final four games of the regular season to go from 5-8 to 9-8. The Denver Broncos, Titans, New York Giants, and Jaguars are all realistic victories to predict for a Steichen-led squad.

Orr doesn't predict if Indy will make the playoffs, but it's not easy to believe a 9-8 record notches a spot alongside a 3-3 divisional finish. Unless the AFC South implodes, a 9-8 record is likely a seventh seed and nothing higher. The question is, will Indianapolis exceed last season's performance? If Richardson remains under center, the possibility of a postseason run is constant along with a promising defensive charge led by notables DeForest Buckner, Kenny Moore II, and Laiatu Latu. We'll see how everything shakes out with time still on the clock before the Colts kickoff the 2024 season on September 8th at 1 pm.

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