All 32 teams (including Colts) ranked by 2024 strength of schedule

In part, it’s happenstance. But also, with the Colts finishing third in the AFC South in 2023, losing the tie-breaker with Jacksonville, who finished second, Indianapolis now has one of the easier schedules on paper this season.

When it comes to determining who each team’s opponents are going to be, there are several factors in play, but of course, there is a method to the madness. Over at NFL.com, it is explained what goes into determining how each team’s schedule shakes out:

• Six games against divisional opponents — two games per team, one at home and one on the road.
• Four games against teams from a division within its conference — two games at home and two on the road.
• Four games against teams from a division in the other conference— two games at home and two on the road.
• Two games against teams from the two remaining divisions in its own conference — one game at home and one on the road. Matchups are based on division ranking from the previous season.
• The 17th game is an additional game against a non-conference opponent from a division that the team is not scheduled to play. Matchups are based on division ranking from the previous season.

Other variables that can impact the difficulty of the schedule – and these are factors we don’t know yet – include any long road trips, how many air miles are logged, any difficult stretches against top-tier competition, and whether a team finishes out the season on the road or at home.

While we don’t yet know the sequence in which the Colts will play each of their opponents in 2024, we do know who those opponents are. Recently, over at Sharp Football, they ranked every team based on their strength of schedule. The criteria for deciding this order is based on the projected win totals set by the oddsmakers for each teams’ opponents.

Here is how all 32 teams were ranked from the easiest schedule to the most challenging.