2022 NFL schedule released: Colts opponents, previews, full list of teams on regular season schedule

All the Colts needed to do last season was get a win in Week 18 against the Jaguars and they would have made their postseason berth. While that should have been a layup against the worst team in the league, Carson Wentz collapsed with two turnovers when Indy fell in Jacksonville and was out watching the playoffs. That performance was a driving force for the Colts entering this offseason when they moved on from Wentz and eventually traded for Matt Ryan. That trade at QB now has them the betting favorite to win the AFC South heading into 2022.

As they try to get back into the playoffs, they will have to go through the challenge of 18 weeks of the regular season. Below is a breakdown of each of those opponents, as well as a recap of the regular season schedule (once announced):

2022 opponents

jeans: Houston shed Deshaun Watson this offseason and heads into a new chapter in franchise history. Lovie Smith is named as head coach and the club is ready to release second-year quarterback Davis Mills after a breakout rookie campaign. The Texans also added LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. with the No. 3 overall pick and offensive lineman Kenyon Green at No. 15 to further develop their young core. Houston likely won’t be in shape to compete in 2022, but there are some interesting pieces on the roster.

Jaguars: The Urban Meyer experiment blew up in Jacksonville’s face and completely derailed the season. Now, Doug Pederson has been hired to coach the Jaguars and that should bring some stability from the top. The club also spent heavily in free agency and added Georgia defensive tackle Travon Walker with the first overall pick. Of course, the biggest story in this rebuild is the development of former top pick Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence living up to his transcendent potential is what will bring Jacksonville out of the doldrums for years to come.

titans: The Titans are coming off a season in which they were the No. 1 seed in the AFC, but received a lackluster game from Ryan Tannehill down the stretch. That play makes Malik Willis’ third-round pick that much more intriguing. Not only is a quarterback trade looming over Tennessee in the coming seasons, but the team has also traded star receiver AJ Brown to the Eagles. They took Treylon Burks in the first round to replace him, but this passing attack may look a little different in 2022.

Bosses: Two of the most recognizable faces from this latest era in Chiefs history are gone. Kansas City decided not to re-sign safety Tyrann Mathieu this offseason and traded star receiver Tyreek Hill. However, they have reshuffled the roster with the likes of safety Justin Reid and wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Skyy Moore, so there are internal replacements for Andy Reid. With Patrick Mahomes at the center, they are still considered among legitimate Super Bowl contenders.

Chargers: The Chargers have moved over the fences this offseason as they look to compete in a loaded AFC West. They acquired pass-rusher Khalil Mack in a trade with the Bears and signed All-Pro cornerback JC Jackson in free agency to bolster his defense. Offensively, they have Justin Herbert at center and will look to maintain his position as one of the elite quarterbacks in the league as LA tries to make the playoffs this season.

Eagles: Philadelphia may be one of the NFL’s sleeper teams in the coming season. They’ve made some solid additions to their defense by drafting defensive tackle Jordan Davis in the first round and making a blockbuster trade for wide receiver AJ Brown. That Brown acquisition now gives quarterback Jalen Hurts an important weapon as they look to rival the Cowboys in the NFC East.

Commanders: The team formerly known as the Washington Football Team has a new name and a new quarterback. They traded for Carson Wentz in the early stages of the offseason and expect more stability at that position. While they have weapons in Terry McLaurin, Antonio Gibson and first-round receiver Jahan Dotson, Wentz’s inability to lift the Colts last year appears to give Washington a relatively low ceiling.

Steelmakers: The Steelers said goodbye to Ben Roethlisberger this offseason when the franchise icon retired. Now, they’re in a new era under center with Mitchell Trubisky and first-round rookie Kenny Pickett set to compete for the starting job in Week 1. Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season during his tenure in Pittsburgh and if he can give count outside of the QB position, the rest of the roster is set to be tough in 2022.

broncos: For the first time since Peyton Manning, the Denver Broncos have an elite quarterback. The team acquired Russell Wilson in a trade this offseason and is now listed as a legitimate threat in the AFC West. Wilson should make the entire offense much more lethal since they already have multiple weapons in place. Meanwhile, the defense features some solid pieces, including second-year cornerback Patrick Surtain II.

raiders: Las Vegas has new leadership with general manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels coming from New England. Not only is the header different, but they also injected a ton of talent on both sides of the ball with the mega-trade for wide receiver Davante Adams and the free-agent signing of pass-rusher Chandler Jones.

Cowboys: Dallas traded Amari Cooper to the Browns this offseason, but he still has too many weapons on offense to be viewed as the favorite in the NFC East. Defensively, they have arguably the best unit in the NFL, especially with linebacker Micah Parsons entering Year 2 after a dominant rookie season.

Giants: New York has hired former Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll to be its new head coach. That addition alone should boost the Giants’ offensive ceiling, as well as make them healthier on that side of the ball. The Giants are also coming off a stellar NFL Draft in which they landed both pass-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux and offensive tackle Evan Neal in the first round.

Patriots: New England is entering Year 2 for Mac Jones and is looking for the young quarterback to make a jump. They added DeVante Parker to the offense along with second-round receiver Tyquan Thornton, but lost offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. That loss can’t be overstated for the Patriots in a critical year for Jones’ development. Meanwhile, they also have a void to fill in the secondary after All-Pro cornerback JC Jackson left in free agency, so Bill Belichick has a lot of work ahead of him in 2022.

Vikings: Minnesota has a new general manager and head coach heading into 2022, but it has largely the same core. Kirk Cousins ​​is still sitting low and the offense still features wide receiver Justin Jefferson and running back Dalvin Cook.

Complete calendar 2022