The Indianapolis Colts do not kickoff real NFL football for a few more months. Until then, the hype and anticipation surrounding the Shane Steichen and Anthony Richardson era will only continue to grow.

Steichen is entering his first season at the helm after coordinating the offense for the Philadelphia Eagles the past two seasons. Richardson, meanwhile, is prepping for his first season in the league after being selected in the first-round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Despite the calendar only flipping to the summer months, the national media is already looking ahead to games being played. And The Athletic is circling one game in particular for the Colts.

It's not the season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars at home. Or the week two matchup versus likely starter CJ Stroud and the Houston Texans. Nor is it the week five battle against another AFC South rival in the Tennessee Titans.

Rather, The Athletic is pointing to the Colts' midseason clash with the Carolina Panthers. And for a couple of good reasons. For one, the game should set the stage for the battle between rookies Richardson and No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young.

But that's not the only storyline worth tracking. In addition to that, the Panthers are led by head coach Frank Reich, who the Colts fired during last season. Therefore, there's a lot on stake, at least on paper, for the week nine showdown:

There will be two overarching storylines heading into this contest: No. 1 pick Bryce Young versus No. 4 pick Anthony Richardson; and the Colts facing their former head coach Frank Reich, who’s now the Panthers’ head coach. Indianapolis could’ve traded up to draft Young but opted to stay put, and Carolina made the move for Young instead. If the former Alabama QB leads the Panthers to a victory alongside Reich, the Colts will have a lot of egg on their face. On the other hand, if Richardson — assuming he starts over Gardner Minshew — guides Indianapolis to a win, then Jim Irsay and company will look like geniuses. Expect a lot of trash talk between these fan bases before and after the game. — James Boyd

Even with the season still being months away, it's not too early to start looking ahead. There is no doubt that the Indianapolis Colts' matchup with the Carolina Panthers will generate a lot of excitement and interest.

Featured image via Robert Scheer-USA TODAY Sports