The wait is officially over. Training camp is behind us, the preseason is over, and the roster deadline day has come and gone. All 32 teams will be in action this week, starting Wednesday, when the Patriots and Seahawks kick things off with a Super Bowl rematch.

For the Indianapolis Colts, the season starts with a tough test against the Baltimore Ravens, but the Colts seem to be in good shape. The Keenan Allen drama is in the rearview, the roster surprises are done, and Alec Pierce looks to be rearing to go. So let’s take an unbiased look at how the Colts’ season projects, with the help of our friend Grok.

Simulated 2026 regular season

Week 1 — vs Baltimore Ravens
L 17-24
Jones looks sharp early (22/31, 241 yards) but Lamar Jackson and the Ravens’ front win the second half. Taylor is held to 68 yards. Gardner breaks up two deep balls. 0-1.

Week 2 — at Kansas City Chiefs (SNF)
L 20-31
Mahomes is too much in prime time. Colts keep it close into the third before a pair of coverage busts. Jones 268 yards, 2 TDs. 0-2.

Week 3 — vs Houston Texans
W 23-16
The first real statement. Latu records 2 sacks. Taylor rips off a 41-yard TD. Jones manages the game. Secondary smothers Nico Collins. 1-2.

Week 4 — vs Washington Commanders (London)
W 27-20
Pierce goes 6-112-1. Jones is efficient. The travel and early kickoff don’t rattle them. 2-2.

Week 5 — at Pittsburgh Steelers
L 13-20
Ugly, physical, low-scoring. Steelers’ run game and a late pick seal it. Jones’ first real rusty game since the injury. 2-3.

Week 6 — vs Tennessee Titans
W 34-10
Taylor 142 yards and 2 TDs. Offense finally explodes. 3-3.

Week 7 — at Minnesota Vikings
L 24-27
Heartbreaker. Jones hits Downs for a late TD to tie, then a missed 54-yarder as time expires. 3-4.

Week 8 — at Jacksonville Jaguars
W 21-17
Defensive slugfest. Gardner intercepts Trevor Lawrence in the red zone. Taylor punches in the winner. First division win. 4-4.

Week 9 — vs Dallas Cowboys
W 31-28
Shootout. Downs 9-128. Jones 3 TDs. Last-minute drive. 5-4.

Week 10 — vs Miami Dolphins
W 28-17
Taylor and Warren take over. Defense forces three turnovers. 6-4 and suddenly relevant.

Week 11 — at Houston Texans (Thursday Night)
L 16-23
Texans’ defense wins the rematch. Jones is sacked five times. 6-5.

Week 12 — vs New York Giants
W 24-13
Rest-and-recover win. Richardson even gets a series. 7-5.

Week 13 — BYE

Week 14 — at Philadelphia Eagles
L 20-34
Saquon and the Eagles’ physicality are too much. 7-6.

Week 15 — at Tennessee Titans
W 27-16
Taylor eclipses 1,200 yards for the season. Easy enough. 8-6.

Week 16 — vs Cincinnati Bengals
W 30-27 (OT)
Jones-to-Pierce 48-yard bomb in OT. One of the better wins of the Steichen era. 9-6.

Week 17 — at Cleveland Browns
L 17-20
Ugly letdown on a short week of rest. 9-7.

Week 18 — vs Jacksonville Jaguars
W 26-23
Jaguars rest some starters. Colts still have to earn it. Shrader hits a 41-yarder as time expires. They finish 10-7.

Final record and playoffs

10-7, 2nd in the AFC South behind the Jaguars (11-6). Texans 10-7 as well. Colts grab the No. 7 seed.

Wild Card at Jacksonville
W 19-16
The defense that was supposed to be the weak link carries them. Latu and Buckner collapse the pocket. Gardner and Ward erase the deep ball. Jones does just enough. First playoff win since 2018.

Divisional at Buffalo
L 21-38
Josh Allen reminds everyone what an elite quarterback looks like in January. The Cinderella run ends.

Season stat line (sim)

• Daniel Jones: 3,742 yards, 24 TD, 11 INT, 8 rush TDs. Stayed healthy all 17 games.
• Jonathan Taylor: 1,387 rushing yards, 14 total TDs.
• Tyler Warren: 78-812-6.
• Alec Pierce: 61-1,048-7.
• Laiatu Latu: 11.5 sacks.
• Sauce Gardner: 4 INT, 14 PDs.

The 2025 collapse is reversed. Jones proves the Achilles isn’t a long-term issue. The secondary finally looks like the unit Ballard paid for. Steichen and Ballard live to fight another year. The Colts are still not a Super Bowl team, but they are no longer the franchise that finds a way to miss the tournament every January.

Week 1 against Baltimore is the first real data point. Everything above is just one plausible path from here.