With the release of the 2023 NFL schedule on May 11, some juicy storylines are brewing for the Indianapolis Colts. The 17-game slate has some intriguing twists and plots that should make for an interesting season for the Horseshoe.

Let’s break down 4 key takeaways from the Colts’ 2023 NFL schedule.

1. Anthony Richardson’s Debut vs. Jacksonville Jaguars on September 10

Don’t expect Gardner Minshew to start under center against his former team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, when the regular season kicks off on September 10. New head coach Shane Steichen will be all in on rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson.

On that note, Richardson will square off against Trevor Lawrence’s Jaguars – a team that will contend for the AFC South division for the foreseeable future. Richardson’s crazy athleticism will be on full display against Jacksonville. If he’s going to become a big-name NFL quarterback, he must throw accurate passes and know how to read defenses.

Don’t expect Richardson to blow up the stat sheet every night. However, he should have a decent debut against Doug Pederson’s upstart Jacksonville team.

Indy hasn’t won a season opener in nine years. If Richardson and new acquisitions Isaiah McKenzie, Julius Brents, Josh Downs, Blake Freeland, Matt Gay, and Samson Ebukam prove their worth in Week 1, the Colts are in a good position to end that nine-year futility.

2. Ease of Schedule

Indy has the fourth-easiest strength of schedule for the upcoming 2023 NFL campaign. Consider the fact the Colts will face just two teams – the AFC North’s Cincinnati Bengals (12-4) and Baltimore Ravens (10-7) – who won at least 10 games in 2022.

Not only that, but 12 of the Colts’ 17 opponents in 2023 did not even win half of their games last season. Can Shane Steichen’s young squad take advantage?

If the Colts fix their leaky offensive line and shore up their putrid offense, they could make a few surprises in the 2023 NFL season. Better yet, this year’s ease of schedule should help them win more games than the four they mustered in 2022. A seven- or eight-win campaign should be a step in the right direction in Steichen’s first season as Colts head coach.

3. International Game vs. New England Patriots on November 12

The Colts will travel to Europe to take on their nemesis, the New England Patriots, at Deutsch Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany on November 12. It’s Indy’s first regular-season game outside of the continental United States in seven years.

Since the Colts have no primetime games in 2023, their much-anticipated Week 10 matchup against the Patriots is a great opportunity to shine under the international limelight. For its part, the partisan German crowd will get a taste of the NFL gridiron and the great Colts-Patriots rivalry. It’s a game that should go down the wire.

4. Takeaways From Other Games

The Colts have several intriguing matchups from mid-season onwards. They will square off against DeShaun Watson, Miles Garrett, and the Cleveland Browns at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 22. The Horseshoe will then go against the New Orleans Saints and their new quarterback Derek Carr the week after.

Indy will travel to Charlotte, NC, for its highly-anticipated matchup against former head coach Frank Reich on November 5. Reich will savor a victory against the Colts, who fired him after a dismal 3-5-1 start on November 7, 2022. The Week 9 game against the Panthers will also pit first-overall pick Bryce Young against fellow rookie Anthony Richardson. It should be a fun game to watch from the opening kickoff.

The Colts will have their bye in Week 11. It’s a drastic change from the two consecutive Week 14 byes they had in 2021 and 2022. Getting an earlier bye will help Steichen and Co. get their second wind for the next seven games.

Five of Indianapolis’ next seven opponents finished with sub-.500 records last season. The Colts must take advantage of their strength of schedule and finish the season strong. It’s about time they stop imploding as the regular season winds down – a trend that has haunted the Colts the past two seasons.

On a side note, the Colts will go against the Las Vegas Raiders for the sixth straight year. One of the few bright spots in Indy’s forgettable 2022 NFL season was Jeff Saturday’s coaching debut against the Silver and Black on November 13, 2022. Jonathan Taylor punctuated the Colts’ 25-20 victory with an exciting 66-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

Here’s hoping the Horseshoe continues its winning streak against the Raiders in 2023.