Weekly Breakdown of Colts Released 2015 Schedule

Nov 16, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) shakes hands after the game with New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) at Lucas Oil Stadium. New England defeated Indianapolis 42-20. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Week 6, October 18th: vs. New England Patriots, 8:30 PM EST on NBC (Sunday Night Football)

This is a primetime game that Chuck Pagano and his team certainly have circled on the calendar, even if they aren’t saying as such. The Colts were absolutely manhandled by the Patriots in last year’s AFC Championship game, 45-7, and should be hungry for a rematch.

With several high-profile free agent additions, the Patriots figure to be the bar on how much the Colts have improved and whether they’ve improved enough. Any road to a Super Bowl appearance likely goes through the defending champions in the AFC and beating their arch-nemesis would likely go a long way toward the Colts obtaining homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.

The Colts are 0-4 against New England in the “Chuck Pagano and Andrew Luck Era” of Colts football and have had 2 of their 3 seasons ended at the hands of the Patriots. The Colts lost both matchups to the Patriots last year: 42-20 in Week 11, 45-7 in AFC Championship Game.