Indianapolis Colts history on Christmas weekend
The Indianapolis Colts will play the Arizona Cardinals on Christmas Day. Here’s how Indy usually fares during Christmas weekend.
After Indianapolis Colts fans open their presents and enjoy food on Christmas Day, they will be able to wind down and enjoy what should be a quality game between their Colts and the Arizona Cardinals.
An Indianapolis victory may be one of the best gifts for fans as it keeps the team’s playoff hopes alive, but it will be tough. The Cardinals have been the best team in the NFL all year and will enter this game with a top record at 10-4.
Fortunately for Indy, history may be on their side, as they usually perform well in games during the week of Christmas. Let’s take a look at how they perform in games both on Christmas and the surrounding dates.
What is the Colts’ record on Christmas?
The Colts Christmas day record is an impressive 0-0, as they have never played on the actual holiday before. The meeting against Arizona will be the first, so it will be great to get things started with a W.
Although Indianapolis hasn’t played on Christmas Day, they have played on just about every date surrounding Dec. 25. Since the year 2000, Indy is 14-7 in games played within three days of Christmas.
While that should bode well for Indy in this upcoming matchup, Indianapolis usually struggles on the road during Christmas week. Of the 21 games since 2000, the Colts are 8-2 at home and 6-5 on the road. A win in the desert will keep the holiday road record from dropping to .500.
Another interesting tidbit about Indianapolis’ performances around Christmas is that they perform far better in games after the holiday has passed. In games that were played within three days before Christmas, the Colts are a mediocre 7-6, but in games played within three days after the holiday, they are a dominant 7-1.
On Sunday, Indianapolis will begin creating some new history. One of the fan base’s holidays will have a bit of a sour ending, but it won’t have the same impact for both sides. The Cardinals, who’ve essentially punched their ticket to the playoffs, have many more gifts to open. The Colts, on the other hand, need this victory or they are at risk of having to wrap their season up.
