Everything Before Kickoff

Home Field: Lucas Oil Stadium

Since 2008, the Colts have played their home games at Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis — a retractable-roof venue that replaced the RCA Dome and became an instant fixture of the city’s skyline. The stadium has also hosted a Super Bowl and a Final Four, but on Sundays in the fall it belongs to the Colts and the fans who fill it.

We go deeper on the stadium’s design, atmosphere, and place in franchise history in our article on Lucas Oil Stadium as the modern home of Colts football.

How We Break Down a Matchup

Our weekly approach in the Team News & Game Analysis series focuses on three layers: the scheme matchup (how the Colts’ approach lines up against the opponent’s), the personnel matchup (which units have the edge on paper), and the situational factors (injuries, weather, short weeks, divisional stakes). We’d rather get one matchup right with real context than churn out a dozen shallow predictions.

Rivalry Weeks

Division games carry a different weight than the rest of the schedule. The Colts’ AFC South rivalries have produced some of the most memorable stretches of recent seasons, and we cover what makes those weeks different in our piece on the AFC South rivalry.

• 01Read the week’s scheme breakdown before kickoff — context makes the broadcast better.
• 02Check the injury and personnel notes for both sides.
• 03Know the storyline of the week — is it a milestone game, a rivalry game, or a statement game?
• 04Save your takes for the comments — we read them after the final whistle.