Colts Need to Break Decade-Long Streak in 2025

The Indianapolis Colts will enter the 2025 season aiming for the same goal they've had every other year: an AFC South title.

In the first 13 years of the AFC South's existence, the Colts brought home nine divisional titles. That mark still stands as the most in the division, but rival teams have caught up quickly over the past decade.

The Houston Texans have eight titles to their name, earning themselves a second-place spot. The Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars have four and two, respectively.

Over the past two years, the Texans have inched closer to the Colts by winning back-to-back titles thanks to phenom quarterback C.J. Stroud and head coach DeMeco Ryans. If there was ever a year to respond for Indianapolis, it would be this upcoming 2025 season.

NFL analyst Gennaro Filice looked over the Colts' schedule this year and thinks that the last four games should decide whether the Colts can break their decade-long streak without a title.

"The Colts have the longest division title drought in the AFC South at 10 years," Filice wrote. "... but they could control their own destiny deep into this season's race, with four of their final six games against the Texans (who’ve claimed the last two South titles) and Jaguars (who wore the crown before Houston). In 2024, Indy swept Tennessee, split a pair of three-point outcomes with Jacksonville and lost two games to Houston by a combined five points."

The last time the Colts won four games against AFC South opponents was in 2020, the same year they last made the playoffs. Finishing the season with winning record against divisional opponents is more important than it seems, and the Colts should be in peak rhythm by the time their divisional games roll around.

Following their bye week in Week 11, the Colts will face the Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, and the Texans and Jaguars twice. This stretch of games should determine if Indianapolis is built for postseason football for the third time in general manager Chris Ballard's tenure.

The Colts are just under four months away from kicking off their 2025 campaign against the Miami Dolphins.