Ranking the Colts 5 toughest opponents in 2026 NFL season

Arrowhead Stadium is widely regarded as one of the toughest road environments to play in throughout the entire NFL. The Colts will need to be at their best on both sides of the football against the Chiefs, as star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who is recovering from an ACL injury, may very well be ready to play against Indianapolis this season.

The Colts will look to take full advantage of an unproven Chiefs’ secondary throughout their matchup with Kansas City, but Indianapolis will need to be at the top of their game on the road at Arrowhead nonetheless.

Philadelphia Eagles (Away)

The Colts will be faced with another excellent test on the road in Philadelphia against one of the top teams in the NFC. Indy’s defense will need to contain Jalen Hurts both through the air and on the ground, and stopping star running back Saquon Barkley is never an easy task.

The Colts will face an uphill battle on the road against the Eagles in 2026, but an excellent performance on both sides of the football could prove to be enough against Philadelphia this season.

Baltimore Ravens (Home)

Indianapolis’ defense will be tasked with one of its toughest matchups of the season vs. Baltimore. Star quarterback Lamar Jackson could quickly begin to shine against any team in football, and the Colts will need to contain the generational quarterback to the best of their ability.

Daniel Jones and the rest of the Colts offense will need to keep pace with Jackson and the Ravens’ offense, as the matchup could quickly turn into a shootout despite each team having a talented defensive unit.

Pittsburgh Steelers (Away)

The Steelers consistently have one of the top defenses in the NFL on a yearly basis. The Colts' offense will be tested instantly on the road in Pittsburgh, and the offensive line will need to limit superstar defensive linemen TJ Watt and Cam Heyward as much as possible.

Acrisure Stadium is an extremely tough environment to play in on the road in a similar fashion to Arrowhead, but the Colts could easily leave with a victory due to Pittsburgh’s underwhelming offense.

The NFL will officially release the schedule for the 2026 season on May 14.

This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: 2026 NFL schedule: Colts' five most difficult matchups