Sunday predictions.

[Hoopsdoc]

Will it be another season opening loss? Or will we finally be 1-0?

I’m having trouble predicting this one, mainly because I have no idea how Jones will fare and I have no idea how the defense will play.

If the defense isn’t stout, Miami will carve them up. They have speed at every position on offense and a quarterback who can get them the ball. Achane is one of the faster running backs in the league and everyone knows about Hill and Waddle. Plus they have Darren Waller at tight end.

I think it’ll be a close game and a toss up at the end.

I say 31-28 Miami.

[BCN#1]

27-24 Colts come from behind.

No, I am not drunk when posting this... :D

[Colts And Orioles]

o


For the first time since 2013, the Colts will win the opening game of the season ...... they will do so in a crushing manner, similar to when the American League finally broke through and trounced the National League by a score of 13-3 in 1983 after having lost 11 consecutive All-Star games between 1972 and 1982.




INDIANAPOLIS COLTS lllllllll.., - 34


MIAMI DOLPHINS llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll - .l 16

o

[Hoopsdoc]

I will say, from perusing Dolphins message boards, fully 95 percent of their fans are predicting a Dolphins win. Most say a fairly close game, some a comfortable win, and a few predicting a Miami blowout.

And, to be fair, we do have Danny Nickels starting at quarterback.

[Indystu2]

Loss

[albany ed]

Just hoping for an entertaining game, one in which for most of it, the game is in the balance. Win or lose, just don't be an embarrassment.

[apballin]

Win for Jim!!!!!

Jonathan Taylor sets the tone for the season in week 1!!!

Colts 31

Finkles 17

[Brylok]

As always, I hope we win, and I think it will be close, but I predict a loss. This season is going to be weird.

[omahacolt]

team is unprepared and plays like shit.


franklin will be horrible



we make it close at the end but still lose.

[YDFL Commish]

I will say, from perusing Dolphins message boards, fully 95 percent of their fans are predicting a Dolphins win. Most say a fairly close game, some a comfortable win, and a few predicting a Miami blowout.

And, to be fair, we do have Danny Nickels starting at quarterback.

WTF! Are the Phins fans delusional? Their team is a dumpster fire, waiting to explode, for Christ sake!

Form the LB calling the team soft to Tyreek wanting out of town, and being stripped of his captaincy, to injuries to key players to bringing Darren Waller who's also injured.

They have a shit O-Line. After Hill and Waddle, they have nothing at WR. They have a pretty good defense and a punchers chance if they can hit the big plays on offense.

We will double Hill and put Mooney Ward on Waddle, and shut those MOFO's down. Colts 37 Phins 20.

[Hoopsdoc]

WTF! Are the Phins fans delusional? Their team is a dumpster fire, waiting to explode, for Christ sake!

Form the LB calling the team soft to Tyreek wanting out of town, and being stripped of his captaincy, to injuries to key players to bringing Darren Waller who's also injured.

They have a shit O-Line. After Hill and Waddle, they have nothing at WR. They have a pretty good defense and a punchers chance if they can hit the big plays on offense.

We will double Hill and put Mooney Ward on Waddle, and shut those MOFO's down. Colts 37 Phins 20.

Hill and Waddle are probably a top 5 wr duo in the NFL. With one of the better passers in the game at quarterback. With Darren Waller at tight end.

The Dolphins are going to score some points, regardless. If the Colts aren’t stout on defense, they’ll score a LOT of points.

In my opinion, Dolphins fans have as much reason for optimism as Colts fans do. If not more.

I don’t think this is going to be a blowout either way.

[YDFL Commish]

Hill and Waddle are probably a top 5 wr duo in the NFL. With one of the better passers in the game at quarterback. With Darren Waller at tight end.

The Dolphins are going to score some points, regardless. If the Colts aren’t stout on defense, they’ll score a LOT of points.

In my opinion, Dolphins fans have as much reason for optimism as Colts fans do. If not more.

I don’t think this is going to be a blowout either way.

Waller won't even play, and is a has been. Tua can't do shit, if he's on his ass, due to a shit OL.

[Lov2fish]

Colts 27 Fish 17. Their O-Line is garbage.

[CletusPyle]

Colts will win!

[IndyNorm]

There's 2 things we know about our Colts for the past 10+ years: we'll lose in week 1 (or at least won't win) and we'll lose at the Jagoffs.

Phins 24-13.

[Dam8610]

That's going to end some time. At home against a not so great Dolphins team seems like as good a time as any for it to end.

[Colts And Orioles]

That's going to end sometime ...... l at home against a not-so-great Dolphins team seems like as good a time as any for it to end.





o


That's true, but you never know with this team ...... they managed to lose to the Giants last year with their only hope for a playoff berth riding on the game.

Then, they'll do things such as turning around and beating Patrick Mahomes' Super Bowl champion Chiefs, like they did with Jacoby Brissett at QB in 2019 and with Matt Ryan at QB 2022 ...... and that 2022 Colts team went 4-12-1, with one of those 4 wins coming against the Chiefs.


I may be biased because of the fact that I follow the Colts much more closely than I do any other NFL team, but it seems to me that the Colts have been the most unpredictable franchise in the league since the retirement of Andrew Luck.

o

[YDFL Commish]

o
I may be biased because of the fact that I follow the Colts much more closely than I do any other NFL team, but it seems to me that the Colts have been the most unwatchable franchise in the league since the retirement of Andrew Luck.
o

Fixed it for ya! But, yet I still watch. Well, except the Jags week 17 game. I had to boycott the Colts for 1 game after that gawd awful performance vs the Giants.

[Colts And Orioles]

Fixed it for ya !!! But, yet I still watch. Well, except the Jags week 17 game. I had to boycott the Colts for 1 game after that gawd awful performance vs the Giants.





o


I could never boycott the Colts, the Orioles, or the Bullets (Wizards.)

I kept watching (and rooting) for the Colts after they started the 2011 season at 0-13, and were losing games by a scores of 62-7 and 34-7. When I see those blue horseshoes on the helmets that they wear, there is nothing unwatchable about it for me.

o

[Hoopsdoc]

o


I could never boycott the Colts, the Orioles, or the Bullets (Wizards.)

I kept watching (and rooting) for the Colts after they started the 2011 season at 0-13, and were losing games by a scores of 62-7 and 34-7. When I see those blue horseshoes on the helmets that they wear, there is nothing unwatchable about it for me.

o

That season wasn’t actually that bad because we knew it meant Andrew Luck. I’d rather be extraordinarily bad than mediocre.

[Thorgrim]

Colts 27 fins 20

[Colts And Orioles]

That season wasn’t actually that bad because we knew it meant Andrew Luck. I’d rather be extraordinarily bad than mediocre.





o


I'm glad that we got Luck, but I never play that game. I'm not a "sophisticated" fan, in a proverbial sense.

And I'd rather be mediocre than bad, just like I would rather be good than mediocre, and I'd rather be great than good.

o

[Voosh]

That season wasn’t actually that bad because we knew it meant Andrew Luck. I’d rather be extraordinarily bad than mediocre.
I watched every game of the Suck for Luck season. It was a different time...

[Dam8610]

o


I'm glad that we got Luck, but I never play that game. I'm not a "sophisticated" fan, in a proverbial sense.

And I'd rather be mediocre than bad, just like I would rather be good than mediocre, and I'd rather be great than good.

o

Honestly, for me, mediocre is the last place I want the Colts to be. Championship favorite, Division champion that has a chance to contend for a championship, Top 5 pick bad, Top 10 pick bad, and mediocre would be my order of preference of the state of the franchise. Mediocrity is a self-perpetuating state of irrelevance. Being at either extreme will get you to the other extreme quicker than being mediocre.

[Colts And Orioles]

Honestly, for me, mediocre is the last place I want the Colts to be. Championship favorite, Division champion that has a chance to contend for a championship, Top 5 pick bad, Top 10 pick bad, and mediocre would be my order of preference of the state of the franchise. Mediocrity is a self-perpetuating state of irrelevance. Being at either extreme will get you to the other extreme quicker than being mediocre.





o


"Badness" does not necessarily soon evolve into "goodness."

The Colts went 4-12-1 in 2022, and the went 9-8 and then 8-9 over their next 2 seasons.

The Detroit Lions went 2-14, 3-13, 5-11, 6-10, 5-11, 6-10 3-13, 7-9, 0-16, 2-14, and 6-10 for 10 consecutive seasons between 2001 and 2010 before finally breaking through for a winning season and a playoff berth in 2011 with a 10-6 record ...... and promptly followed that with 2 more bad seasons in 2012 (4-12) and 2013 (3-13.)

The Cleveland Browns went 5-11, 5-11, 4-12, 5-11, 4-12, 7-9, 3-13, 1-15, 0-16, 7-8-1, and 0-16 between 2011 and 2017 ...... that was 7 straight seasons in which they were bad for 5 out of the 7 with 2 mediocre season (7-9 in 2015 and 7-8-1 in 2016) sandwiched in there ...... then they had 2 mediocre seasons in 2018 and 2019 (7-8-1, and 6-10) before finally breaking through with an 11-5 season and a playoff berth in 2020.

The Kansas City Chiefs had 3 bad seasons in a row from 2007 through 2009 (4-12, 2-14, and 4-12.) They did follow that with good season in 2010 (10-6), but dropped back down to mediocrity in 2011 (7-9), and then badness in 2012 (2-14.)


Yes, there are examples in which terrible teams subsequently wound up drafting a great player who almost single-handedly turned a franchise around (Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck), but there are many other examples throughout football history that are contrary to that ...... so like I said, the equation is simple for me ...... I'd rather be mediocre than be bad, I'd rather be good than mediocre, and I'd rather be great than good. I was unhappy with the Colts' mediocre 9-8 season in 2023 when they were one completed pass away from winning the division, but I was a lot less happy with their 4-12-1 record the season before.

o

[YDFL Commish]

o


I could never boycott the Colts, the Orioles, or the Bullets (Wizards.)

I kept watching (and rooting) for the Colts after they started the 2011 season at 0-13, and were losing games by a scores of 62-7 and 34-7. When I see those blue horseshoes on the helmets that they wear, there is nothing unwatchable about it for me.

o

I too am diehard Colts, Orioles, Bullets/Wizards fan. It has been a painful 30 plus years for the latter two.

[Kray007]

Game 1’s are always odd. Preseason games are a farce, and teams enter the season entirely unprepared to compete in real games. Funny things happen, like Kansas City losing to the Chargers.

I make the assumption that, no matter how accomplished, it’s going to take a couple of games for the Defensive backfield to coalesce into a effective unit.

Dolphins 24-Colts 21.

[Dam8610]

o


"Badness" does not necessarily soon evolve into "goodness."

The Colts went 4-12-1 in 2022, and the went 9-8 and then 8-9 over their next 2 seasons.

The Detroit Lions went 2-14, 3-13, 5-11, 6-10, 5-11, 6-10 3-13, 7-9, 0-16, 2-14, and 6-10 for 10 consecutive seasons between 2001 and 2010 before finally breaking through for a winning season and a playoff berth in 2011 with a 10-6 record ...... and promptly followed that with 2 more bad seasons in 2012 (4-12) and 2013 (3-13.)

The Cleveland Browns went 5-11, 5-11, 4-12, 5-11, 4-12, 7-9, 3-13, 1-15, 0-16, 7-8-1, and 0-16 between 2011 and 2017 ...... that was 7 straight seasons in which they were bad for 5 out of the 7 with 2 mediocre season (7-9 in 2015 and 7-8-1 in 2016) sandwiched in there ...... then they had 2 mediocre seasons in 2018 and 2019 (7-8-1, and 6-10) before finally breaking through with an 11-5 season and a playoff berth in 2020.

The Kansas City Chiefs had 3 bad seasons in a row from 2007 through 2009 (4-12, 2-14, and 4-12.) They did follow that with good season in 2010 (10-6), but dropped back down to mediocrity in 2011 (7-9), and then badness in 2012 (2-14.)


Yes, there are examples in which terrible teams subsequently wound up drafting a great player who almost single-handedly turned a franchise around (Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck), but there are many other examples throughout football history that are contrary to that ...... so like I said, the equation is simple for me ...... I'd rather be mediocre than be bad, I'd rather be good than mediocre, and I'd rather be great than good. I was unhappy with the Colts' mediocre 9-8 season in 2023 when they were one completed pass away from winning the division, but I was a lot less happy with their 4-12-1 record the season before.

o

In football, if you have people who evaluate talent well, being bad is the ticket to getting good. 49ers are a great example. They had Jimmy Garrapolo go down one year, they were bad enough to get the #2 pick, that got them Nick Bosa, and they were in the Super Bowl either the next year or the year after, I believe. They also lucked into their QB solution. I wish another Purdy would come along and the Colts would draft him.

[Colts And Orioles]

In football, if you have people who evaluate talent well, being bad is the ticket to getting good.




o


I just gave you numerous examples to the contrary. You can believe whatever you want to believe, and root for the Colts however you want to root for the Colts.

o

[Dam8610]

o


I just gave you numerous examples to the contrary. You can believe whatever you want to believe, and root for the Colts however you want to root for the Colts.

o

You gave me examples of teams that had little patience, cycled through GMs and head coaches like they were the latest fashion trends, and therefore had no organizational consistency and continued to be bad because of it. The successful organizations don't do this.

Let me use your examples. The Lions finally got themselves out of the carousel of bad not when they got their Franchise QB, because they had Stafford for a decade, but when they finally committed to a GM and Head Coach, who then promptly built an organizational structure and culture, and the Lions have been contending for nearly a half decade with a QB another organization effectively gave up on.

The exact same thing happened with the Chiefs. They hired Dorsey and Reid, committed to them long term, they've won 3 championships as a result, and the only reason John Dorsey isn't still their GM is because he took a big payday to go fail with the Browns.

Speaking of the Browns, they are the only organization of the 3 that you brought up that has not committed to a GM and Head Coach for greater than 3 years, and, (not so) shockingly, they're the only organization of the three that hasn't been able to find any level of consistent success.

Of course I don't want the organization to be incompetent like Jimmy Haslam's operation, but since Carlie Irsay-Gordon is a third generation NFL owner, I'm sure she's smart enough to see how good organizations operate, and how bad organizations operate. So, assuming that is the case, I don't think she's going to go fire crazy and not allow there to be any consistent organizational structure or culture. If that's the case, then being terrible will get you to be competitive much faster than being mediocre will.

[Colts And Orioles]

You gave me examples of teams that had little patience, cycled through GMs and head coaches like they were the latest fashion trends, and therefore had no organizational consistency and continued to be bad because of it.The successful organizations don't do this.






o


They are examples of bad teams not evolving into good teams, and there are many more throughout NFL history. You specifically specifically said ...... "Being at either extreme will get you to the other extreme quicker than being mediocre"


You were wrong. Being at either extreme will not necessarily get you to the other extreme quickly and/or quicker than mediocrity will, as you asserted. Take a page from your own signature (I was wrong ..... Omaha), and follow said advice for yourself.

o

[Racehorse]

Of course I don't want the organization to be incompetent like Jimmy Haslam's operation, but since Carlie Irsay-Gordon is a third generation NFL owner, I'm sure she's smart enough to see how good organizations operate, and how bad organizations operate. So, assuming that is the case, I don't think she's going to go fire crazy and not allow there to be any consistent organizational structure or culture. If that's the case, then being terrible will get you to be competitive much faster than being mediocre will.

Talk in Nashville is their impatient owner is a huge factor in their collapse from the number 1 seed to the number 1 pick. Her impatience fired John Robinson, then Vrabel, and now they have an almost rookie HC and a rookie GM. And the team is almost totally devoid of talent outside of a few players.

[Oldcolt]

In my experience as a Colts fan being shitty does not guarantee anything. However, every time we got really good it was from being shitty first. Hard to get game changers, really hard to find them outside of the top 10. I hope we finally win an opener but it’s going to take way more than that to make me believe in this group

[Racehorse]

o


They are examples of bad teams not evolving into good teams, and there are many more throughout NFL history. You specifically specifically said ...... "Being at either extreme will get you to the other extreme quicker than being mediocre"


You were wrong. Being at either extreme will not necessarily get you to the other extreme quickly and/or quicker than mediocrity will, as you asserted. Take a page from your own signature (I was wrong ..... Omaha), and follow said advice for yourself.

oThe key to making the jump from mediocre to contender is usually an impact player being added. KC was a mediocre team before Mahomes. Aaron Donald did the same for the Rams. Someone mentioned Bosa in SF. Joe Burrow replacing Dalton did it for Cincy. We need to hope Latu or someone else is our impact player.

[Colts And Orioles]

The key to making the jump from mediocre to contender is usually an impact player being added. KC was a mediocre team before Mahomes. Aaron Donald did the same for the Rams. Someone mentioned Bosa in SF. Joe Burrow replacing Dalton did it for Cincy. We need to hope Latu or someone else is our impact player.





o


I think so, too. Those are all good examples.

The plight of Daniel Jones (and how well he plays) will likely be a factor for the 2025 Colts, also ...... of course, if we have an offensive line similar to the one that was "blocking" for Matt Ryan in 2022, it's going to be a long season for him (and us.)

o

[omahacolt]

o


They are examples of bad teams not evolving into good teams, and there are many more throughout NFL history. You specifically specifically said ...... "Being at either extreme will get you to the other extreme quicker than being mediocre"


You were wrong. Being at either extreme will not necessarily get you to the other extreme quickly and/or quicker than mediocrity will, as you asserted. Take a page from your own signature (I was wrong ..... Omaha), and follow said advice for yourself.

o
dam will never admit he is wrong. he is like someone else I have to read about everyday. always right and has never made a mistake. clearly full of shit.

not many people behave like this, but they are out there.

[apballin]

I’ll be in the building and I predict I’ll have atleast 3 Blue drinks and I’ll be hoarse by halftime

[apballin]

Waller won't even play, and is a has been. Tua can't do shit, if he's on his ass, due to a shit OL.

Waller is officially OUT… you called it

[albany ed]

If I were a betting man, I'd take the Colts in this game.

[Racehorse]

o


I think so, too. Those are all good examples.

The plight of Daniel Jones (and how well he plays) will likely be a factor for the 2025 Colts, also ...... of course, if we have an offensive line similar to the one that was "blocking" for Matt Ryan in 2022, it's going to be a long season for him (and us.)

o

Jones is a lot more mobile that Ryan. That should help a lot.

[Indystu2]

Loss


Wow this crow tastes great!

[Colts And Orioles]

o


For the first time since 2013, the Colts will win the opening game of the season ...... they will do so in a crushing manner, similar to when the American League finally broke through and trounced the National League by a score of 13-3 in 1983 after having lost 11 consecutive All-Star games between 1972 and 1982.




INDIANAPOLIS COLTS lllllllll.., - 34


MIAMI DOLPHINS llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll - .l 16

o
o


I underestimated the Colts' defense.

o

[Colts And Orioles]

o


Perhaps we can have this as an ongoing thread for the 2025 season ??? The title of the thread is apt for it, even if the OP's original intentions were to specifically and only discuss the predictions for the first game of the season ...... maybe the moderators can put (2025 Season) in parenthesis in the thread title to augment it (Sunday Predictions, 2025 Season).




NFL Week 2 Picks, Predictions, Schedule, Odds

(Multiple ESPN Contributors)

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/46215166/nfl-week-2-picks-predictions-schedule-fantasy-football-odds-injuries-stats-2025




Broncos (1-0) at Colts (1-0)

4:05 p.m. ET | CBS | Matchup rating: 54.9/100

ESPN BET: DEN -1.5 (43.5 O/U)


What We're Hearing on the Broncos: l A Colts offense that scored on all seven possessions in the team's Week 1 win has the attention of the Broncos' defense, with coach Sean Payton calling it "impressive." Denver leads the league in several defensive categories after its win and will look to make QB Daniel Jones less comfortable than he was in his 22-of-29, 272-yard performance against Miami. Coordinator Vance Joseph likes to blitz early and often -- typically with five-man pressures. But Jones repeatedly punished the Dolphins, who had the second-highest blitz rate (48.5%), so Denver will have to be judicious. (Jeff Legwold)


What We're Hearing on the Colts: l New defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo put Miami in the spin cycle with a masterful game plan and savvy blitz calls. But he acknowledges the challenge against Payton will be a difficult one. "He's just always changing within the game, going to have things specific to your team that he's playing against. [He] does just a great job calling the game and trying to keep you off balance." The Colts held Miami to 211 total yards and produced three turnovers, but this will be one of the week's more interesting game-within-the-game situations as these two play-callers match wits. (Stephen Holder)


Stat to Know: l Broncos QB Bo Nix has had five games with multiple interceptions since the start of last season, tied with Baker Mayfield (Tampa Bay) for most in the NFL in that span. (ESPN Research Team)


Bold Prediction: l Colts WR Josh Downs will bounce back after a quiet Week 1 and deliver a 70-plus-yard day. With CB Pat Surtain II presumably taking away an outside receiver, Downs should get more looks in the slot. (Seth Walder)

o

[HoosierinFL]

Jones and Ward both out.

[Discflinger]

I was in Denver last year. F THAT! Just enough...20 13 colts

[Discflinger]

Nah...20-9 Coats

[omahacolt]

Nah...20-9 Coats

I can't imagine we only give up 9. at best I am hoping for 20 and under.

[Dam8610]

I can't imagine we only give up 9. at best I am hoping for 20 and under.

Did you see Bo Nix against the Titans? They should've scored 30+ in that game. They only scored 20. If the same Bo Nix and Daniel Jones show up tomorrow, the Colts should win big.

[omahacolt]

Did you see Bo Nix against the Titans? They should've scored 30+ in that game. They only scored 20. If the same Bo Nix and Daniel Jones show up tomorrow, the Colts should win big.

I don't trust the colts defense at all. I am hopeful but I don't think they will be as good as they were last week.


also don't trust DJ to play as well against the Denver defense.


we will see but week 1 results don't guarantee week 2 results. the colts should have blown the doors off the Giants last year. guess what happened?

[Racehorse]

I don't trust the colts defense at all. I am hopeful but I don't think they will be as good as they were last week.


also don't trust DJ to play as well against the Denver defense.


we will see but week 1 results don't guarantee week 2 results. the colts should have blown the doors off the Giants last year. guess what happened?

That is a fair assessment

[YDFL Commish]

Coats 23
Ugly Horses 18

[omahacolt]

denver 20

colts 13

[Lov2fish]

Colts 24, Donkeys 16

[Kray007]

Colts 27-17

[Thorgrim]

Colts 16 Broncs 13

[IndyNorm]

Jones and Ward both out.

Ouch. That's going to hurt. Donks 24-20.

[Oldcolt]

I have no feel for who this Colt team actually is. Like Omaha said I am not sure what kind of defense we actually have here (I think it is much improved both in terms of players on the back end and coaching) and need to see DJ play with some pressure on him. Colts 24-17 but its just pulling numbers out of my ass because I want to believe

[omahacolt]

Ouch. That's going to hurt. Donks 24-20.

Latu won't play either

[IndyNorm]

Latu won't play either

Oh fuck. Well Donks 30-17 then.

[Colts And Orioles]

Colts 16 - Broncos 13.





o


Super Bowl V.

o

[Discflinger]

Fucking Burrow is out with a toe...God bless...

[Discflinger]

But they're driving...

[Discflinger]

Mitch Tinsley! Bless you, boy! 1st ever nfl catch!

[Discflinger]

Fucking fags...

[Discflinger]

Let's go Bungles!

[Discflinger]

Wincy 4Cincy!