Colts join very rare company in NFL history by playing back-to-back undefeated teams

The Indianapolis Colts are about to enter very rare company this Sunday when they host the undefeated Denver Broncos.  In the NFL's long history, only twice has a team ever faced a team that was 6-0 or better in consecutive weeks.

According to the NFL's Director of NFC Football Communications, Randall Liu, the 1934 Detroit Lions and the 2004 Pittsburgh Steelers are the only two teams to have done it, while both the Green Bay Packers and the Indianapolis Colts will do it this Sunday.

In 1934, the Lions played the 11-0 Chicago Bears and the 12-0 Chicago Bears in consecutive weeks, losing both games.  In 2004, the Steelers played the 6-0 New England Patriots and the 7-0 Philadelphia Eagles in consecutive weeks, winning both games.  This year, the Packers played the 6-0 Denver Broncos last week and will play the 7-0 Carolina Panthers this week, while the Colts are the exact opposite - they played the 6-0 Carolina Panthers last week and will host the 7-0 Denver Broncos this week.

There are currently four undefeated teams in the NFL this year (the Panthers, Broncos, Patriots, and Bengals), the most unbeatens this late in a season in league history.  The Colts will have played three of the four teams in a four week span once this Sunday is done, losing 34-27 to the Patriots in week six and then losing 29-26 to the Panthers last week in overtime.  Up next are the 7-0 Broncos and their number one-ranked defense, which just held Aaron Rodgers to 77 yards last week to knock the Packers from the ranks of the unbeatens.

For a team that is just 3-5 and in a lot of turmoil right now, playing three undefeated teams in a four-week span (including two in a row) is not a recipe for success for the Colts by any means.  It's a brutal schedule, but they haven't been doing themselves any favors with their poor offensive play and struggles, starting with quarterback Andrew Luck.  It's bad enough that the team fired offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton earlier this week, and more changes are expected for sure at the end of the season, if not earlier.  The Colts could really use a win heading into their bye week to stay atop the AFC South, but in order to do so they'll have to knock off the unbeaten Broncos.