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Posts Tagged ‘Indianapolis Colts’

January 7th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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If you listen to Head Coach Rex Ryan, the New York Jets think that this battle against the Indianapolis Colts is one that is personal on Saturday night. These two behemoths will square off at Lucas Oil Field, where they are going to be slugging it out with one another in the 3/6 battle in the AFC side of the playoffs. Check out our NFL playoff picks for this one!

Matchup: New York Jets @ Indianapolis Colts
Date: Saturday, January 8th, 8:00 ET
Location: Lucas Oil Field, Indianapolis, IN
Game Line: Indianapolis -2.5
Over/Under 44.5

Jets Notes: This was supposed to be a season for the Jets in which they won the AFC East, earned a first round bye in the playoffs, played two home playoff games, and captured the Super Bowl. The media hype in the Big Apple is tremendous here, and there will be a lot of pressure on Ryan's shoulders to perform next season if New York doesn't at least get out of the first round of the playoffs. QB Mark Sanchez has improved, but we are still questioning whether he really has the ability to win as a quarterback in this league without a ton of help. He only completed 54.8 percent of his passes this year for 3,278 yards, and though his TD/INT ratio improved, 17/13 in that category is really nothing to write home about. He does have a great crop of backs and receivers, and a stellar offensive line around him, though. The combo of WR Santonio Holmes, WR Braylon Edwards, and TE Dustin Keller is one of the most talented trios in the league, and all three had averaged over 750 yards and 54 receptions apiece. On the ground, we tend to think that New York upgraded by trading in last year's rushing duo of RB Thomas Jones and RB Leon Washington for RB LaDainian Tomlinson and RB Shonn Greene. Greene was probably a bit disappointing with just 766 yards and two TDs this year, but LT proved that he still has some legs, rushing for 906 yards and catching 52 passes for 355 yards, totaling six scores. Defensively, this team can still cause opponents fits, as New York comes into the postseason ranking No. 3 against the rush at just 90.9 yards per game allowed and No. 3 overall at 291.4 yards per game allowed. Giving up 19.0 points per game shows that there have been some chinks in the armor, but when push came to shove this year, the Jets held seven foes to 14 points or fewer.

Colts Notes: QB Peyton Manning certainly wasn't the league's MVP this year, but if he is going to win the Super Bowl this season, he is going to have to put on a fantastic face and put this team on his back to do so. We know that this defense has improved just a tad this year, but there is still no excuse for a playoff team that is hoping to really win the Super Bowl to allow 341.6 yards and 24.2 points per game. The ground game is one of the worst in the league as well at just 92.7 yards per game, though we know that the combination of RB Joseph Addai and RB Dominic Rhodes has played relatively well in recent weeks. It's all up to Peyton though, and he knows it. He led the No. 1 ranked passing attack in the game this year at 288.1 yards per game, and he broke the single season record for most completions in a season with 450. Manning won't have either WR Austin Collie or TE Dallas Clark to work with, but there is still something to be said about how good TE Jacob Tamme, WR Pierre Garcon, and particularly WR Reggie Wayne have been this year. Wayne led the AFC in receptions with 111, and he had 1,355 yards and six scores to show for his work. He was also the only other skill position player, outside of Manning, that played in more than 14 games this year. Garcon had 67 catches and 786 yards in 14 games, while Tamme, who only took over as a starter seven games into the year, had 67 receptions for 631 yards and four TDs. Manning ended the year with 33 scores on the campaign, but he had 17 picks as well that proved to be real eyesores.

The Final Word: Though this sort of feels like the same type of mountain for the Jets to climb this year, the results aren't quite going to be the same. New York clearly has a better team than it did last year, and though it doesn't look this way statistically, it does reflect in the wins and losses. Don't be surprised if the Jets put their money where their head coach's mouth is and come away with an upset to avenge last season's loss in the AFC Championship Game.

Free Pro Football Picks: New York Jets +2.5
Prediction: New York 26 – Indianapolis 21

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December 8th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The season could very well be on the line for both the Tennessee Titans and the Indianapolis Colts when the two square off at LP Field on Thursday Night Football this week. Check out our NFL free picks for the duel between these two AFC South rivals, as they both try to close a bit of ground on the Jacksonville Jaguars for the division lead.

Matchup: Indianapolis Colts @ Tennessee Titans
Date: Thursday, December 9th, 8:20 ET
Location: LP Field, Nashville, TN
Game Line: Tennessee +3
Over/Under 45

Colts Notes: If anyone has seen the real QB Peyton Manning floating around, please let us know. This imposter that has thrown 11 picks over the course of the last three games clearly isn't the man that is getting into No. 18's jersey in blue and white on a weekly basis right now. The mass majority of the time, Manning is putting up numbers and making plays like a real MVP. However, there are just those moments when he uncharacteristically tries putting the ball into traffic, and more often than not, those balls are getting intercepted. Two of those were returned for touchdowns last week by the Dallas Cowboys, and the final one of the four set up the game winning score in overtime. Manning needs 291 yards to crack the 4,000 yard barrier on the season. There are more injury woes now for Manning and his offense to worry about as well. RB Mike Hart came back to the lineup for one week, but an ankle injury is almost certainly going to sideline him. Parlay that with the ineffectiveness of both RB Javarris James and RB Donald Brown, and the necessity was there to go sign an old friend. Manning welcomes back RB Dominic Rhodes this week after his time with the Orlando Tuskers in the UFL was complete. WR Pierre Garcon and WR Austin Collie are probably both out as well this week, which will call WR Blair White into more action. If there's good news for Indy, it is that it will probably ultimately control its own destiny to win the AFC South and to get into the playoffs, though another divisional defeat will clearly shift the balance of power over to the Jags once and for all. The Colts are one back of Jacksonville right now, and they can avenge an earlier season loss when the two meet up one last time this month.

Titans Notes: There aren't many teams that can say that they are still in the playoff race in spite of the fact that they are 5-7, but if the Titans don't get things worked out right now, they are certainly finished, as they will be at least two games back, if not three by the time the week is over, with just three games to play. HC Jeff Fisher is clearly in some trouble and might have some questions that he needs to answer very, very soon in the Music City, as another loss would once again keep his squad out of the postseason, which could result in his firing. And for good reason! Last week, the Titans scored just six points at home in a divisional game against said Jaguars, marking the second straight game in which they did not score a touchdown. In fact, the last time this team found the end zone was on a punt return for a score by Marc Mariani. The last time the offense scored was over 13 quarters ago, easily the longest stretch for any team in the NFL this season. Things aren't necessarily getting better either, as QB Kerry Collins was the man that was responsible for that six game losing streak to start the season off last year. RB Chris Johnson, at least on paper, should have a great game against the Colts and their porous rush defense, but we just aren't so sure. Johnson is over the 1,000 yard mark this year with 1,026 yards, but he has only rushed for 58 yards on 20 carries with no scores over the last two weeks. Tennessee has lost five games in a row both SU and ATS, easily one of the worst stretches that this team has had in the illustrious coaching tenure of Fisher.

The Final Word: Conventional wisdom suggests that the Colts are finally going to rebound and get off the mat in the first meeting of these division foes this year. However, we just aren't so sure that's the case. We think that this is the game that Johnson really shines, and if he can get going on the ground and keep Manning off the field and make him pay for any potential mistakes, the Titans have a real shot in this one. Don't be surprised if Fisher outfoxes the Colts in this one and pulls out a tremendous victory from his hat that would absolutely cripple the season for the visitors.

Free Pro Football Picks: Tennessee +3
Prediction: Tennessee 24 – Indianapolis 23

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November 18th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor
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Here at Cappers Info, we are taking a weekly look at the teams that could be ones ripe to pull off some major upsets! Check out the potentially ugly dogs that could come up and bite you in the butt in you aren't careful for NFL Week 11 for pro football betting action!

Underdog Pick #1: Oakland Raiders (+290 at Diamond Sportsbook) @ Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, 1:00 ET: Hmm… You would've looked like a real genius last year had you taken the Raiders on the road at Heinz Field, wouldn't you? This is just a bad matchup for Pittsburgh the week after dealing with the New England Patriots. Last week, the Steelers had to really get ready for a big time passing game with the finesse and all of that that comes with New England coming to town. Now, after getting blown away, in comes Oakland off of a bye week to bring its physical game to the Steel City. The Steelers know that they are probably going to stop the run, but QB Jason Campbell has the ability to stretch the field and some awfully quick receivers with WR Jacoby Ford and WR Darrius Heyward-Bey to capitalize on his big arm. Remember, the Pittsburgh defense just doesn't look the same without DE Aaron Smith in there. It isn't going to help that QB Ben Roethlisberger's two offensive tackles from the start of the year are out as well. Last week, the first week in which OT Max Starks was out of the lineup, the Pats were making a living in the Pittsburgh backfield. If the turnstile blocking scheme continues, Oakland is going to make life hell on Big Ben. To make matters worse, you know that the defense is going to dare Roethlisberger to throw, but the difference between this Oakland team and that of some of the other squads in the league is that the silver and black have the corners to man up on these wide receivers, especially if WR Hines Ward doesn't play. We'll certainly take our chances.

Underdog Pick #2: Houston Texans (+250 at Diamond Sportsbook) @ New York Jets, Sunday, 1:00 ET: It feels like it was just yesterday that Houston was 3-1 and the talk of the town in the AFC South. However, things have clearly fallen apart with three straight losses that have the team on the verge of total collapse. A couple factors come into play in this one. The Texans, assuming that QB Matt Schaub plays after his bursa sac injury suffered this week, has the ability to both stretch the field with WR Andre Johnson and work the inside with RB Arian Foster. Neither need to really have a ton of success, but both need to at least have some. We're worried about the New York offense, though. The Jets are going to try to run, run, and run some more at Houston, and we know that the way to really torch this 'D' is by going after its secondary. If the Texans can creep one more player into the box to try to stop the run, it might make life very uncomfortable for QB Mark Sanchez as well. Now factor in the fact that the Jets have played back to back overtime games on the road and that the Texans are really playing for their lives. Houston has never won a game against the Jets in its lives (0-4 SU, 0-4 ATS), but this might just be its lucky day in the Meadowlands.

Underdog Pick #3: Detroit Lions (+230 at Diamond Sportsbook) @ Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, 1:00 ET: Look, do you really trust the Cowboys right now? C'mon, be honest with us here. Congrats to HC Jason Garrett for locking down his first win ever as a head coach at the Meadowlands last weekend against the New York Giants. However, it's going to be a heck of a lot harder to get up for this lowly game at home against the Lions than it was to go on the road against a divisional rival. Detroit is feisty and is taking its best shot at everyone. Sure, the Lions are covering spreads but finding ways to lose outright, but this might be the ultimate panacea. No one in the NFL continues to invent more ways to lose games than the Cowboys have. We'll take our chances that the longest road losing streak in the NFL's history (25 games) can withstand the fact that the Cowboys are playing for their first home win of the campaign (0-4 SU, 0-4 ATS).

Underdog Pick #4: St. Louis Rams (+140 at Diamond Sportsbook) vs. Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, 4:05 ET: Let's do some simple math here for just one second. The Rams are 4-1 at home. The Falcons are 2-2 on the road. St. Louis has been a dreadful road team that has really fed off of its home crowd. Atlanta is a team that has used its QB Matt Ryan to his fullest at home, but he hasn't been nearly as sharp in his career away from the Georgia Dome. The Falcons haven't won a game here at the Edward Jones Dome since 1998 SU (0-5) and only have one cover in that stretch as well. In that stretch, the Rams have scored at least 28 points all five times and have averaged 35.0 points per game. Atlanta has only scored more than 16 once in those meetings and has gotten shellacked by at least 12 all five times. Does anyone need to stay after class from this history lesson?

Underdog Pick #5: Indianapolis Colts (+180 at Diamond Sportsbook) @ New England Patriots, Sunday, 4:15 ET: Everyone get off of your high horse with the Pats and wake up! Recognize that these two teams are basically on level playing fields and giving us these types of NFL odds is absurd. We talk about all of the injuries in the Indy offense, right? Quick, name us New England's running backs? That's right, the top three are all on IR. What about the struggles for the Colts at DB with Bob Sanders and Melvin Bullitt out of the lineup. Any idea who is playing those positions for the Pats? Besides, which of these two defenses have single handedly won games this year? Indy's has come up large. New England's is still rated one of the worst in the league. Wide receivers? So what if Austin Collie and Dallas Clark are out of the lineup? The only consistent man that QB Tom Brady has is WR Wes Welker. Here's the deal with the Colts: Everyone says that they are a one man team, and they're all right. QB Peyton Manning is the heart and soul of this squad. Indy is nowhere without Manning even if every single other person in the world is perfectly healthy and playing at 100%. But as long as "The Sheriff" is on the field and calling the shots, all of the players around him have the ability to become Pro Bowlers. That's precisely why the Colts are going to march into New England and take care of the Patriots to keep their lead in the AFC South.

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November 1st, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Indianapolis Colts will look to avoid a second straight NFL betting defeat at home against a divisional rival when they take on the Houston Texans on MNF.

Matchup: Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts
Date: Monday, November 1st, 8:30 ET
Location: Lucas Oil Field, Indianapolis, IN
Game Line: Indianapolis -5.5
Over/Under 49.5

Texans Notes: The argument could be made that this is the most important game in the history of the Houston Texans. They have never won game in Indianapolis in franchise history, going 0-8 SU in eight tries, and they have never swept a season series against the Colts. At 4-2 coming into Week 8, Houston is a half game behind the Baltimore Ravens for the last Wild Card spot in the AFC and a half game in the rears of the Tennessee Titans for first place in the AFC South. A win could put the team back in first place of the division by itself and will give it a one game lead on the Colts with the tiebreaker for the rest of the season. A loss will almost certainly make the task virtually impossible to get into the postseason, especially with a very difficult schedule left to contend with. There are a number of suspensions and injuries that the Texans have to cope with as well. LB DeMeco Ryans, once a Rookie of the Year in the NFL, was put on IR last week with an Achilles tendon tear, and LT Duane Brown is going to be sitting this one out with a suspension. In the Week 1 meeting of these teams, a 34-24 win for the host Texans at Reliant Stadium, RB Arian Foster went absolutely bananas, running for 231 yards and three TDs on 33 carries. Foster has calmed down quite a bit since that point, but still is in the Top 5 in the NFL in rushing with 635 yards. WR Andre Johnson is well on his way to another 1,000 yard campaign for Houston, as he has 488 yards in just five games and will certainly be a threat to go off for a huge day in Indy on Monday Night. The problem is going to come with a secondary that many think is the worst in the league, averaging allowing 306.2 yards per game.

Colts Notes: QB Peyton Manning had a field day against Houston seven weeks ago, throwing for 433 yards and three TDs in one of the best days of his career. His problem this week is going to be that 22 of his receptions from that Week 1 loss are out of the lineup. WR Austin Collie is listed as doubtful with a hand injury, while TE Dallas Clark's season is over with a wrist injury that he was put on IR for last week. The injury woes continue with DB Jacob Lacey and RB Joseph Addai, both of which are doubtful as well. P Pat McAfee has been suspended to boot. We already know that long term absentees S Bob Sanders, DT Antonio Johnson and S Melvin Bullitt are out for this one as well. Needless to say, Manning has a lot of problems to contend with on both sides of the ball. Still, he'll have WR Reggie Wayne and WR Pierre Garcon, and should be getting back WR Anthony Gonzalez for the first time in well over a season's worth of play. RBs Mike Hart and Donald Brown should get the majority of the carries, though we know that Manning is probably going to be throwing the ball 50+ times in this game against this secondary. The rush defense for Indy is about as woeful as the pass defense is for Houston. However, this is no surprise for any NFL historians, as the Colts have always struggled trying to stop the run. This year is no exception, as they are conceding 137.3 yards per game in that department. Up front, this offensive line has kept Manning relatively clean this year with just six sacks allowed, but three of those six sacks came against these Texans. Someone is going to have to figure out how to put a hat on DE Mario Williams, who only had one sack that day, but did wreck a ton of havoc in the Indy backfield.

The Final Word: Manning knows that this is a game that could start the decline in his career, as a loss would make the road to the postseason incredibly difficult, especially at 0-3 already in division with two games against Tennessee to go. No. 18 won't let it happen. However, this game is still that important to Houston, and we have a feeling that this will be one of these games that Manning leads the troops down on a game winning drive to break the Texans' hearts. We'll take the points.

Free Pro Football Picks: Houston +5.5
Prediction: Indianapolis 27 – Houston 24

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September 6th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The NFL betting campaign is just about here! In order to get you revved up for the action beginning on Thursday night, we are making our playoff picks here at Cappers Info! (Odds to make the playoffs courtesy of BetUS Sportsbook)


Complete List of Odds to Make the Playoffs Can be Found Below

 

In the AFC, we reasonably probably have three teams fighting for two playoff berths in the AFC East and two teams fighting for one playoff berth in the AFC South unless someone can come out of nowhere in the AFC North or West. Simply put, the San Diego Chargers (-700 at BetUS Sportsbook) and the Baltimore Ravens (-200 at BetUS Sportsbook) are getting into the playoffs as division winners. Both of these teams are likely head and shoulders above the rest of their competition in their respective divisions, and neither should face a challenge. Yes, this means that we feel as though the Steelers, Bengals, and Browns are pretty much out of luck in 2010.

The three teams in the AFC East to watch are the New England Patriots (-175 at BetUS Sportsbook) and the Miami Dolphins (+140 at BetUS Sportsbook). We realize that we are conventionally leaving out the Jets from this equation, but we just don't have all that much confidence in QB Mark Sanchez and we tend to believe that someone is going to figure out how to beat this defense at some point. The Pats came out of the blocks in the preseason incredibly angry. We know that their offense is amazing, as the starters just continued to run up and down the field on just about everyone that they ran into. The questions are on defense. Still, we can't picture a Bill Belichick team getting left home from the postseason for the second time in three years. Miami is a trendy sleeper this year and for good reason. If RBs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams can stay healthy, the Fins are clearly better than last year's team that narrowly missed out on the postseason. HC Tony Sparano is a great manager on the sidelines, and he is going to get Miami back to the playoffs once again this year. 

Reasonably speaking, the Indianapolis Colts (-250 at BetUS Sportsbook) are going to get to the playoffs. The only way that doesn't happen is if something really happens to QB Peyton Manning that keeps him out of the playoffs for a lengthy period of time. That being said, the Houston Texans (+120 at BetUS Sportsbook) should get into the dance this year. This is a make or break season for a franchise that was just on the verge of making special things happen last year. They won their final four games of last season to be knocking at the postseason door, and this is the year that QB Matt Schaub and company kick it down. It's going to be a year of second guessing for the Titans, who might win ten games but fall just short of the playoffs.

In the NFC, things are significantly harder to decipher. The East probably has three contenders this year, and we tend to believe that two of the three are going to find their way to the playoffs. The Dallas Cowboys (-200 at BetUS Sportsbook) might be the best team in the NFC if QB Tony Romo keeps his head on straight. We tend to like what we have seen so far from the New York Giants (+100 at BetUS Sportsbook) as well. At some point, QB Eli Manning is going to put this team on his back and become one of those truly elite competitors at this level. The Giants should be fine. This leaves the Eagles on the outside looking in for the first time in seemingly forever. 

In the North, we are convinced that the Green Bay Packers (-200 at BetUS Sportsbook) are even better than they were last season when they went 11-5 and ended up as a Wild Card out of this division. The West and South we are handing to the San Francisco 49ers (-175 at BetUS Sportsbook) and the defending champions, the New Orleans Saints (-250 at BetUS Sportsbook) respectively.

This basically leaves us with the Eagles (whom we already deemed out of the mix with their new QB Kevin Kolb taking some lumps this year), Vikings, and Falcons fighting for one playoff spot. Minnesota might have QB Brett Favre back, but is there really any hope for him limiting his interceptions this year? Besides, that 40 year old body is going to take a huge beating once again in front of an offensive line that is starting to have some question marks, and we aren't so sure that even Favre, the consummate ironman in this league, is going to figure out how to make it through this season. That leaves the Atlanta Falcons (-120 at BetUS Sportsbook) to finish up the postseason roster. RB Michael Turner has to be in for a better season this year than he had a year ago, as 1,000 yards should be the bare minimum for this fantastic back. QB Matt Ryan is only getting better as well. There should be four slam dunk wins in the division against Carolina and Tampa Bay. The only question mark is whether the defense is good enough to put games away or not. The addition of DB Dunta Robinson should really help. We love the red and black getting back to the postseason.


Odds To Make the NFL Playoffs @ BetUS Sportsbook… Get a 100% Deposit Bonus Just By Clicking Here

Pittsburgh Steelers -120 
New England Patriots -175
Dallas Cowboys -200
New York Giants +100
Indianapolis Colts -250
San Diego Chargers -700
Baltimore Ravens -200
Philadelphia Eagles -110
New Orleans Saints -250
Minnesota Vikings -200
Carolina Panthers +300
Tennessee Titans +150
Atlanta Falcons -120
Green Bay Packers -200
Denver Broncos +300
Jacksonville Jaguars +325
Arizona Cardinals +165
New York Jets -175
Miami Dolphins +140
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +550
Buffalo Bills +650
Chicago Bears +175
Washington Redskins +175
Seattle Seahawks +225
Houston Texans +120
San Francisco 49ers -175
Cleveland Browns +600
Oakland Raiders +350
Cincinnati Bengals +160
St. Louis Rams +650
Detroit Lions +600
Kansas City Chiefs +375

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August 25th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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NFL preseason betting action continues with the start of the third week of play on Thursday night, as the Green Bay Packers look to prove that they belong in the same discussion with the defending AFC champions, the Indianapolis Colts.

Indianapolis Colts @ Green Bay Packers (-3.5)
Thursday, August 26th
8:00 ET, Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI

Colts Notes: It feels as though this is the only preseason game annually that the Colts have a good chance of winning. It has been fairly clear all preseason long that Indianapolis could once again really care less whether or not it wins its preseason games, as demonstrated by the fact that it has five INTs thrown this season and has played incredibly sloppy ball offensively. QB Peyton Manning is expected to play at least a quarter and half and potentially into the second half as well, as this is his one legitimate tune up game for the regular season. It's been a fairly ho hum regular season for the future Hall of Fame signal caller, as he has completed 16-of-25 passes for 182 yards with a TD and an INT in limited action. Expect to hear a lot of the name of WR Anthony Gonzalez this week. Manning is going to want to get one of his safety blankets in top form before the start of the regular season, as the former Ohio State Buckeye missed virtually the entire 2009 campaign. The real reason that Indianapolis is 0-2 both SU and ATS though is its defense. Allowing 35.5 points per game is inexcusable, especially in the preseason. The lowly Buffalo Bills made a mockery out of the defense for the Colts the entire game last week, perhaps showing the lack of rest from playing just four days after a 37-17 beat down at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers.

Packers Notes: The worst defense in the preseason in the league is going to get a huge test from the second ranked offense in the preseason. Green Bay is averaging 380.5 yards per game (2nd) and 25.5 points per game (6th). It ranks fifth in both passing yards per game (240.5) and rushing yards per game (140.0), and is primed to do plenty of damage. After picking apart both the Cleveland Browns and Seattle Seahawks, QB Aaron Rodgers has his sights set on Manning and the Colts offense, trying to prove that Green Bay belongs in that top echelon of offensive clubs this year. So far, so good, that's for sure. Rodgers has only thrown four incomplete passes all preseason against three TD passes. His 275 passing yards in less than a full game's worth of work also leaves him amongst the top passers in the entire league to date. Rodgers wouldn't be anywhere without his running game, though. RB Brandon Jackson is coming off of a fantastic game in which he rushed for 80 yards, while both Quinn Porter and Kregg Lumpkin have done plenty of damage as well. Porter is going to be out of action this week with an ankle injury, while Lumpkin's hamstring might keep him out as well. That's going to mean more work for starting RB Ryan Grant, who only has 25 yards on eight carries in the preseason. Green Bay has picked off four passes so far in the preseason and will hope to add to the quarterbacking woes of the Colts.

The Final Word: Even though the Colts should be playing the majority of the first half to really win, Green Bay is going to be doing the exact same thing. Yes, this NFL betting line is insinuating that the Packers are essentially on par with Indianapolis on a neutral field, but that would be if we discounted the fact that they will be favored by at least a field goal in all likelihood in the second half. Would you make Green Bay a pick 'em at home against the Colts? We certainly wouldn't. Back the Pack in Week 3.

Prediction: Packers 31 – Colts 17

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January 30th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

Super Bowl XLIV betting action commences on Sunday February 7th, and this matchup is one of the most anticipated in years. The New Orleans Saints (15-3, 9-9 ATS) and Indianapolis Colts (16-2, 12-5-1 ATS) will engage in NFL gambling warfare in what has the potential to be one of the most electrifying Super Bowls of all-time. The oddsmakers in Las Vegas originally opened the Colts as 3.5-point favorites, but that line has since shot up as high as six at some offshore sportsbooks. The Super Bowl wagering odds feature a 'total' of 56.5, and you can find those lines right now at BetUS Sportsbook.

New Orleans is the decided underdog of this game largely due to the fact that its quarterback's name isn't Peyton Manning. QB Drew Brees put up very comparable numbers to those of the future Hall of Famer in the regular season though, as he threw for 4,388 yards and 34 TDs against 11 INTs in 15 starts. Manning ended the regular season with 4,500 passing yards and 33 touchdowns versus 16 picks.

Manning does seem to have more quality weapons at his disposal than does Brees, but again, the discrepancy is probably a lot closer than one would think. Brees' top targets are WRs Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, and Robert Meachem. That trio of receivers combined to catch a whopping 166 passes for 2,600 yards, and 20 TDs in the regular season. Manning has utilized WRs Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon more in the postseason than he is accustomed to, but those two both put up comparable numbers to the best of what New Orleans has to offer. Even though the Saints will utilize both RBs Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas more than the Colts will use RB Joseph Addai in the passing game, what Indy has that New Orleans doesn't is that one big-time receiver that will always be there as a security blanket for Manning. WR Reggie Wayne caught 100 passes in the regular season for 1,264 yards and ten TDs. There may not be a better tight end in the league in the passing game than Dallas Clark, who also had 100 receptions and ten visits to the end zone in the regular season.

Neither team focuses in on the rush as much as it does the pass. The Colts threw passes on nearly 63% of their downs in 2009. Addai did score ten rushing touchdowns behind an offensive line than only conceded ten sacks of Manning all season, but his rushing total (828 yards) was pedestrian for a starting running back. New Orleans was a bit more rush-conscious, as it only threw the ball a shade under 55% of the time on the year. Thomas, Bush, and RB Mike Bell all had fantastic regular seasons, as they combined to rush for 1,837 yards and 16 TDs. Much like Indianapolis, the Saints feature an offensive line that does a fantastic job of keeping Brees off of the turf, as he was only sacked 20 times in his 15 starts.

Defensively, the numbers don't lie. Neither squad's strength rests on that side of the football. New Orleans came into the postseason ranked 25th in total 'D', allowing 357.8 yards per game. Indianapolis wasn't much better, conceding 339.2 yards per game, 18th in the NFL. However, both of these teams can put pressure on the quarterback and force turnovers. The Saints forced the second most turnovers in the NFL in the regular season (39), while Indy cashed in on 26 blunders by the opposition. The Colts recorded 34 QB sacks in '09, while the Saints only had one fewer.

All time, the Colts are 2-1 SU and ATS in their franchise's three Super Bowl appearance. New Orleans will be in its first Super Bowl in team history next Sunday. The underdog has covered the football betting lines in back-to-back championship games and is 6-2 ATS and is 3-5 SU over the L/8 Super Bowl gambling matches.

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