New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts
Sunday, Nov. 15 at 8:20 p.m. ET
NFL betting odds: Colts -3
The Colts have opened the season with eight straight wins, but the past two came with a much higher degree of difficulty than the first six. The Colts dodged a bullet by beating Houston 20-17 last week, while topping San Francisco 18-14 two weeks earlier. The offense hasn't been quiet as effective in recent weeks; perhaps the 29th-ranked running game is finally catching up to the team. Peyton Manning is still excelling, of course. The veteran quarterback is making a run at the MVP award after surpassing 300 yards in all but one game this season.
New England can match Indy's offense. Tom Brady has thrown 10 touchdowns in his last three starts and finally looks like his old self. Randy Moss remains his most dangerous target, catching 19 passes for 345 yards and four touchdowns in that span. Like Indianapolis, New England won't rely much on its running game. Something your betting system might have predicted: Laurence Maroney has enjoyed more action in recent weeks; he's averaging 82 yards per game with three touchdowns in his last three games.
Defensively, the Colts lead the NFL in fewest points per game. The "D" came through in a big way the past few weeks, bailing out the cool offense. Problems could be on the horizon, however. Marlin Jackson tore up his knee last week and will miss the season. Paired with Kelvin Hayden's knee injury and the Indy secondary is quite thin; two rookies—Jerraud Powers and Jacob Lacey—will start on Sunday. They'll need Indianapolis' active pass rush to create some havoc in the backfield.
The Patriots have been nearly as impressive on defense. They rank third in the NFL in fewest points per game and, while they aren't as sack-happy as the Colts, head coach Bill Belichick always creates schemes that confuse his opponents. Sportsbook fans have witnessed his genius plenty over the years.
Brady and Manning continue their rivalry but, in this one, Brady gets a big edge—he'll be facing two rookies. Yes, Indy's pass rush can cover some of those holes, but Brady is bound to slice and dice a few big plays. Randy Moss and Wes Welker will be too much for the Colts to handle; expect the Pats to outgun Indy on your NFL picks.
