An important game in the AFC playoff race sees Indianapolis visiting Las Vegas on Sunday.
The Las Vegas Raiders had their own escape from New York with a last-second touchdown pass in Week 13. The play kept the New York Jets winless and cost defensive coordinator Gregg Williams his job. The 31-28 victory kept the 7-5 Raiders' playoff hopes alive, as they're a game behind the seventh and final spot.
Although it gave up over 300 yards passing to the Texans, Indianapolis remained tied for the AFC South lead. By beating Houston 26-20, the 8-4 Colts stayed atop the division with the Tennessee Titans. The Colts defense has struggled a bit in their last three games, going 2-1 in that stretch.
HOLIDAY SPORTS BETTING AT AMERICA?S BOOKIE
Betting Lines
NFL betting lines have Indianapolis as a three-point road favorite as it heads to Las Vegas. Both teams have a 7-5 record against the spread. The over/under for the game is 51.5 points, with the teams combining for 54.2 points a game.
The relatively low over/under probably assumes the Colts will return to form defensively. The Colts are -150 on the moneyline, while the Raiders are +130.
Game Preview
On the season, the Colts have statistically outperformed the Raiders on both sides of the ball. The differences are particularly glaring on defense, where the Colts are ranked fifth in the NFL. The Raiders are giving up 379 total yards per game, ranking 22nd in the league.
Colts quarterback Philip Rivers has played well since coming over to Indianapolis from the Chargers. He's thrown for 18 touchdowns and tossed nine interceptions for a rating of 96.0. The team is ranked 10th in both points scored and allowed, with good offensive and defensive balance.
We crushed the bookies with our last pick, it was a Bears @ Packers pick where we took Green Bay -7.5, they won 41-25.
The Raiders have been outscored on the season, primarily due to 45-20 and 43-6 beatdowns by the Buccaneers and Falcons, respectively. Against the Falcons, Las Vegas gave up only 304 total yards but turned the ball over five times.
Indianapolis has done a very good job of holding on to the football in 2020. Its three lost fumbles are best in the league, and overall, the Colts' 12 turnovers are fourth.
In five of their eight wins, the Colts didn't give up the ball at all. In the team's four losses, they committed a total of seven turnovers.
The Raiders are a difficult team to figure out. They have impressive wins over conference-leading New Orleans and Kansas City as well as 9-3 Cleveland. They also have those two ugly blowouts and the narrow win over the hapless Jets.
Colts at Raiders Free Pick
The outcome of this game will be determined by which Raiders team decides to show up. If the defense can play decently and the offense limits giveaways, they have a great chance to win.
If the Colts return to defensive form, it will be tough for Las Vegas to generate enough offense to grab a victory.
Given the recent inconsistencies of these two teams, a pick on this game is very difficult to make. The Raiders have played a far more difficult schedule and have several quality wins. Only two of the Colts' eight wins have come against teams over .500.
In the unpredictable NFL, the Raiders have a good shot at a win. Take them to cover the three points.
They're also 8-3-1 on the OVER, so this one should go over the 51.5 points.
Las Vegas 28, Indianapolis 27
The Las Vegas Raiders had their own escape from New York with a last-second touchdown pass in Week 13. The play kept the New York Jets winless and cost defensive coordinator Gregg Williams his job. The 31-28 victory kept the 7-5 Raiders' playoff hopes alive, as they're a game behind the seventh and final spot.
Although it gave up over 300 yards passing to the Texans, Indianapolis remained tied for the AFC South lead. By beating Houston 26-20, the 8-4 Colts stayed atop the division with the Tennessee Titans. The Colts defense has struggled a bit in their last three games, going 2-1 in that stretch.
HOLIDAY SPORTS BETTING AT AMERICA?S BOOKIE
Betting Lines
NFL betting lines have Indianapolis as a three-point road favorite as it heads to Las Vegas. Both teams have a 7-5 record against the spread. The over/under for the game is 51.5 points, with the teams combining for 54.2 points a game.
The relatively low over/under probably assumes the Colts will return to form defensively. The Colts are -150 on the moneyline, while the Raiders are +130.
Game Preview
On the season, the Colts have statistically outperformed the Raiders on both sides of the ball. The differences are particularly glaring on defense, where the Colts are ranked fifth in the NFL. The Raiders are giving up 379 total yards per game, ranking 22nd in the league.
Colts quarterback Philip Rivers has played well since coming over to Indianapolis from the Chargers. He's thrown for 18 touchdowns and tossed nine interceptions for a rating of 96.0. The team is ranked 10th in both points scored and allowed, with good offensive and defensive balance.
We crushed the bookies with our last pick, it was a Bears @ Packers pick where we took Green Bay -7.5, they won 41-25.
The Raiders have been outscored on the season, primarily due to 45-20 and 43-6 beatdowns by the Buccaneers and Falcons, respectively. Against the Falcons, Las Vegas gave up only 304 total yards but turned the ball over five times.
Indianapolis has done a very good job of holding on to the football in 2020. Its three lost fumbles are best in the league, and overall, the Colts' 12 turnovers are fourth.
In five of their eight wins, the Colts didn't give up the ball at all. In the team's four losses, they committed a total of seven turnovers.
The Raiders are a difficult team to figure out. They have impressive wins over conference-leading New Orleans and Kansas City as well as 9-3 Cleveland. They also have those two ugly blowouts and the narrow win over the hapless Jets.
Colts at Raiders Free Pick
The outcome of this game will be determined by which Raiders team decides to show up. If the defense can play decently and the offense limits giveaways, they have a great chance to win.
If the Colts return to defensive form, it will be tough for Las Vegas to generate enough offense to grab a victory.
Given the recent inconsistencies of these two teams, a pick on this game is very difficult to make. The Raiders have played a far more difficult schedule and have several quality wins. Only two of the Colts' eight wins have come against teams over .500.
In the unpredictable NFL, the Raiders have a good shot at a win. Take them to cover the three points.
They're also 8-3-1 on the OVER, so this one should go over the 51.5 points.
Las Vegas 28, Indianapolis 27
