The Indianapolis Colts might be on life support. The Tennessee Titans certainly are. These two teams are going to have to fight tooth and nail on Thursday Night Football to be able to save their seasons, as one will be able to make up some ground on the Jacksonville Jaguars, while the other is probably going to be in a boatload of trouble, if not eliminated from playoff contention.

Peyton Manning Over/Under 28.5 Completions
We know that Manning is going to have to throw the ball a whole boatload of times to be able to beat the Titans, and it does make a ton of sense for him to have to complete upwards of 30 passes against a team that doesn’t have the greatest secondary in the world. However, Head Coach Jim Caldwell has to be able to run the ball against a defensive line that loves to get after the quarterback on a regular basis, just to slow it down. It doesn’t seem all that likely that we’re going to see No. 18 complete 29 or more passes, in spite of the fact that he is averaging over 29 per game. We think that this is a case of the oddsmakers overreacting upon the number of times that Manning had to put the ball in the air last week against the Cincinnati Bengals. This week, he’ll put up tamer numbers. Manning will stay Under 28.5 Completions (-105 at Hollywood Sportsbook) on Thursday Night Football.

Will the Colts Score a Rushing Touchdown Against the Titans?
They might have to. We hate betting on props like this because the oddsmakers are constantly trying to hook us in with the “yes” bet. However, we realize that Indy is probably scoring three TDs in this game at bare minimum, and there have already been ten rushing scores on the season against 24 passing TDs. That’s a bit over a 3-1 ratio, meaning for every rushing TD, there are 2.4 passing TDs by Manning. RB Javarris James has reached pay dirt five times this season on the ground, and if Indy gets close to the end zone, he’ll be called upon to get the job done and finish things off. Again, we have to remember that this is a Tennessee team that isn’t built on the inside the same way that the Dallas Cowboys and other teams that the Colts have faced are. Indy Will Score a Rushing Touchdown (-130 at Hollywood Sportsbook).

Blair White Over/Under 34.5 Receiving Yards
The more we see White in the lineup, the more that we like. White is consistently another one of these guys that Manning has that just runs great routes, finds ways to get to where he needs to be, and has pretty good hands. With features like that, Manning can make you a Pro Bowler in a heartbeat. White has been called upon for at least four receptions in three straight games, and though we think that Manning is going to have to do some more running of the football to get the job done in this one, White could still get his looks, particularly if he is lined up in the slot. This could be a really nice spot against a secondary that doesn’t go particularly deep to take advantage of the situation. White should go Over 34.5 Receiving Yards (-115 at Hollywood Sportsbook) against the Titans.

Chris Johnson Over/Under 107.5 Rushing Yards
Alright CJ, now is your time! After a pair of lousy weeks, we know that Johnson is chomping at the bit, particularly in a nationally televised game, to be able to get going once again, and he knows that the Colts are the perfect matchup for him to do so. Johnson should be able to slow down the Indianapolis offense, as the Colts allowed 100 yards on the ground to RB Tashard Choice, a man that hadn’t touched the ball but a handful of times on the season coming in. Now, Johnson is all revved up after a couple of lousy games. If he can’t figure out how to get going in this one, the Titans are going to be dead in the water, especially with QB Kerry Collins calling the shots under center. Historically, this is one of the worst rush defenses in the NFL that Johnson is going again, and for that reason alone, he busts his streak and goes Over 107.5 Rushing Yards (-115 at Hollywood Sportsbook).