Posts Tagged ‘Indianapolis Colts’

NFL Football Picks: Sunday Night Football Props (11/28/10)

November 28th, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in NFL Football   Comments Off on NFL Football Picks: Sunday Night Football Props (11/28/10)
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The San Diego Chargers and Indianapolis Colts would both be out of the playoffs if they started today. However, one needs to take a major step in the right direction on Sunday Night Football, while the other is likely to be dealt a crippling defeat. Ready to sink your teeth into all of the action for prop bets on Sunday Night? Check out our best NFL picks right here at Bankroll Sports!

Will Philip Rivers throw an Interception?
Rivers has been picked off nine times this season, and including in five straight games, but we still think that the NFL odds in this one are stacked in his favor. The oddsmakers are putting far too much emphasis on these five straight games than the truth of the matter, which is that Rivers isn’t getting intercepted in two out of every three games, especially in matchups like this one against teams that have absolutely atrocious secondaries. Even more so, the Chargers know that they can run the football against these guys with either Ryan Mathews or Mike Tolbert, and if the clock keeps running, that means there’s that much less for Rivers to have to do to win the game. We’ll take our chances that Rivers Does Not Throw an Interception (+160 at Hollywood Sportsbook) on Sunday Night Football.

Reggie Wayne Over/Under 6.5 Receptions
Wayne really remains the only player on this team that Manning really consistently trusts to get the job done for him, as his is the only receiver that has been in the lineup in all ten games this season. Wayne consistently averages over six receptions per game and really has done so for his entire career. This season, he has five games with at least seven snares this year, and this seems to be like one that is setting up to be No. 6. Without DB Antonio Cromartie, the Bolts just don’t have a corner to stick on that side of the field where Wayne is to just lock him down. As long as that’s the case, “The Sheriff” is going to make sure that he finds ways to get Wayne the football. There’s no way that he fails to go Over 6.5 Receptions (-115 at Hollywood Sportsbook).

Jacob Tamme Over/Under 6.5 Receptions
If it ain’t broke, why would we try to fix it? Tamme has caught at least six balls in all four of his games taking over for the injured TE Dallas Clark, and he has caught at least seven in three straight. Now, against a San Diego defense that has been great against the deep passing game this year, Manning is going to have no choice quite a bit but to check the ball down to his big tight end out of Kentucky. Tamme is the real deal in this league, and he isn’t just a product of the system of Manning throwing him the football. However, having No. 18 on his side has really helped his career, and it is going to help us to another ‘W’ this week. Go with Tamme Over 6.5 Receptions (-115 at Hollywood Sportsbook) in this battle against the Chargers.

NFL Football Picks: Monday Night Football Props (11/1/10)

November 1st, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in NFL Football   Comments Off on NFL Football Picks: Monday Night Football Props (11/1/10)
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It could be the biggest game in the history of the Houston Texans and one of the darker days in the last decade for the Indianapolis Colts. First place in the AFC South will be on the line, as the winner of this Monday Night Football betting affair will take over the lead in the division and be in the driver’s seat for the postseason. For Houston, this has never happened in franchise history. Of course, neither has winning a game in Indy, nor has sweeping the Colts. For Indianapolis, a loss would really be damaging to its postseason chances and could mark the beginning of the end of the Colts’ dynasty. You know that we have Monday Night Football props covered in this one, and you aren’t going to want to miss out on any of these great chances to make some coin on MNF.

Peyton Manning Passing Yards Over/Under 300.5
Simply put, this number just couldn’t be high enough for us. Manning is just going to tear this Houston secondary apart just like he did in Week 1 when he threw for well over 400 yards in one of the best passing days of the entire season by a quarterback. Many think that the Texans have the worst secondary in football, and based upon the fact that they are allowing 306.2 yards per game through the air, there is some really good justification for that. Unless the pressure gets to be too tough in the backfield for Manning, there’s no way that he doesn’t reach this number. Of course, nothing ever really ruffles the feathers of No. 18, so there’s no way that we are doing anything but playing Manning Over 300.5 Passing Yards (-115 at Hollywood Sportsbook) on Monday Night Football.

Arian Foster Over/Under 99.5 Rushing Yards
Are we certifiably insane here? Foster ran the ball 33 times in Week 1 and had the best rushing day of the season against the Colts, rumbling for 233 yards and three scores! However, we just aren’t so sure about the former Tennessee Volunteer’s chances in this one. Indianapolis has gotten significantly better against the run in recent weeks, and with LT Duane Brown out of the lineup serving a suspension, the Texans are missing perhaps their best run blocker in the lineup. There’s also something significantly different about playing this game from behind than from ahead, and we know that Houston isn’t going to march into Lucas Oil Field and absolutely beat the Colts down physically like they did in Week 1. Foster has a chance of getting to 100 yards on the day, but we tend to think that this is a bet for suckers only. The Texans are a passing team, and they’re going to show it on Monday. Go with Foster Under 99.5 Rushing Yards (-115 at Hollywood Sportsbook).

Andre Johnson Over/Under 78.5 Receiving Yards
Let’s be real here for a second. Andre Johnson is a man amongst boys on the field, and it seems like he can single handedly take over a game when need be. He is the best player in Houston’s lineup and it isn’t even close, and there is no way that he is going to be taken out of a game like this like he was in Week 1. It’s not that Indy really did anything special to eliminate the Miami Hurricanes standout in the first clash of the year. It’s that the running game was working so well that there was no need to put the pigskin in the air. Don’t be shocked if Johnson gets involved early and often, especially after the bye week that should help heal any nagging wounds that have kept him on the sidelines at times this year. After that huge performance against Kansas City when he single handedly won the game, Johnson should have no problem going Over 78.5 Receiving Yards (-115 at Hollywood Sportsbook).

Pierre Garcon Over/Under 3.5 Receptions
With TE Dallas Clark out of the lineup and WR Austin Collie considered extremely questionable, we know that someone has to step up to take over the reception load of one of the best tight ends in the game. Normally speaking, we would suggest that WR Anthony Gonzalez would be able to do that, but we aren’t so sure that he’ll be 100% effective even if he is able to start to play again for the first time since the very beginning of last season. We aren’t so sure that Garcon is going to be that man either, but if Manning is going to be throwing 45-50 passes in this game, we are very sure that at least a half dozen of them are heading in the Mount Union product’s direction. We find it very unlikely that Garcon doesn’t go Over 3.5 Receiving Yards (-155 at Hollywood Sportsbook).

NFL Football Picks: Sunday Night Football Props (10/17/10)

October 17th, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in NFL Football   Comments Off on NFL Football Picks: Sunday Night Football Props (10/17/10)
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The Washington Redskins and Indianapolis Colts are getting set to lock horns on Sunday for a crucial tilt between a pair of 3-2 teams. Check out our NFL picks for the top props in this game that surely should not be missed!

Total Sacks by Both Teams Over/Under 3.5
The offensive line for the Colts this year has looked anything but flawless in spite of the fact that they have only given up five sacks on the season. The biggest problem that this team had was when DE Mario Williams was coming off of QB Peyton Manning’s weak side. Though this is a 3-4 scheme that the Redskins are running and not a 4-3, LB Brian Orakpo will be able to do the same sort of thing. We already know how strong the Indy pass rush has the ability of being, but the real difference might be the struggles of the Washington offensive line. QB Donovan McNabb has already been sacked 11 times this year, and we tend to think that that number is on the rise. There should be plenty of throwing the ball in this game, and if that’s the case, there will almost certainly be Over 3.5 sacks (+125 at Hollywood Sportsbook) on Sunday Night Football.

Peyton Manning Over/Under 288.5 Passing Yards
Asking Manning to throw for at least 290 yards seems like a bit of a stretch, especially for a man that just had a relatively miserable game against the Kansas City Chiefs last week. However, we must remember that the short passing game was the only thing that was working for the Philadelphia Eagles against this Washington secondary two weeks ago, and Manning is significantly better than QB Kevin Kolb. We also remember how QB Matt Schaub and the Houston Texans dropped a whole boatload of yards on this defense, over 400 of them to be more exact. It seems as though Manning, without any trust in his rushing game, will coordinate himself to be able to end up going Over 288.5 passing yards (-115 at Hollywood Sportsbook).

Ryan Torain Over/Under 70.5 Rushing Yards
This is really the only hope that the Redskins have of winning this game. This will act as a bit of a hedge bet as well, as Torain is likely to end up going past this number if Manning doesn’t go past his. There just aren’t any other backs of QB Donovan McNabb to turn around and hand the ball to. Torain hasn’t really proven that he is a solid runner yet, but you know that the Colts are going to probably struggle to stop him if he gets going. The former Arizona State Sun Devil can rumble the ball a ton of times in this game, and we fully expect him to do so. Getting 20+ carries isn’t out of the question for as long as the duel stays close. We aren’t so sure, but it seems logical for a team that is allowing over 100 yards per game on the ground that Torain goes Over 70.5 Yards (-115 at Hollywood Sportsbook) in this battle against the Colts.

NFL Football Picks: Sunday Night Football Props (9/19/10)

September 19th, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in NFL Football   Comments Off on NFL Football Picks: Sunday Night Football Props (9/19/10)
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When the Manning brothers take center stage on NBC’s Sunday Night Football, all of the eyes in the NFL betting world will be glued to the TV. Tonight is no exception, as the Indianapolis Colts and New York Giants will square off. Use our top NFL handicappers to cash in on these props for the game!

Longest Field Goal Over/Under 45.5 Yards
You have to have a field goal attempt of at least 46 yards before you can have a made one from that far away. We have absolutely no confidence in Giants’ K Lawrence Tynes, and it is becoming more and more apparent as the months go on that the Colts have no confidence in K Adam Vinetiari to kick the ball this far. Last week, head coach Jim Caldwell had a chance to kick a 49 yard field goal in the first half against the Houston Texans and instead eschewed the opportunity in favor of going for it on 4th and 8. And the oddsmakers think there is going to be a boot of 46 yards in this game at least half the time? We certainly don’t. Go with Under 45.5 yards (+100 at Hollywood Sportsbook) on Sunday night.

Total Sacks Over/Under 3.5
Last week, the offensive line for the Colts was atrocious against Houston, and though there are no pass rushers on the Giants that are worthy of being in the same discussion with DE Mario Williams, there is plenty of pressure to be had from men like DE Justin Tuck and DE Osi Umenyiora. The Colts are still going with a very young and very inexperienced offensive line, particularly at the tackle positions. We already know that DE Dwight Freeney and his band of men will have no problems getting after QB Eli Manning either on the other side of the ball. When push comes to shove, both teams should have at least a pair of sacks on the day, which gives us a great price on Over 3.5 sacks (+110 at Hollywood Sportsbook).

Peyton Manning Over/Under 300.5 Passing Yards
Let’s be realistic here for a second. We know that QB Peyton Manning is good. In fact, he’s great. He’s a first ballot Hall of Famer, he might break every single passing record in the book when push comes to shove, and he is the best Indianapolis Colt in team history, and that’s saying a lot considering that Johnny Unitas is already calling me on Line 2. Still, is Manning really throwing for 5,000 yards this year? That’s what it’s going to take to beat this prop on a consistent enough basis for us to bet the over. Instead, let’s be realistic. Remember that last week when Manning completed 40 passes, his team was playing from behind the entire time, not from ahead. Inevitably, RB Joseph Addai will be more involved in the offense. We know that we’re playing with fire when we do this, but c’mon… Manning is going to stay (Under 300.5 passing yards -115 at Hollywood Sportsbook) more often than not.

Joseph Addai Over/Under 79.5 Rushing + Receiving Yards
Let’s keep this one short and sweet. Addai only had ten carries last week, and he still accounted for 73 rushing and receiving yards. There isn’t another back on this team that is going to be stealing carries, and the temptation is going to be there for Manning to scale back just a tad after last week’s phenomenal performance. The former LSU Tiger badly needs a good game to help salvage his season, and we tend to believe that via pass and via rush, he’ll find a way to sneak Over 79.5 rushing and receiving yards(-115 at Hollywood Sportsbook) in this one against the G-Men.

2010 NFL Betting: Preseason Top 10 ATS Power Rankings

August 14th, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in NFL Football   Comments Off on 2010 NFL Betting: Preseason Top 10 ATS Power Rankings
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The 2010 NFL betting campaign is just around the corner! In order to keep you up on all the action, Bankroll Sports has listed the Top 10 ATS teams from 2009, their 2010 Super Bowl odds, and our NFL predictions for them for this season!

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#1 Green Bay Packers (+1000 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): The Pack posted the best marks in the league last year for NFL betting fans, going 11-4-1 ATS. They are going to be back with a fantastic offense loaded with talent. QB Aaron Rodgers is likely to reach the 4,000 yard barrier for the third straight season to start his career, which is a feat that even some of the greatest in NFL history never even remotely came close to. If DC Dom Capers’ defense can keep its head on straight and post some of the best numbers in the league once again, there’s no reason to think that the Green Bay won’t once again be on top of the NFL ATS power ratings.

#2 Atlanta Falcons (+2500 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): It’s impressive to think that the Falcons followed up a playoff campaign in 2008 with a non-playoff one in 2009 but still went a lofty 11-5 ATS. Could that bode even better for this year? HC Mike Smith thinks he has a winning formula, so he brought back the majority of players from last year’s 9-7 team. The only real key additions were LB Sean Weatherspoon, acquiring in the first round of the NFL Draft, and DB Dunta Robinson, who was picked up via free agency from the Houston Texans. Picking up Robinson was key, as it was the pass defense that really hurt this team late in games last season. Asking for 11 covers again this season might be a bit much, but Atlanta should post another great record this year.

#3 Indianapolis Colts (+600 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): As long as #18 is roaming the sidelines for the Colts, they are going to be a difficult team to bet against. One would figure that the oddsmakers would be incredibly tough on them week in and week out, but in spite of the fact that their numbers are almost always at least a tad inflated, they went a rock solid 10-5-1 ATS in 2009. This could be the year that Indy snaps back to earth if the NFL spreads keep as high as they have been in recent seasons. It has a brutal schedule, and QB Peyton Manning is going to have to contend with a new offensive coordinator, as Tom Moore has retired.

#4 San Francisco 49ers (+3000 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): This is probably a make-or-break season in the coaching career of Mike Singletary. No man asks for more from his team, nor will anyone get more from his players than does Singletary. Still, in spite of the fact that he went an awesome 9-4-3 ATS in last year’s regular season, Singletary has still yet to take this team to the playoffs. With a quarterback rotation set in stone and one of the most talented offensive lines in the game, the 49ers have no excuses this year. As long as the oddsmakers don’t start putting up unrealistically high numbers on it, San Francisco is going to be a great bet, particularly as underdogs this season.

#5 Cleveland Browns (+10000 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): The Browns closed out last season by winning four straight games both SU and ATS to finish the year at 10-6 ATS. The turnaround was sparked by the addition of GM Mike Holmgren to the staff. Holmgren decided to retain HC Eric Mangini, but he dumped both of his quarterbacks. If QB Jake Delhomme can reinvent himself and the Browns play as hard as they did down the stretch last season, they could challenge for a playoff spot in the AFC. The Steelers, Bengals, and Ravens need to be very careful when this team turns up on the schedule. The end result should be covers galore!

#6 Minnesota Vikings (+1000 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): This is a team that is probably damned if it does and damned if it doesn’t. If QB Brett Favre does come back to Minnesota, it will likely be overinflated in most every game it plays due to the fact that Favre had an epic season last year. If he doesn’t come back, the oddsmakers are still probably going to overrate this team due to the fact that Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels flat out stink. Duplicating last year’s 9-6-1 ATS mark is going to be virtually impossible unless someone comes up with a truly Herculean effort.

#7 Philadelphia Eagles (+3000 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): Fly Eagles, fly! Philly could be an interesting team to back this year if QB Kevin Kolb can step right into the role that QB Donovan McNabb vacated when he was traded to the Washington Redskins in the offseason. The Eagles could have a porous defense which holds them back this year though, which could make that 9-7 ATS mark from 2009 difficult to repeat. Still, a lot of NFL lines are going to be tight when this team takes on its competitors, so if you think Philadelphia can win nine games, you probably think it can cover nine spreads as well.

#8 New York Jets (+1200 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): Last season, the Jets fooled a lot of teams, and the end result was a stellar 9-7 ATS mark. They marched all the way to the AFC Championship Game on the back of a strong defense and a rushing attack that ranked first in the NFL. Conventional wisdom suggests that the additions of DB Antonio Cromartie and DB Kyle Wilson could make this defense even more frightening, especially now that DT Kris Jenkins is healthy. Still, it’s going to take QB Mark Sanchez improving his game for New York to put up these types of results again.

#9 Denver Broncos (+6500 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): Though many are down on the Broncos this year, we have to remember that most of the pieces to this puzzle are once again back in place. The big losses are WR Brandon Marshall, TE Tony Scheffler, and LB Elvis Dumervil. Dumervil, who led the team with 17 sacks last year, might be able to play at the end of this season after tearing a pectoral muscle in the preseason. However, the oddsmakers are seemingly making huge adjustments to this team. Yes, the Broncos collapsed down the stretch last year, but losses don’t mean failed covers. If the numbers get too large, improving on a 9-7 ATS record from ’09 is doable.

#10 Carolina Panthers (+5000 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): The same could be said about the Panthers and their 9-7 ATS record from last year. Losing QB Jake Delhomme might be addition by subtraction, as both Matt Moore and rookie Jimmy Clausen can’t do much worse than the former Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajun did last year. This season will once again revolve around the defense and running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. The Panthers might be able to surprise, as several are down on their chances of making the postseason in what could be the final year for HC John Fox.

C’mon Man! (for the week ending 2/7/10)

February 8th, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in General Handicapping   Comments Off on C’mon Man! (for the week ending 2/7/10)

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The NFL betting season came to a close on Sunday night when the Indianapolis Colts beat the New Orleans Saints in Super Bowl XLIV. There was plenty to rant about in the week that was in the world of sports, so here at Bankroll Sports, we’ll pose these two words to the worst teams, players, coaches, and situations over the last seven days: C’mon Man!!!

I’m tired of all of these teams in the NCAA basketball betting world falling victim to sandwich games. I’m looking at you Georgetown Hoyas and Duke Blue Devils. G’Town looked awful in a home loss to South Florida, which was stuck between wins against both Duke and Villanova. The Dookies fell victim as well, barely beating Boston College in Chestnut Hill. They beat Georgia Tech in a huge revenge spot right before the BC game, and have North Carolina next week in Chapel Hill. Aren’t you supposed to bring it every single night? These aren’t the only two teams in this situation, but the Hoyas and Blue Devils are the ones that are guilty this week. C’mon Man!!!

What’s going on with the North Carolina Tar Heels? Who are these imposters wearing baby blue right now? North Carolina lost to both Virginia Tech and Maryland this week, and that loss to Maryland came by 21 points. The Tar Heels are now sitting in tenth place in the ACC, and they’re only a half game in front of being in dead last. Why is this team even remotely being talked about for the NCAA Tournament? Teams that are 13-10 are just trying to make the NIT. For you, the defending national champs, you only have two words coming your way: C’mon Man!!!

The Miami Heat are in really bad shape right now. They have lost five straight games and are only 1-4 ATS in those five. Don’t blame G Dwyane Wade. Flash is scoring 26.8 points per game this year and has averaged just under that in those five games. The problem? There are only two players in those five NBA betting battles that have scored more than 16 points in a game. F Jermaine O’Neal put up 24 against the Bulls on Saturday, while F Michael Beasley put up 21 on the Cavs earlier in the week. Wade, you’re exempt from this one. But for the rest of you: C’mon Man!!!

Yes, it was QB Peyton Manning that threw the pick that ultimately handed the Super Bowl to the Saints, but let’s take a minute to blame the special teams of the Indianapolis Colts. This was a unit that missed a field goal, only averaged 22.2 yards per kick return, and committed the biggest gaffe of the day, allowing New Orleans to recover the onside kick to start the second half. Indy took the lead in the third quarter after the Saints hit them with the onsider, but K Matt Stover’s missed field goal is what really broke the camel’s back. There are three facets to every football game, and the Colts failed miserably at the third one, which proved to be the most important. C’mon Man!!!

Some Free Super Bowl XLIV Prop Picks

January 31st, 2010 by Bankroll Sports Staff | Posted in NFL Football   Comments Off on Some Free Super Bowl XLIV Prop Picks

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One of the greatest things about the Super Bowl from a betting standpoint is the enormity of betting opportunities for sports bettors.  The Super Bowl has always been the single most popular game in the world when it comes to sports betting. Just to give you an idea of the money involved, Nevada is expecting nearly 100 million in wagering just within the state’s borders for this year’s Super Bowl. As a result, online bookmakers have taken advantage offering countless proposition and exotic betting lines for side action. For this year’s Super Bowl, bettors can literally wager on anything from the outcome of the coin flip to what color top Kim Kardashian will be wearing at the game.  In a previous post below, Rodney recently shared some tips for betting props along with some of the top prop odds and Super Bowl betting bonuses. With so many lines available, bettors can easily get caught up in all the excessive action in all the wrong ways. Since there are so many betting opportunities available, many bettors will wager money with a “careless” attitude and risk money on many chance bets. I spent some time breaking down some of these prop lines and to provide some predictions that will increase your chances of ending the season in the black.  Below are a few prop that I believe deserve some attention heading into the Super Bowl. All of the prop odds below can be found at Bodog Sportsbook (10% Bonus – Accepting Credit Card deposits for the Superbowl)

Prop Bet #1 – Will the Indianapolis Colts score every quarter?

Yes  +130
No  – 160

The Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints are two offensive powered teams that will collide with a lot of points expected. The Saints secondary has been questionable all season and that throws up red flags for many reasons against Peyton Manning’s offense. In fact, the Colts have scored in 3 of 4 quarters in both postseason match-ups. While history may tell us that a team scoring all 4 quarters is unlikely in a Super Bowl, the Colts have a great chance. The reason is they have to keep the pressure on the Saints and their offense will not let up with the lead. The Saints hung 45 on the Cardinals and 31 on the Vikings. Therefore, Manning should get plenty of opportunities with the football and it’s doubtful the Saints defense will have an answer for the fast pace Colts offense. With some profitable juice, this is a great risk to consider.

Pick – Yes

Prop Bet #2 – The first 1st down will be either a passing or rushing play?

Passing -200
Rushing  +160

Unless there is a 1 yard conversion, a passing play should be the result of the first 1st down in the game. Neither offense has much confidence in their running game. In fact, both teams use their running games to control the clock rather than looking for success on the ground. Peyton Manning and Drew Brees are two of the top quarterbacks in the league and it is no secret that both offenses heavily favor the pass. Both offenses will keep the ball in the hands of their star quarterbacks and hope they both get into a rhythm early. Unless there is a early short yardage situation, the passing game will be used nearly every down especially early in the game. Consider this a high percentage play that a passing play will result in opening first down of the game.

Pick – Passing

Prop Bet #3 – Total receiving yards – Robert Meachem

Over 45 ½  +105
Under 45 ½  -135

Robert Meachem has played a solid role in contributing to the Saints lethal passing attack this season. However, in recent weeks Meachem has been nearly ineffective. Over the last 3 games, Meachem has caught just 4 passes totaling 31 yards. The reason may be because the Saints have run the ball better and have gotten help from a ton of outside passing options. Whatever the case may be, Meachem has not even been targeted by Drew Brees but very rarely in the past few games. Running backs Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas have been used more frequently catching balls out of the backfield taking some of those outside options away from Meachem. Wide outs Devery Henderson and Marques Colston will remain the primary targets in the passing game. If the Saints continue to use their backs in the passing game with effectiveness, Meachem may be left out of the picture once again.

Pick – Under 45 ½

Prop Bet #4 – Who will throw more interceptions?   

Drew Brees  -105
Peyton Manning -125

All eyes will be on both quarterbacks this Sunday and rightfully so. The Colts have Peyton Manning who before it is all said and done could go down as the greatest quarterback every. The Saints have Drew Brees who has absolutely mastered the New Orleans air attack. While most may agree that Manning is the better of the two, he is also the most vulnerable to giving up an interception. Manning threw 16 interceptions during the regular season while Brees threw just 11 total. In fact despite the Saints secondary that lacks respect against the pass, they actually picked off 26 interceptions during the regular season equaling the 3rd most in the NFL. Safety Darren Sharper tied for the most picks in the NFL with 9 and the Saints defense will need those turnovers this weekend to pull off the victory. Even if the Colts prevail, Manning normally gives up at least one interception and that may be one more than Brees will throw this Sunday.

Pick – Manning

Prop Bet #5 – Team to receive the opening kickoff 

New Orleans Saints  -115
Indianapolis Colts  -115

This particular betting line is offered every year, but nearly always seem to go the opposite direction from what the betting public expects. However, we believe we got this year’s decision for both team’s figured out. The perceptions here is that both teams want to put their offenses on the field first which is why the line is considered a toss up. However, the Colts may elect the alternative if they do happen to win the toss. The Colts defense has played extremely well at times this year and their momentum tends to set the tone for the offense. I believe the Colts will put their defense on the field first to try and force a quick change of possession putting the advantage to their offense. On the other side of the coin, I just do not see how the Saints could put their defense on the field first allowing Peyton Manning the first opportunity to score. If the Saints win the toss, they will accept the ball and look to make an opening statement.

Pick – Saints