Colts vs. Patriots Point Spread: NFL Week 9 Odds, Prediction
The 3-4-1 Colts began a new journey with second-year pivot Sam Ehlinger, but fell 17-16 to Washington after allowing a last-minute touchdown. New England got back in the win column and is now 4-4, but whether they should still role with Mac Jones at quarterback or hand over the keys to rookie Bailey Zappe is a valid, recurring debate. At the end of the day, it’s not the Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady duels these fan bases were used to.
Kickoff at Gillette Stadium starts at 1 p.m. EDT and it’s New England the 5.5-point favourite on home field and the over-under at 39.5 on the NFL odds.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
The Patriots are putting a six-game win streak over Indianapolis at home on the line. New England’s also averaging 37 points in their last 10 meetings overall with Indianapolis, but it was the Colts winning 27-17 in Indiana when these teams faced off a year ago.
Overall, Foxborough has been a place for offence as of late. The over is 8-1 in the Patriots last nine home games and then it’s also 8-2 in the last 10 Patriots–Colts games. Ironically, all four of Indianapolis’ road games this season have went under the total, and seven of their right games overall have too. Indianapolis is still 30th in the NFL with 16.1 points per game this year.
Indianapolis Colts
A pair of fumbles in Washington territory last Sunday ended up costing the Colts big time after losing by a single point. Ehlinger, in his first NFL start, lost one of the fumbles and passed for 201 yards on 23 attempts. Jonathan Taylor lost the other, and missed practice Wednesday with an ankle injury. Taylor, the 2021 rushing champ, hasn’t cracked 80 rushing yards since Week 1.
Nyheim Hines scored Indianapolis’ lone touchdown last weekend but has since been traded to Buffalo. The Colts still possess a bottom-three offence when it comes to scoring, but another week of Ehlinger to work with an improving receiving cast of Alec Pierce, Michael Pittman Jr., and Parris Campbell is an intriguing storyline to watch. The receivers can play, but can Ehlinger?
New England Patriots
New York had 99 more yards of offence than New England last week, but where the Patriots got the upper-hand was in the turnover battle. The Patriots intercepted three New York passes in their 22-17 win that set up two field goals, a.k.a the difference in the game.
Jones had a shaky game under centre with 194 passing yards on 35 pass attempts, but New England got back to the bread and butter with 127 rushing yards on 34 carries. Unfortunately on the flip side of the ball the Pats are a bottom-10 defence in rushing yards allowed with 126 a game, so it’s shaping up to be a contest where both teams aim to prioritize the run.
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