Sunday Night NFL Preview
Colts at Titans
The odds makers have set an intriguing line on this game making the Indianapolis Colts just 3.5 point favorites over a team in the Tennessee Titans that has struggled mightily to start the season. Monday morning the opening line had the Colts just 1 point favorites but the public quickly jumped all over Peyton Manning and the Colts, forcing the number up a full two and a half points. Currently over 75% of the betting action on this game is on the Colts at the interestingly low number.
Indianapolis has looked excellent in their first four games as they have gone 4-0 straight up and also covering 3 of those 4 games. Indy failed to cover in their opener at home against Jacksonville as 7 point favorites. As usual, Peyton Manning has been superb thus far and has to be considered the favorite to win the NFL MVP if the award were handed out today. He is completing nearly 71% of his passes and has thrown for over 1,300 yards and 9 touchdowns. Manning will be a big key to this game as the Tennessee secondary has not been very good in the first month of the season. Their secondary is allowing 282 yards per game through the air.
Defensively the Colts will have to stop the power rushing attack of the Titans and make Kerry Collin have to throw the ball in order to beat them. Tennessee with Chris Johnson and LenDale White carrying the ball are averaging 137 yards per game rushing and a whopping 5.5 yards per carry. The Indianapolis defense has been average at stopping the run, giving up over 106 yards rushing a game. Defensive end Dwight Freeney looks to be healthy for this game and he could play a big factor not only in stopping the run but pressuring Kerry Collins into making mistakes down field.
In order to stay in this game, Tennessee will have to play a lot better than they have on the defensive side of the ball. Peyton Manning is just too good and can put points on the board in a hurry. As mentioned earlier, the secondary has been the major weakness and the Titans are giving up an average of 27 points per game. They can?t afford to get into a shootout because their offense simply isn?t near as good as the Colts. In order to relieve the secondary, expect a lot of stunts and blitzes from the defensive line and linebackers in order to try and confuse and pressure Peyton Manning. If he gets in a rhythm, it could be a long day for this defense. It also doesn?t help that Tennessee?s two starting cornerbacks, Courtland Finnegan and Nick Harper, are both listed as questionable for Sunday Night?s game.