As the Colts embark on a season that they hope could produce a league-record
10th straight postseason berth, they are showing very few signs of slowing
down. While true that they did come up short in the Super Bowl to New
Orleans last February, the 2009 season was another wildly successful
campaign for Indianapolis. With Peyton Manning back under center and the
rest of the corps still intact, it is no wonder that the Colts are the favorites to win the AFC this year.
Sportsbook.com Assorted Texans Betting Odds:
Odds to win Super Bowl XLV: +700
Odds to win the AFC: +350
Odds to win the AFC South: +220
Over/Under regular season wins: 11
SITUATIONAL RECORDS
Scenario: 2009 ~ 3-YR TOTAL
Straight Up: 16-3 ~ 41-12 (77%)
ATS: 12-7 ~ 28-24 (54%)
Preseason ATS: 1-3 ~ 4-8 (33%)
Home ATS: 5-5 ~ 13-14 (48%)
Road ATS: 7-2 ~ 15-10 (60%)
Division ATS: 4-2 ~ 8-10 (44%)
Conference ATS: 9-5 ~ 20-19 (51%)
Favorite ATS: 11-6 ~ 22-21 (51%)
Underdog ATS: 1-1 ~ 5-3 (63%)
Over-Under: 10-9 ~ 26-27 (49%)
2009 Key Team Stats & NFL Ranks
Scoring Differential: +6.8 (#9 of 32)
Yardage Differential: +23.3 (#14 of 32)
Yards Per Play Differential: +0.91 (#2 of 32)
Yards Per Point Differential: +3.73 (#4 of 32)
Turnover Differential: +1 (#15 of 32)
Total Offense (Yards Per Game): 362.5 (#9 of 32)
Total Defense (Yards Per Game): 339.2 (#18 of 32)
2010 SCHEDULE: Strength – 20.31 (21st toughest of 32)
DATE – OPPONENT, TIME
9/12/10 – at Houston, 1:00 PM
9/19/10 – NY GIANTS, 8:20 PM
9/26/10 – at Denver, 4:15 PM
10/3/10 – at Jacksonville, 4:05 PM
10/10/10 – KANSAS CITY, 1:00 PM
10/17/10 – at Washington, 8:20 PM
11/1/10 – HOUSTON, 8:30 PM
11/7/10 – at Philadelphia, 4:15 PM
11/14/10 – CINCINNATI, 1:00 PM
11/21/10 – at New England, 4:15 PM
11/28/10 – SAN DIEGO, 8:20 PM
12/5/10 – DALLAS, 4:15 PM
12/9/10 – at Tennessee, 8:20 PM
12/19/10 – JACKSONVILLE, 1:00 PM
12/26/10 – at Oakland, 4:05 PM
1/2/11 – TENNESSEE, 1:00 PM
Key Betting Trend
INDIANAPOLIS is on a 23-4 OVER the total (+18.6 Units) run on the road
coming off an upset loss as a favorite The Average Score was INDIANAPOLIS
23.9, OPPONENT 28.1
2010 OUTLOOK
In Jim Caldwell’s first season as head coach in Indianapolis, the Colts,
despite injuries to key players on both sides of scrimmage, went to their
second Super Bowl in four years.
It was the winningest 10-year span in NFL history and, this year,
Indianapolis will try to get into the record book with a league-tying ninth
straight postseason berth. Caldwell has made some changes to his staff on
offense, with coordinator Clyde Christensen taking over for Tom Moore as the
main play caller.
QB Peyton Manning won his second-straight NFL MVP award,
throwing 393 completions for 4,500 yards and a 68.8 completion rate, all
team records. He also had a 33:16 TD-Int ratio. And as if Manning didn’t
have enough weapons with All-Pros Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark, he should
have a healthy Anthony Gonzalez back at his disposal, plus youngsters Pierre
Garcon and Austin Collie. Manning will once again play behind arguably the
league’s best line when the ball is put in the air. If there is one knock on
the offense, it’s the virtual lack of a running game. It finished last in
the league in ground YPG.
Had the defense been healthy in the Super Bowl, the Colts could well be the
defending champion. Still, management thought talent needed to be added,
so the top three draft picks were spent on this side of scrimmage. The key will be the health of FS Bob Sanders, who missed all but two games in 2009 with a torn biceps tendon. Draftee DE Jerry Hughes (1-TCU) will have two veteran standouts to learn
from in Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis. The Colts could well get back to the Super Bowl for the third time in five years. Manning shows no signs of slowing down and the defense should improve if healthy. Another division title is likely.
Sportsbook.com Regular Season Wins Prop: Over/Under 11
StatFox Steve’s Take: The Colts boast the highest regular
season wins prop in the NFL, fitting since they quite possibly could have
gone 16-0 last year if they “wanted to”. With the 21st toughest schedule in
the league, Indianapolis could probably win 11 games in its sleep, and the
only thing that could deter them is an injury to Manning. We all know that
never happens. OVER.
