NFL Betting Week 10: Game on Patriots and Colts
Nov 13th, 2009 by admin
Week 10’s powerhouse matchup is clearly the undefeated Indianapolis Colts against the New England Patriots. The game kicks off at 9:20 PM EST this Sunday, November 15, 2009. Many regard this game as part of a historical rivalry between the two teams, in which history favors the Colts with a 44-28 matchup record. It all boils down to the quarterbacks: will Manning continue to stun fans with his passing acumen, or will Tom Brady and the Pats offense rule over the Colts’ defense? If these guys both have a “good” night of play, the score will be very close.
Where does this put NFL betting for Week 10? The Colts/Patriots game will certainly be one of the most anticipated games for sports bettors, especially since the Colts are still undefeated. The only other undefeated team are the New Orleans Saints, who face a no-brainer against the beleaguered St. Louis Rams. If you’re looking for easy money, take Saints for the win. If you want a challenge, however, pick a team in the Colts/Patriots game and place a bet: you might be pleasantly surprised when the final whistle blows.
This game will come down to how each quarterback plays, and how each quarterback manages their respective offensive players. Looking at the stats, Peyton Manning inches past Brady in the most important figures. So far, Brady has 204 completions, 310 attempts, 2364 passing yards and 16 touchdowns. Manning has an impressive 221 completions in 313 attempts, 2545 passing yards, and 16 touchdowns to match Brady. Man to man, this is almost a statistical dead heat. As a result, one has to dig a little deeper to see where each team varies in offensive play.
The Pats like to use Laurence Maroney in their running game. Maroney sports 81 carries for 347 yards, for an average of 4.3 yards per carry, with 3 touchdowns. Teammate Fred Taylor has 45 carries, 201 yards for an average of 4.5 yards per carry, with 2 touchdowns. The Patriots’ receivers, however, get more action. Randy Moss has collected 49 receptions over 712 yards with an average of 14.5 yards per catch, plus 5 touchdowns. Meanwhile, teammate Wes Welker has caught 55 of Brady’s passes over 568 yards, averaging 10.3 yards per reception with 4 touchdowns. Right now, it appears the Colts will have to be on guard against the Patriots’ receivers, who clearly dominate in terms of offensive strength.
Things are more balanced over on the Colts’ bench. Rusher Joseph Addai has 116 carries for 399 yards, averaging 3.4 yards per carry with 5 touchdowns. The Colts’ other rusher, Donald Brown, has 46 carries for 212 yards, averaging 4.6 yards per carry with 2 touchdowns. Addai is definitely the main man in the Colts’ running game. As for the receivers, Reggie Wayne leads the Colts with 59 receptions over 753 yards, averaging 12.8 yards per reception with 6 touchdowns. Teammate Dallas Clark has 60 receptions over 703 yards, averaging 11.7 yards per carry with 3 touchdowns. Altogether, it’s plain to see that the Colts favor Addai, but are generally balanced in terms of their use of receivers versus rushers. This means the Patriots defensive squad will have to be especially vigilant and balanced in their approach.
Where’s the smart money on this game? At the moment, the line on the game is +3/-3 Patriots/Colts respectively. So the sportsbooks like Indianapolis, but will the bettors agree? A bet on the underdog Patriots might be a good investment as well. They’ve got 3 points of wiggle room, and could topple the Colts’ undefeated record if Manning is off his game. Our guess is that most will bet the Colts, choosing a safe wager over a more aggressive bet on the Patriots.
Don’t forget, this epic game starts Sunday, November 15, 2009 at 9:20 PM EST. Make sure to get your bets in early, since there’s almost always a last minute rush to the sportsbooks before the game starts. Most importantly, enjoy the game: this is a great matchup between two solid teams, and could be the seminal moment in the 2009-10 NFL season for the team that comes out on top.
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