Colts Host Broncos on NFL Thursday Night Football
Thursday Night Football kicks off Week 15 of the NFL regular season when the Denver Broncos visit the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. The current line on top sportsbooks has Denver favored by 2.5 points with the over/under point total on 40.5.
Entering this game, Denver on the season is 4-9 straight up and 3-9-1 against the spread. On the road, the Broncos are 0-6 SU and ATS. Indianapolis on the season is 3-10 SU and 6-7 ATS. At home, the Colts are 2-4 SU and 4-2 ATS.
Two teams that have little to play for, meet on Thursday, which makes it a challenge to keep players focused. However, playing in primetime will help. Indianapolis is also coming of a 13-7 loss in snowy Buffalo extending the Colts losing streak to four straight.
Indianapolis is No. 30 in scoring in the league averaging just 16.3 points per game and will be facing the NFL’s best defense against yards allowed per game. The Broncos give up just 280.5 yards per game and are No. 2 in passing yards allowed at just 191 yards per game.
Last Sunday, the Broncos defense shut down the Jets offense allowing just 100 total yards. This included 59 on the ground as well as 41 through the air, in a 23-0 victory.
The Colts defense is No. 31 in points allowed at 26.4 per game, No. 30 in total yards allowed at 375.3 per game and passing yards at 257.8 per game.
Colts running back Frank Gore is the only real bright spot on that side of the ball for the Colts. The veteran rushed 36 times, a career high, for 130 yards in the snow against the Bills. With 59 more yards from scrimmage, Gore will join Emmitt Smith, a NFL Hall of Famer, as the only two players in NFL history to accumulate 1,000 yards from scrimmage in 12 or more consecutive seasons.
Colts tight end Jack Doyle also caught a touchdown in the snow against Buffalo and is second amongst all NFL tight ends in receptions with 64.
Prediction
Broncos running back C.J. Anderson has averaged 183 yards from scrimmage in the last two games against Indianapolis.
Colts linebacker Jabaal Sheard is leading the team in quarterback sacks with 4.5, although he has not recorded any in his last four games.
Prediction: Denver is on the road, which could keep the game closer, but its defense will shut down the anemic Colts offense. Lean here toward the Broncos covering.
