Vikings at the Colts

Minnesota @ Indianapolis nfl betting Preview

Not much has stayed the same from last year’s Indianapolis Colts, who finished 12-5 (7-9 AGAINST THE SPREAD), losing in the AFC Wildcard game to San Diego. Since that early January game, the Colts lost head coach Tony Dungy, the franchise’s all time leading receiver in Marvin Harrison, and both offensive and defensive coordinators. Besides the massive coaching changes, Indianapolis returns a significant portion of last year’s players. Most importantly, the Colts’ trio of quarterback Peyton Manning, running back Joseph Addai and wide receiver Reggie Wayne give Indianapolis a formidable offense.

The Colts can be counted on for double digit wins, even with new head coach Jim Caldwell, as Peyton Manning has led Indianapolis to a 92-33 record since 2002. The Colts are an attractive option for bettors, having finished 58-46 against the spread in the past six seasons. Despite the coaching change, the Colts remain +1200 to win the Super Bowl.

While Minnesota further strengthened its receiving options with first round draft pick Percy Harvin, the Vikings failed to address their quarterback situation. Though Tavaris Jackson maintains the starting role, Minnesota’s front office made a halfway attempt to sign Brett Favre, causing fans to worry about the future of the position. The Vikings lost star offensive lineman Matt Birk and star safety Darren Sharper, but are excited about the return of star linebacker EJ Henderson, who missed the last 13 weeks of the season with an injury.

Despite the concern at signal caller, Minnesota’s 10-6 (6-10 AGAINST THE SPREAD) season earned some respect in Las Vegas and online sports books, where the Vikes are +1800 to win it all. Minneapolis travels to Indianapolis as 1 point underdogs, and will have to use the game to work to figure out their quarterback situation. Meanwhile, the Colts will try to keep the players on the same page as the coaches.

For our NFL football betting pick take the Colts -1.