Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans (-8.5), Total 43.5 |
Indianapolis had posted a 16-2 record against the Houston Texans with Peyton Manning as quarterback, but the team will be without its leader come Sunday. He will be missing the season opener after starting 227 consecutive games for the franchise.
“You always have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best,” said Colts head coach Jim Caldwell.
The Colts will have a very hard time winning this contest with new quarterback Kerry Collins just starting to learn a new system, while he’s also an alarming 0-7 all-time against Wade Phillips’-coached defenses.
Collins still is an experienced option and will be appearing in his 196th career regular-season game, while also making 178 starts in those contests.
Indianapolis dropped a 34-24 contest in last year’s season opener against Houston, failing to deliver as a one-point road favorites in NFL betting. The Colts finished that contest with a 463-355 yardage advantage.
Manning ultimately gained revenge by leading the squad to a 30-17 victory as 5.5-point home favorites in the second meeting between division rivals.
Indianapolis is still worthy of some type of betting prediction consideration due to the line move and also being 6-1 ATS as an underdog. The ‘over’ is also 10-1 in the last 11 games the team has played away from home.
Houston knows that Indianapolis is still dangerous with Collins taking over for Manning, as the veteran is 3-2 against them as a starting quarterback. “He’s a helluva player,” said Texans head coach Gary Kubiak. “He’s been successful against us.”
The Texans have some serious offensive weapons, including running back Arian Foster, who led the league last year with 1,616 rushing yards. He ran for a career-high 231 yards and three touchdowns in last year’s lid-lifter over the Colts.
Kubiak can also rely on quarterback Matt Schaub to deliver through the air, as he passed for 4,370 yards and has a play-making target on the outside. Wide receiver Andrew Johnson enters the 2011 campaign leading all NFL receivers in yards the past three years.
Phillips has been brought in to sure up a defensive unit that was atrocious a year ago, and seems to have made some strides during the preseason.
Houston is 2-5 ATS in betting predictions when opening the season and the ‘over’ has hit in 10 of the last 12 meetings between these two AFC South rivals.
