Indianapolis Colts 2011 Season Odds
(The Spread) – Peyton Manning’s injury situation has cast some doubt around the Indianapolis Colts’ chances in 2011.
Manning underwent neck surgery earlier this offseason and despite his hopefulness that he’ll be ready for Week 1, there is growing concern that he won’t be healthy enough to start. The Colts recently brought 38-year-old Kerry Collins out of retirement, signaling that Manning’s injury will prevent him from playing earlier this season.
As of right now, the Colts’ odds to win the 2012 Super Bowl are holding steady at 18/1. They have odds of 17/2 to win the AFC Conference this season and are still the favorites to win the AFC South at +105. That said, bettors can expect those odds to change if Manning’s status continues to look bleaker.
Despite all the doom and gloom over Manning’s situation, the Colts did have a productive offseason. They signed three former first round picks in Ernie Sims (Eagles), Tommie Harris (Bears) and Jamal Anderson (Falcons), and also added former Panthers’ defensive lineman Tyler Brayton.
In the draft, the Colts finally beefed up their offensive tackle position with the addition of first round pick Anthony Castonzo. While he isn’t protecting Manning yet, he says he’s learning a lot from the future Hall of Fame quarterback and should be a fixture on the Colts’ offensive line for years to come.
Outlook: As long as Manning is ready to play by the second or even third week of the season, the Colts should be fine. Don’t forget that the Steelers didn’t have Ben Roethlisberger for the first four weeks of last season but still managed to make a Super Bowl appearance. Of course, Big Ben was injured and Pittsburgh’s defense is significantly better than Indy’s, but the point is that if Manning isn’t out too long the Colts could still be in good shape. If he is or is nagged by the injury all season, this team could be cooked.
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