Broncos vs. Colts Total Prediction
The hapless Broncos travel to Indianapolis this week to visit a streaking Colts team coming off a big win over the Texans. With the total moving from 43.5 down to 41.5, should bettors follow the line movement and take the under?
Game Snapshot
271 Denver Broncos (+4.5) at 272 Indianapolis Colts (-4.5); O/U 41.5
1:00 p.m. ET, Sunday, October 27, 2019
Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN
Public Betting Trends
According to our NFL Football Public Betting Chart page, the Colts are receiving 72% of the betting tickets from online sportsbooks.
Denver Broncos Fantasy Spin
49ers acquired WR Emmanuel Sanders from the Broncos in exchange for third- and fourth-round draft picks. The Broncos are also sending a fifth-round pick the 49ers’ way. Truly receiver desperate, the 49ers haven’t been able to settle on a receiver rotation all season. Although it’s a role 32-year-old Sanders is probably miscast for at this point in his career, they now have their No. 1. Still providing WR3 relevance in Denver despite Joe Flacco’s unsurprising awfulness, Sanders will have a chance to push for WR2 value in San Francisco, though the 49ers’ offense will remain run heavy to the extreme. 2019 is the final year of Sanders’ contract.
Indianapolis Colts Fantasy Spin
Colts FS Malik Hooker (knee) wasn’t listed on the team’s final injury report. The Colts will get their middle of the field safety back for their Week 8 matchup against the Broncos. Hooker’s presence is bad news for Noah Fant, who has failed to clear 40 yards in a contest this season on an average of just 3.4 targets per game. With that said: It’d certainly make sense if the offense attempts to get their athletically-gifted rookie more involved moving forward. Backup TE Jeff Heuerman’s snaps have decreased in consecutive games, making Fant a locked-in full-time starter with the position’s fifth-easiest schedule in terms of PPR per game allowed to TEs during the next four weeks.
NFL Betting Trends
Denver
The under is 7-1-1 in the Broncos’ last nine games after allowing less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
Indianapolis
The under is 15-7 in the Colts’ last 22 games after accumulating less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
Prediction
The Chiefs sacked Joe Flacco nine times last Thursday night and the Colts should feast this Sunday. Justin Houston and Denico Autry will face a Denver offensive line that ranks 29th in adjusted sack rate at 9.8%. The Broncos also just traded Sanders, so now Flacco has even fewer weapons to throw the ball two feet to. The over is 10-3 in the last 13 meetings between these two teams but I like the under, which is 6-1-1 in the Broncos’ last eight road games and is 20-6-1 in their last 37 games overall.
NFL Week 8 Prediction: Broncos/Colts UNDER 41.5