Ok, first off, I'm a Colts fan. I don't bet on a regular basis anymore but this was looking too good to miss out on. Now, don't get me wrong...There's nothing I'd like to see more than to watch the Patriots get their asses handed to them in a blow out. I just don't see it happening.
I wanted to load up on Indy SU at +205 so bad today but I snapped out of it (thankfully) and realized, 'this is crazy'.
Dungy said if Harrison didn't practice Thursday, he would be doubtful to play Sunday. Now he's been cleared and is questionable. Best case scenario, he plays while being less than 100 percent. The Colts can't afford that. Worst case, obviously, he sits. He hasn't played in weeks. He has a bad knee.
So, backup Anthony Gonzalez plays in his spot who was supposed to have a decent game last week in Harrison's absence and ended up with one catch for 16 yards. He doesn't even have 200 yds or a td on the season yet.
Moorehead is hurt. So you have a healthy Wayne, Clark, and Gonzalez. Is this going to be enough? Wayne will be blanketed all day.
Pats have Rodney Harrison back and all those receivers this time. Brady is beyond on fire! He's having a better season than Manning's record breaking, 49 TD season. Colts have Sanders back and Freeney will play but are they prepared for this new Pats team? THERE'S NO WAY! NOOO WAY! !
I'm not impressed by Indy's wins over Tenessee and Jacksonville. Ask yourself, what would N.E. do to these teams? What would they do to Carolina? The first half of the game against Carolina, I didn't think Indy was going to win the game.
Don't forget the Patriots went down to play Dallas and what happened there. Dallas is no slouch and the Pats made them look like they were in a different league, on their own home turf. They embarrassed them.
Detroit went to Washington and the best pass offense in the league was held to 100 yds on the day. Patriots go there and blow them out. Brady goes off like it's a college game and the backup QB rushes for a TD.
Bottom line here is, yes, the Colts are winning games, but they have not been dominant in my opinion. At least nothing like the Patriots have been. I have watched a lot of N.E. football this season and they are playing at another level. Almost unstoppable. Nothing goes wrong! Brady only has 2 INTs on the season!! This is the perfect team. They're much better than they've been previously and the Colts are down players. Playing on the road seems to have no effect on the Patriots.
The books can put people on any side they want in this game. Both teams undefeated. Somebody has to be the underdog and they can play with it all they want. The bait.....Colts 5.5 to 6.5 dogs at home. 205 ML!? Yeah, it sounds too good to be true and it probably is. I wouldn't take the Colts at +11. They would need to be at 110% for me to even consider them in this game as good as the Patriots are, and they obviously are not at full strength. I wouldn't be surprised if Manning has a 3 INT game in this one....unfortunately.
They may have won the last 3 but the games that went badly for them are still fresh in my mind and I've seen it all unravel against N.E. too many times to get my hopes up on this one. N.E.s back and better than ever.
The Colts are winning. The Pats are dominating and embarrassing teams. I say Pats over the Colts 41- 30 and wouldn't be surprised to see Manning throw a few picks. The Colts will give them a run for the money but Pats have what it takes to stay ahead in this one. No doubt at all.
Any fence sitters waiting to take the Colts, I would really think twice. The only thing that could help them is possibly the mental impact of the game and the pressure getting to N.E.'s players now leading up to it.......but not likely. This is a big revenge game which makes it all the more worse against the Colts.
Enjoy the game.