NFL Week 6 Football Betting – Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts
The Baltimore Ravens (2-2 SU, 3-1 ATS) have played inspired football for new coach John Harbaugh and new QB Joe Flacco. On Sunday they will travel to the Hoosier State to take on the Indianapolis Colts (2-2 SU, 1-3 ATS) in NFL action that is slated to kick off at 1 PM ET at Lucas Oil Stadium (artificial turf) in Indianapolis.
BetUS NFL betting odds: INDIANAPOLIS -4.5, Total 39
Sunday, October 12
NOTABLE STAT: Ravens have allowed 2.9 yards per rushing attempt
KEY NFL FOOTBALL BETTING TREND: Baltimore is 1-8 ATS in its last nine on road
In the BetUS NFL football betting odds, the Colts are listed as a 4.5-point favorite, with a posted total of 39 points.
Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup (reflecting numbers going into the 2008 season):
* BALT has covered four of its last five games
* BALT has covered six of its last 21 games
* BALT has lost 11 of its last 14 games SU
* BALT has played eight of its last 11 games OVER the total
* BALT has covered one of its last nine road games
* BALT has lost its last six road games SU
* BALT has played four of its last five road games OVER the total
* IND has covered one of its last six games
* IND has won 19 of its last 25 games SU
* IND has lost four of its last six games SU
* IND has covered one of its last seven home games
* IND has won 16 of its last 21 home games SU
* IND has lost four of its last five home games SU
* IND has played four of its last six home games OVER the total
Also…
* IND has covered four of the last five meetings
* IND has won the last five meetings SU
* Four of the last five meetings have gone UNDER the total
* IND has won five of the last six meetings SU as the home team
* Six of the last seven meetings in Indianapolis have gone UNDER the total
Indianapolis is winning games is very strange ways, with unlikely comebacks against both Minnesota and Houston. Of course, this is not the Colts team we have been used to seeing over the last several years. These guys can’t seem to run the football, gaining just 3.6 yards a carry. But the ground attack is starting to surface, with 114 yards against Jacksonville, then 79 against the Texans. That doesn’t sound like a whole lot, but it’s progress. And it may help to provide the requisite balance for Peyton Manning to operate effectively.
Manning was 25 of 34 for 235 yards against Houston, and although one may not be able to say with a whole lot of conviction that he is going to move with impunity against a Baltimore defense that has yielded 154, 169, 237 and 210 yards in its four games, the fact is that he represents a very big edge over counterpart Joe Flacco, who has managed to keep his team in games (both losses by three points) but has only one touchdown pass against four interceptions.
Of course, there are massive road blocks for Indy here. Baltimore just doesn’t let teams run the football. In the four games thus far, they have allowed 65, 73, 69 and 47 yards. There is no doubt the Ravens will come with blitz packages to pressure Manning. Indianapolis has had quite a bit of trouble slowing down running attacks, something that has been attributed in no small part to the absence of Bob Sanders from the lineup. And Baltimore has a capable, fresh running back in the lineup at all times (Willis McGahee, Le’Ron McClain, Ray Rice).
But Dallas Clark came back to the Indianapolis passing game with five catches for 81 yards against Houston, and his presence is a key for Manning,. The Colts got a big lift through Sage Rosenfels’ generosity last week, and that win will provide some impetus for Indy to come up with a home win – finally – in its third try at their brand new stadium. In the final analysis, I don’t think Baltimore will have the artillery to trade points, or play catch-up in case Manning gets his team out to an early lead. We’ll lay the points with Indianapolis, the 4.5-point favorite in the BetUS NFL football betting odds.
