NFL Free Picks Analysis – Titans to Tighten Grip on AFC Lead at Colts’ Expense
The Tennessee Titans (6-0 SU, 6-0 ATS, 3-3 O/U), remained the only perfect team in the league, moving to a perfect 6-0 by laying a huge ‘smackdown’ on the beleaguered Kansas City Chiefs, winning 34-10 to easily cover as 9-point road favorites for BetUS NFL Sportsbook bettors.
While called that game correctly in the BetUS Locker Room last week, I have to admit that the Indianapolis Colts (3-3 SU, 2-4 ATS, 3-3 O/U), burnt me in getting pasted by the Green Bay Packers in their 34-14 road loss while failing to cover as 1-point road favorites.
The two AFC South rivals meet this week in a contest could have major postseason implications for the struggling Colts should they lose.
Tennessee didn’t have any problems, just as I expected, in routing the Chiefs as lightning-fast rookie running back Chris Johnson ran for 168 yards and one touchdown on just 18 carries and LenDale White, the ‘thunder’ portion of Tennessee’s powerful ground game, added another 149 yards and three touchdowns on just 17 carries.
The pair of running backs became the first tandem to topple the 100-yard mark in the same game against Kansas City since 1977.
“Your run game is a development of the way your team plays,” Titans coach Jeff Fisher said. “The backs got a lot of extra yards on their own after contact.”
White scored on runs of 6, 2 and 80 yards, the franchise’s longest run since 1983, while Johnson added a 66-yard touchdown run of his own, topped off with some entertaining bongo playing in the Chiefs’ end zone that drew a penalty on the ensuing kickoff – not that it mattered.
The Colts looked totally atrocious just one week after overpowering the Baltimore Ravens and their fine defense and are off to their worst start since 2001 – the last time the Colts didn’t make the playoffs.
“It’s a very, very disappointing game, obviously,” Dungy said. “It’s the way we’ve been all year. We’ve been up and down, not consistent, and we showed more of that today. They played smarter and sharper than we did.”
Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning completed 21 of 42 passes for 229 yards but failed to throw a touchdown while throwing two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns.
“I can’t really give you one, simple answer, try to summarize what’s going on,” Manning said. “We just need to play better. I need to play better and find a way to get into the end zone. Our offense needs to try to get the lead to help our defense out a little bit. We didn’t do our job.”
Indianapolis allowed Packers blossoming quarterback Aaron Rodgers to complete 21 of 28 passes for 186 yards and one touchdown while also giving up 105 rushing yards and one touchdown to running back Ryan Grant on 31 carries.
The Colts also committed a whopping 12 penalties that totaled a whopping 110 yards while also allowing the Packers to keep the ball – and Manning off the field – for nearly 34 minutes.
Here is a look at the game’s NFL Odds, followed by my in-depth analysis and NFL Free Picks.
NFL Odds
Indianapolis Colts +4 -110
Tennessee Titans -4 -110
Over 42 -110
Under 42 -110
Analysis: Even if the Colts were playing well right now, they’d have trouble beating a Titans team that is playing nearly mistake-free football at the moment. Now that they are totally out of sync, I don’t think this pick takes a rocket scientist to figure out.
Take the Titans to win another game and narrowly cover the spread against the reeling Colts, putting their playoff hopes in serious jeopardy!
