New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts
With 2010 just around the corner there will be plenty of Top 10 lists covering the decade’s most memorable moments in sports. Some will focus on big games, others on individual players. But no matter the theme, you can be sure the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts will be on those lists. More specifically, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.
Team records:
New England: 6-2 SU, 4-4 ATS
Indianapolis: 8-0 SU, 5-3 ATS
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Those two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks go at it one more time in the 2000’s on Sunday Night Football. Oddsmakers have set the Colts as 3-point home favorites for this Week 10 war.
Indianapolis won last year’s meeting against the Brady-less Patriots, squeaking out an 18-15 victory and failing to cover the 6.5-point spread for the first time in the teams’ last five meetings. The Colts put their flawless 8-0 record on the line this Sunday night.
Unlike 2008, New England has Brady under center. The veteran quarterback is back to his old self, passing for 2,364 yards and 16 touchdowns this season. However, in the last two weeks Brady’s aim has been a bit sloppy. He’s totaled 640 yards through the air with four touchdowns, but has been picked off three times.
His counterpart, Manning, has struggled to find his receivers over the last three weeks. After posting completion percentages in the 80s and 70s, Indy’s playcaller has a combined completion percentage of under 67 during this span. He’s totaled 900 yards passing and four touchdowns with just one pick in those games but is coming off rough outings in back-to-back games, leaving Colts backers holding losing tickets.
Despite both quarterbacks’ recent troubles, their favorite targets still rank among the top receivers in the NFL. Indianapolis wideout Reggie Wayne is second in the league in total receiving yards and has wrangled in six touchdowns. Last week, Wayne caught only eight balls for 64 yards, while tight end Dallas Clark stepped up with 119 yards on 14 receptions.
In New England, Randy Moss is fifth among NFL receivers. He’s caught just under 50 balls for more than 700 yards and five touchdowns. Moss had a huge day in the Patriots’ 27-17 win over the Miami Dolphins last weekend, reeling in six catches for 149 yards and a score including a 71-yard reception in the third quarter which gave New England the lead.
While the air attacks of both teams take all the headlines, the rushing game for each club is starting to pick up. Last week, the Patriots got a big game from oft-injured running back Laurence Maroney, who totaled 82 yards on the ground with a touchdown, marking the third straight game Maroney has found paydirt. He’s rumbled for 248 yards in that span.
Colts running back Joseph Addai has also seen his numbers dwindle due to injuries the past two seasons. However, with help from rookie back Donald Brown, Addai is carrying a lighter load and has stayed healthier, allowing for consistent efforts on the ground.
With Brown nursing a shoulder injury, Addai has topped the 60-yard mark in each of his last three contests, scoring rushing touchdowns in two of those games. He’s also proved potent in passing downs, catching five balls for 49 yards and a touchdown against the Houston Texans last Sunday.
Both New England and Indianapolis have understated defenses. The Colts currently rank eighth in the NFL in yards against and have allowed just 13.1 points per game, which is the lowest in the league. They managed to handcuff the Texans’ passing attack in Week 9, picking off quarterback Matt Schaub twice and limiting Houston to only one touchdown despite more than 300 yards through the air.
New England’s stop unit is seventh in yards against this season and is coming off a hard-fought game with the Dolphins. The Patriots allowed Miami inside the red zone just twice and forced their opponent to punt five times while New England had to boot the ball away just three times. The Pats have punted fewer than any other AFC team with just 27 on the year.
Oddsmakers have set Sunday night’s total at 49.5 points. The last two meetings between these conference foes fell below the number. Both teams are 3-5 over/under this season.
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