NFL WEEK 13 – TITANS vs COLTS
For those of us concerned that the undefeated Colts would just kick back for the rest of the season and make wagering on them the mother of all uncertain sciences, rest assured that Indy will keep the pedal to the meal for at least the next few weeks.
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Time: Sunday 1:00 ET
Venue: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
MoneyLine: Titans +230 (-110) / Colts -270 (-110)
Spread: Colts -6.5
Over/Under: 47
The Colts can clinch a much-coveted first-round playoff bye with a win Sunday over resurgent Tennessee (and several other games go the right way). After that there’s the matter of snagging home field edge throughout the AFC playoffs, and when that’s taken care of, attention will pivot to whether coach Jim Caldwell thinks it would be nice to go 16-0 in his first season on the job, or if the team will be turned over to Jim Sorgi while Peyton Manning makes TV commercials.
Manning threw for 309 yards and a TD when the teams met in Tennessee on Columbus Weekend, but that 31-9 victory was hardly even a speed bump for the Colts, who were winning their 5th in a row on the way to 11 straight, and the Titans were losing for the 5th time in a row in their woeful start to a season that crested with a 59-0 defeat in New England the next week.
Had this game been played immediately following Tennessee 6th consecutive loss, Indy might be a 24-point favorite. But QB Vince Young has orchestrated 5 straight improbable victories in the Music City in an unprecedented turnaround, and there is even talk about playoffs – if the Titans can pull one off in Indy and run the table for a 10-6 finish. Even 9-7 might get the job done if other playoff contenders struggle in December/January and tiebreakers break Tennessee’s way.
If the Colts are to get to 12-0, their defense will have to deal with Young, a quarterback whose arm, intelligence, decision-making ability and desire to remain on the planet have been questioned in Tennessee – by fans, the media and even the Titans coaching staff. He was basically persona non grata last season when Kerry Collins led the Titans to the league’s best record, and there were concerns for his safety when he reportedly talked about suicide after being booed.
But 2008 is now just a distant memory, and Young eats free in Nashville restaurants these days after leading the Titans out of an 0-6 crevice to 5-6 with a puncher’s chance of joining the wild card playoff conversation along with the Pittsburghs, Baltimores, Jacksonvilles and Denvers of the AFC.
It won’t be easy. Indianapolis always seems to have a defense that is better than it gets credit for, and the Colts’ secondary will get starting CB Kelvin Hayden back from an injury. There is even talk that DE Dwight Freeney will strap on the pads for the first time in a few weeks. As if the Colts needed more ammunition.
This should be a fun game. Indy wins and pressure continues to build about a possible matchup (with New Orleans) of 16-0 teams in the Super Bowl. The Titans win and they maintain the playoff chase, in the process taking tons of pressure off the Colts.
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Lawrence Paul is a regular contributor to the Cappers Picks Blog, and is a free-lance gambling and travel expert from Massachusetts.
