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Indianapolis Colts at New Orleans Saints Betting Preview

The recently struggling Indianapolis Colts take their game to New Orleans to face the Saints for Monday Night Football this week. The Colts have had a tough month, losing three straight, with two of those coming to AFC South opponents. The Saints have won three of their last four, with their only loss coming at the hands of the 49ers a week ago in a great matchup.

The Saints have been head and shoulders above the rest of the NFC South this season, having already clinched the division title. It wasn’t too long ago when the Colts were in strong contention for the AFC South, but the last month has taken them completely out of the loop, as the Texans and Titans have both gotten hot at the right time.

The Saints are favored in this one by nine points, with an over/under of 47.5.

Now or Never

To have any shot at the playoffs in the AFC, the Colts need to win out, which is no small task when matching up against the Saints. The Colts’ rushing defense actually matches up pretty well with the likes of Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray. They rank sixth in rushing yards allowed and fifth in rushing attempts. So Indianapolis has the power to keep the Saints’ running game at bay, but can it slow down Drew Brees?

The Colts’ passing defense ranks 21st in the league in yards allowed, which is not great. However, linebacker Darius Leonard has been all over the field, leading the team in interceptions and tackles and ranking second with five sacks this year. The Colts’ sack leader, Justin Houston, needs to get Brees on his back and make him uncomfortable, which is more difficult than it sounds.

Pope Approved

This season’s Saints team is reminiscent of many in the past, with a bend-but-do n’t-break defense and an offense led by Brees that ranks fifth in the league. The sure-handed Michael Thomas has tallied nearly 1,500 yards on the season and is staking his claim as a top-three wideout league-wide. Kamara has nearly 500 yards receiving and 1,074 yards from scrimmage.

Defensively, the Saints have the Colts’ kryptonite, as they’re able to stop the run. The Colts’ sixth-ranked rushing offense will have to go through the Saints’ fifth-ranked rushing defense.

The Saints’ defense also ranks an elite second in the league in rushing attempts against them. If the Colts have any shot in this one, they must figure out how to keep pressure off of Jacoby Brissett by utilizing their run game against a great run defense.

Picking The South

New Orleans has been pretty good against the spread this season at 8-5, but it’s only .500 at home, oddly enough. The Colts haven’t been as good overall against the line, but they are 3-1-2 on the road this season. Looking at the against-the-spread records can give some edge sometimes; however, in this matchup, it’s better to follow your heart and mind.

The Saints win and cover the nine-point spread with ease in a possible blowout but definitely a high-scoring contest. The pick is the Saints and the over.

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