Get a $500 Bonus on a $500 Deposit at BetUS!

Indianapolis Colts at San Diego Chargers NFL Betting Odds & Picks

Written by Jimmy Boyd

Peyton Manning and the Colts hope things will go better against the Chargers this season than they did last. The last time these two teams faced off, San Diego knocked the Colts out of the playoffs. The Colts have won three in a row while the Chargers have lost three of four, but the Bolts are 3-1 at home this season and that has odds makers thinking that San Diego will continue its dominance of Indy. Odds makers have listed the Chargers as the 3-point favorite with the total set at 50 for this week’s Sunday Night Football matchup.

Indy has bounced back from a 3-4 start with three straight wins to put itself back in postseason contention. This season hasn’t looked anything like the last when the Colts won 13 of their first 15 games to run away with their fifth straight division title. Indy’s one and only road loss in 2007 came at San Diego in Week 10. The Colts outgained the Chargers by over 200 yards but suffered a 23-21 loss nevertheless when Adam Vinatieri missed a late 29-yard field goal. It certainly didn’t help that Peyton Manning had his worst day as a pro. He threw a career-high six interceptions as the Colts were unable to overcome an early 23-point deficit. The two teams faced off two months later in the playoffs and San Diego intercepted Manning two more times as the Bolts knocked the then-defending Super Bowl champs out of the playoffs.

While it appears that Indy has shed its early season play, the Chargers have not been able to get on track. The Chargers are 4-6 on the season and currently two games behind Denver in the AFC West which is certainly not where anyone predicted a team among the favorites to win the Super Bowl would be. The Bolts followed up a 20-19 win over Kansas City with a strange 11-10 loss at Pittsburgh last Sunday. It was a cruel loss as the San Diego defense didn’t allow a touchdown. Despite his turnovers last Sunday, Pro Bowl QB Phillip Rivers remains the AFC’s highest-rated passer with a 100.8 rating. He has 21 touchdown passes this season which is already just one shy of his career high. A lack of balance has hindered the Chargers offense this season as a turf toe injury has kept All-Pro tailback LaDainian Tomlinson in check. Tomlinson is averaging just 3.8 yards per carry this season which is his lowest output since his rookie year. Tomlinson could find more room to run against a Colts defense which is allowing 138.5 yards on the ground per game (25th in the NFL). One major factor will be whether or not safety Bob Sanders can play this week as he is great in run support. The Colts were getting diced up by the run late in the season in 2006 before Bob Sanders returned to the lineup and the rest was history as they went on to win the Super Bowl. A knee injury has kept Sanders out of six games this season and with him out last Sunday, Houston rookie Steve Slaton gashed the Colts for 156 yards. Bet the Chargers at -3 if you think they’ll take it to the Indy defense.

Manning and the offense were able to overcome the defensive woes however. Manning was 30 of 46 for 320 yards and two scores as the Colts racked up a season high 474 yards of offense. The Chargers own the league’s worst pass defense at 267.0 yards allowed per game and that could give the Colts the edge. However, All-Pro wideout Reggie Wayne will be playing through an ankle injury and could be slowed. They Colts do have to feel good about how eight-time All-Pro Marvin Harrison performed last game, catching nine balls for 77 yards. He has only caught 10 balls for 110 yards in his previous four games. Bet the Colts at +3 at Bookmaker.

Do you NFL betting at Bookmaker this season and receive a 20 percent cash sign up bonus. With early NFL lines posted each week, the book gives you a great chance to beat line moves. Jimmy Boyd’s NFL picks will help lead the attack on your bookie. Make sure you’re playing who he’s playing in Week 12.

If you liked this article, you may also be interested in: