Patriots Open as Underdogs Ahead of Saturday’s Showdown vs. Colts | BetOnline.ag

After a much needed bye-week, the Patriots head to Indianapolis on Saturday for a matchup against the Colts. New England is now tied with Kansas City and Tennessee atop the AFC standings, but still holds onto the one-seed due to their in-conference record.

CLNS Media’s exclusive wagering partner BetOnline.ag came out with their early lines for Saturday, and the Colts opened up as 2.5-point favorites. The spread has since moved in the Patriots favor to Colts (-2). The total is set at O/U 45.5.

There aren’t two hotter teams in football right now. The Patriots have won seven in a row since their week six loss to Dallas, and the Colts have won four of their last five. With both teams coming off of week 14 byes, they’re well rested and – for the most part, healthy.

The Patriots defense is the reason they were co-favorites to win the AFC just a week ago. They lead the league in points allowed per game at 15.7, and are giving up just 114.5 rushing yards per game. Their counterparts in Indianapolis are second in the NFL in rushing this season, having ran for 1,972 yards as a team in 2021.

Running back Jonathan Taylor has been both a star and a potential MVP candidate this year for Indianapolis. He currently has (+1400) odds to win the award according to BetOnline.ag, which is good for fourth in the NFL. Taylor leads the league in rushing yards with 1,348 and rushing touchdowns with 16. He’s the reason the Colts are in the AFC wild card hunt.

Here’s what CLNS Media Patriots reporter Evan Lazar had to say about what the Patriots had to get right over the bye week:

Saturday is sure to be a derby, and will give us an idea of where these teams truly stand in the AFC playoff picture.

If the Colts fall to .500, they may have a tough time getting into the dance. With eight teams within one game of the top wild card slot in the AFC, it’s setting up to be a slugfest down the stretch.

Meanwhile, despite being two games ahead of Buffalo in the AFC East standings, the Patriots still need to keep their foot on the gas if they want to earn the first round bye. With Kansas City, Tennessee, and Baltimore all within striking distance, now is not the time to get complacent.

Be sure to keep it here with us at CLNSMedia.com for all the latest news, including my game preview and prediction, ahead of Saturday’s Patriots vs. Colts game.

Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick, and follow @PatriotsCLNS for the latest up-to-date Patriots news!

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