Colts Rams Betting – Rams Take Shootout With Colts In Preseason Opener
Online betting players should be looking for holes in teams during the preseason and on Saturday, the defensive backs will be tested in St. Louis when the Rams host Indianapolis. With depth being a question mark in that area of the field for both teams, look for the Rams to edge the Colts in a high-scoring affair.
What: NFL Betting
When: Saturday, August 13th, 8:00 PM ET
Where: Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, MO
Pick: St. Louis Rams
Why Bet On Indianapolis Colts
Peyton Manning is still on the sideline after neck surgery, and the Colts are just aiming to get him back for the beginning of the regular season, where he has never missed a game. That means plenty of action for the backups, Dan Orlovsky, Curtis Painter and Nate Davis. We know that the Colts are deep at receiver because of last year’s injuries, but Blair White may miss this game with a back problem. Rookie Delone Carter will try to become the next player to solve the Colts’ running woes, while Joseph Addai will likely be held out as Indianapolis wants him to make to the regular season healthy. Also, pay attention to rookie linemen Anthony Castonzo and Ben Ijalana, who both figure to play important roles this season. Defensively, the Colts would like to see more out of end Jerry Hughes, last year’s first-round pick.
The Colts have a lot of questions to answer defensively to boost their NFL betting odds. For example, can Ernie Sims (who had an appendectomy on Sunday) replace Clint Sessions at linebacker? How is the depth in a secondary that has been banged up in recent years? The Colts are going to score points, but the defense has been undersized and can be easily pushed around.
Why Bet On St. Louis Rams
The Rams just missed out on the playoffs last year, and Sam Bradford proved he was the right pick for the top spot in the 2010 draft. “Cadillac” Williams will battle Jerious Norwood for the right to back up Steven Jackson at running back, but with the injury problems that both have had in the past, look for the Rams to dig deeper into the depth chart. St. Louis upgraded at safety by signing Quentin Mikell (who played forhead coach Steve Spagnuolo in Philadelphia, now it’s just a matter of testing out the depth in the secondary. Watch out for rookie end Robert Quinn, who missed all of his last season at North Carolina because of NCAA violations, and he’ll be eager to get back in the field in a game setting.
St. Louis didn’t improve their position at receiver, instead choosing to stay with a young group that dropped a lot of passes last year. Also, the offense has a new coordinator in Josh McDaniels, one of the best offensive minds of the last decade, and he’ll work closely with Bradford, although Bradford won’t play a lot in this game. The depth across the defense will be tested, but in particular, pay close attention to the secondary, especially against a pass-happy team like the Colts.
How It Will Play Out
The Rams are a big 7-point NFL betting favorite at home against the Colts, who are 3-2 SU and 2-3 ATS in their last five regular-season meetings against St. Louis (one meeting came in Los Angeles in 1989), with four games going over the posted total. Despite the lack of Manning in this game, the Colts can still put up some points on St. Louis when the first string departs, but they have to worry about the Rams’ ability to do the same.
Both teams are used to playing in domes as well, so this is going to breed a high-scoring game. With the starters not really playing a lot, there will be a lot of competition for spots and they should be able to air it out. The secondaries will receive a big test on Saturday night in St. Louis, where you will also find the biggest line of the weekend, and if you were going to bet against the spread, go with the Colts, who should be able to keep it close. Otherwise, take St. Louis at home for the victory in your sports betting picks.
Colts Rams Betting Pick – St. Louis Rams
