Colts Texans Betting – Manning Continues To Put Stamp On Texans
Online betting players are waiting for the day that Houston takes over for Indianapolis in the AFC South, and the Texans have come close on a number of occasions to beating the Colts. But the Colts’ four-time MVP quarterback has dominated the Texans in his career, and he’ll pull another rabbit out of his hat when they meet in Week 1 in Houston.
- What: NFL betting
- When: Sunday, September 12th, 1:00 PM ET
- Where: Reliant Stadium, Houston, TX
- Pick: Indianapolis Colts -2
What’s On The Line
The Colts have won six of the last seven AFC South titles, mostly at the expense of the Texans, who have dropped nine of their last 10 against the Colts and have never been to the playoffs before, despite coming incredibly close last year. A win over the Colts would be a big spark for the Texans, and this could be a shootout as both teams have powerful offenses.
Offensive Matchups: Colts Texans Betting
Much was made of the new rule in the NFL where the ball can’t be snapped until the umpire was in place, and that was because of the havoc it played with the Colts’ fast-paced offense. But don’t worry, the NFL will be a little flexible when it comes to Peyton Manning, and not to mention, we all have confidence that Manning will make the necessary adjustments. But, the Colts really need to have some semblance of a running game to take some pressure off Manning, and save some wear on his arm.
The Texans signed the released Matt Leinart, but Matt Schaub is still the guy in Houston, and he forms a deadly one-two punch with Andre Johnson. Tight end Owen Daniels is back from a knee injury, which makes up for the lack of a No.2 receiver opposite Johnson. But like the Colts, Houston is a pass-first team who is trying to implement a running game, and Arian Foster is the guy who they’ll turn to as it is clear Steve Slaton is not an every-down back.
Betting Edge: Colts
Defensive Matchups: Colts Texans Betting
The Colts’ defense was destroyed in the preseason, but in their defense (no pun intended), they played a lot of different players so there wasn’t a lot of continuity. Middle linebacker, Gary Brackett, hurt his forearm, but even though he should play, expect to see rookie Pat Angerer, who may have been the best Colt of the preseason on either side of the ball. Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney are still forces coming off the ends, but the key to the unit, as usual, will be the health of safety Bob Sanders. When he was fully healthy, he won the Defensive Player of the Year and the Colts won the Super Bowl. Sanders has been largely inactive since, but he came through in the preseason.
NFL betting players may be surprised to know that the Texans had a decent defense last year, led by the linebacking duo of DeMeco Ryans and Brian Cushing, who was the Defensive Rookie of the Year, but he’ll miss the first four games of the year because of a drug suspension. That means Xavier Adibi will have to step up for a few weeks. The Texans have some questions at the back, though, as their cornerbacks Glover Quin (second-year) and Kareem Jackson (rookie) are extremely young.
Betting Edge: Draw
Notable Injuries: Colts Texans Betting
The Colts’ offensive line is banged up as center Jeff Saturday (knee), tackle Charlie Johnson (foot) and Tony Ugoh (toe) are all questionable, although Saturday is the most likely to play. Defensively, tackle Antonio Johnson (groin), and the corner duo of Jerraud Powers (foot) and Jacob Lacey (concussion) are all trying to get healthy. For the Texans, only receiver Jeremiah Johnson (toe) is in serious danger of not playing.
Betting Edge: Texans
Outlook and Pick: Colts Texans Betting
The Colts are 2-point NFL betting favorites away from home in this contest, and they’ve won seven of their last eight trips to Houston. This game is massive in terms of confidence as the Texans have been owned by the Colts, and a win would put them in the driver’s seat. But Manning has had their number in his career, and honestly, when it comes down to making one single play that could change the game (the last four meetings have been decided by eight points or less), we’re sticking with Manning over Schaub until further notice. Take the Colts with your sports betting pick.
Stan’s Pick: Indianapolis Colts
