The Indianapolis Colts went far in what would end up being Philip Rivers’ final year in the NFL. The Colts went 11-5, but they had a narrow loss to the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs to end their season.
This NFL betting highlights an interesting point about last season’s Colts team. The club was a consistent favorite throughout the season, but not all games were guarantees.
Spread Performance
The Colts had an 8-8 record against the spread in 2020. The team’s games against some of the league’s bottom-feeders were closer than the sportsbooks anticipated.
Our 2020 breakout star, rookie of the year, and MVP:
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— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) February 16, 2021
The Colts had a -7 line against the Jacksonville Jaguars to start the season. The Jaguars won that game in what would be that team’s only victory. The Colts also defeated the Cincinnati Bengals by four points in a game with a -7.5 line.
The spread lines became closer for the Colts as the season progressed, with most of their games having lines within a field goal. Some of their losses against the spread also came when the line was too high.
The Colts had a -7.5 line in their second game with Houston, but they won that by seven points. The team also closed out the season with a two-touchdown win over Jacksonville, but the sportsbooks had a -15.5 line there.
Over/Under Analysis
The over/under performances for the Indianapolis Colts reflected how active the Colts’ offense was in 2020. The team averaged about 28 points per game, especially as running back Jonathan Taylor cemented his status as a star to watch.
Rivers didn’t have a specific favorite target, as he got multiple people in the game. T.Y. Hilton, Zach Pascal, and Michael Pittman Jr. all had at least 500 receiving yards, and running back Nyheim Hines came close to that mark. Kicker Rodrigo Blankenship was also great from short distances, although he struggled with longer field goals.
The Colts went 9-7 on the over/under market in 2020. The team had totals around fifty points throughout the season, meeting it on many occasions thanks to the team competing with other high-powered offenses.
The Colts had a 52 total in their game with the Las Vegas Raiders, and the Colts managed to win 44-27. The Colts also went over in both of their games with the Tennessee Titans.
The Colts scored twenty or fewer points only three times this season. The defense kept their opponents to twenty or fewer points in eight games.
What to See in 2021
The retirement of Philip Rivers has prompted the Indianapolis Colts to think about where the team will go in 2021. Jacoby Brissett likely isn’t going to be the best choice, and the odds of Andrew Luck coming out of retirement to return to the Colts are minimal at best.
The Colts will probably go after someone on the free agency or trade market. Seeing how vast this year’s quarterback carousel will be, the Colts will find something of value in 2021.
This point gives the Colts good odds for winning in 2021. The Colts have a +130 mark to win the AFC South, finishing behind Tennessee at -115. Playing in the same division as a dysfunctional the Houston Texans team and a Jacksonville squad trying to rebuild does help.
The Indianapolis Colts will be an exciting team to watch in 2021. The team has plenty of talent on both sides of the ball, and they will likely go after a high-value quarterback to compete with Tennessee.
Fans will need to watch for what the Colts do this offseason, but they should also be cautious for NFL betting purposes, as the team still plays Jacksonville and the New York Jets twice a year.
Even though the NFL season is over, we will still be keeping our eye on what’s going on! Make sure you check all the latest information on our NFL hub page.
*Odds correct at time of writing.
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