Indianapolis Colts will meet New England Patriots in Saturday’s action of the NFL 2021 Week 15. It is going to be an exciting clash, as both sides have been on an excellent run, and they want to secure a post-season spot.
Indianapolis bounced back with a win after losing to the Buccaneers, and they want to continue the playoff hunt. The hosts look forward to another good display and booking a vital win in front of the home fans. On the other hand, New England has been on fire lately, and they want to keep up where they left off.
Indianapolis Colts – Can they continue their playoffs bid?
The Colts have improved their form lately, winning four times on the previous five occasions. That streak helped them climb to 2nd place in the AFC South with a 7-6 record, being two wins behind the Titans. Indianapolis was very convincing against the Texans in the latest round, celebrating a 31-0 victory on the road. They held the opponents to only 141 yards while dominating the ground game with 238 yards and three scores.
Carson Wentz has passed for 2,948 yards so far, with 22 touchdowns and five interceptions, while he has been sacked 22 times. Jonathan Taylor has excelled in the rushing department with 1,348 yards and 16 TDs, while Nyheim Hines added up 261 rushing yards and a pair of scores. Michael Pittman Jr. leads Indianapolis’s receiving corps with 882 yards and five touchdown receptions, while Zach Pascal and Jonathan Taylor have produced 300+ receiving yards each. On defense, Bobby Okereke has a team-high 107 total tackles, while DeForest Buckner logged 5.5 sacks.
Expected Line-Up (Offense): Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr., T.Y. Hilton, Zach Pascal, Jack Doyle, Eric Fisher, Quenton Nelson, Danny Pinter, Mark Glowinski, Braden Smith
Expected Line-Up (Defense): Kwity Paye, DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Darius Leonard, E.J. Speed, Matthew Adams, Rock Ya-Sin, Khari Willis, Andrew Sendejo, Xavier Rhodes
Quarter Back: Carson Wentz
Kicker: Michael Badgley
with best odds
New England Patriots – Will they extend their winning streak?
Although their start of the season wasn’t convincing, the Patriots entered a great run that has lasted for seven rounds. They haven’t tasted a defeat during that period, climbing to the top of the AFC East with a 9-4 record. New England is in an excellent position to secure the playoffs spot, and they just need to keep the high level of their performance. Their latest victory came against the Bills on the road, where they celebrated in a tight encounter. New England kept discipline in defense while they outrun the opponents by gaining 222 rushing yards.
The Pats’ starting quarterback Mac Jones has passed for 2,869 yards, with 16 scores and eight interceptions. Damien Harris leads New England’s ground game with 754 yards and nine touchdowns, but he’s marked as questionable for this encounter. Kendrick Bourne and Jakobi Meyers are the best receivers with 600+ yards each and have combined for six touchdown receptions. On the other hand, Ja’Whaun Bentley has 81 total tackles, while Matthew Judon sacked the rival’s quarterbacks 12.5 times.
Expected Line-Up (Offense): Rhamondre Stevenson, Nelson Agholor, Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne, Hunter Henry, Jakob Johnson, Isaiah Wynn, Ted Karras, Mike Onwenu, Shaq Mason, Justin Herron
Expected Line-Up (Defense): Deatrich Wise Jr., Lawrence Guy, Davon Godchaux, Chase Winovich, Matt Judon, Dont’a Hightower, Kyle Van Noy, J.C. Jackson, Kyle Dugger, Devin McCourty, Jalen Mills
Quarter Back: Mac Jones
Kicker: Gunner Olszewski
Expert Pick #1 – Under 45.5 @-110
As the first pick for this matchup, I’ll take the Under. Despite both teams being pretty productive this season, I anticipate a tight game since this is also the clash of the two disciplined defenses. The Colts allowed more than 17 points just once on the previous four occasions, while the Pats conceded a total of 36 points in the last five games.
Expert Pick #2 – New England Patriots +2.5 @-110
This clash could easily go either way, but I see a better value in backing the visitors against the spread. New England booked seven wins in a row, and they come from an away victory over the Bills. Therefore, I’ll take them as my second bet.
Expert Pick #3 – Indianapolis Colts Under 24 @-130
If you are searching for a bit safer odds, then this pick might be a good choice. New England’s defense should remain tight enough not to allow the hosts to score more than 24 points. That has not happened during the current Pats’ streak, and I expect them to continue it.
