Thursday Night Football Preview: Jets vs. Colts Odds, Picks, and Prediction
Jets vs. Colts Odds
| Jets Odds | +10.5 |
| Colts Odds | -10.5 |
| Over/Under | 45.5 |
| Date | Thursday, Nov 4. |
| Time | 8:20 p.m. ET |
| TV | NFL Network |
The New York Jets and the Indianapolis Colts will open Week 9 of the NFL season on Thursday Night Football at Lucas Oil Stadium. Oddsmakers are expecting a comfortable victory for the Colts, pricing Indianapolis as greater than a touchdown favorite on the spread.
In this Thursday Night Football betting preview, we’ll take a closer look at the matchup and Jets vs. Colts odds to see where NFL bettors can find value at sportsbooks.
New York Jets
Is Mike White the future of the Jets? It is highly unlikely, but he was sensational in New York’s thrilling Week 8 34-31 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals. White completed 37-of-45 passes for 405 yards and three touchdowns, leading New York back from an 11 point deficit in the final seven minutes and 29 seconds of the game. Michael Carter was also outstanding in the win—totaling 77 yards on the ground, in addition to 95 receiving yards. The Jets offensive line was excellent in Week 8, averaging 1.7 rushing yards before contact, per Pro Football Focus. An abundance of quick throws in the passing game also limited the amount of pressure that White was forced to endure in the pocket. The Jets could have similar success tonight against a mediocre Indianapolis defensive line.
However, New York is likely to struggle on the defensive side of the ball once again this evening. Though it was undoubtedly exciting for this young group to get a win in Week 8, there are reasons that this team has only two wins on the season. The Jets have allowed 24 or more points in six consecutive games. Coming off of a bye, New York allowed 54 points to the New England Patriots before allowing 31 to Cincinnati last Sunday. Ashtyn Davis, Branding Echols, Marcus Maye, and Bryce Hall are each a liability in the secondary. The Jets are also firmly entrenched in the conversation for the worst linebacker corps in the NFL. This unit could struggle once again on Thursday Night Football.
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts have three wins this season, having beaten the Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers, and the Houston Texans. The Dolphins and Texans have combined for zero wins since the opening week of the campaign. The 49ers game was played in what local meteorologists were calling a “bomb cyclone,” so it is hard to translate that outcome in a meaningful way. In essence, Indianapolis has not beaten anyone of substance this fall. Yet, the Jets fall much closer to the Dolphins and Texans than they do any of the Colts’ five losses.
Carson Wentz continues to be extremely mediocre—ranking 16th in QBR and passing yards this season. To his credit, he has only three interceptions, and ball security might be all that Indianapolis needs to win this game against a very weak New York defense. However, poor offensive line play and a lack of reliable pass catchers makes this offense unreliable from week to week.
Defensively, the Colts are atrocious against the pass—allowing opposing signal callers to post a 103.9 passer rating, which is the fifth-highest mark in the NFL. Only the Atlanta Falcons, Washington Football Team, Detroit Lions, and Jacksonville Jaguars have been worse. Yet, the Colts have been a top-10 defense against the run, allowing only 4.0 yards-per-carry. This defense is likely to force White to win this game through the air tonight.
Jets vs. Colts Picks and Prediction
The total in this game has been bet up nearly two points since it opened on the market this week. The Jets struggle across the board on defense, making it unlikely that we see the Colts held to less than a mid-20s point total this evening. Indianapolis is strong against the run, but weak against the pass, meaning that bettors should expect to see a lot of action through the air from the Jets offense—especially after how well White played last week against the Bengals. It would be surprising to see a low-scoring affair in this one based on recent results. Take the over.
PICKS: Over 45.5 (-110)
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