Indianapolis, IN
Los Angeles Chargers vs Indianapolis Colts: Monday Night Football Week 16 preview, picks, top prop bets, more | amNewYork
The Los Angeles Chargers will look to clinch a spot within the NFL Playoffs with a win on the highway over the Indianapolis Colts on Monday Evening.
Los Angeles Chargers (8-6) at Indianapolis Colts (4-9-1)
Recreation Particulars:
- Location: Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN
- Time: Monday, December twenty sixth at 8:15 p.m. ET
- Channel: ESPN
Betting Stats:
- MONEYLINE: LAC ML (-210), IND ML (+175)
- SPREAD: LAC -4
- OVER/UNDER: 45.5
Preview:
Whereas the Chargers are the crew that may clinch a playoff spot with a win, a lot of the discuss pre-game has been centered round the truth that the Colts try their third beginning quarterback of the season with Nick Foles set to make his first begin as a alternative for the ineffective Matt Ryan.
Ryan was a flop for Indianapolis this 12 months, and actually not a lot has gone proper. The crew fired Frank Reich in the course of the season however has not proven way more life since Jeff Saturday took. They’re twentieth within the NFL in scoring price and are coming off making NFL historical past with the biggest collapse on report after blowing a 33-0 lead over Minnesota.
Nevertheless, they did put up factors in opposition to the Vikings and so they have a good shot to take action on Monday night time because the Chargers are within the backside 10 of the NFL in scoring price allowed. Derwin James needs to be again for Los Angeles, however they’ve been with out Joey Bosa since Week 3 and it has taken a number of the tooth out of this protection.
Foles can throw the deep ball to the perimeter higher than Ryan at this stage of their careers, and he’s way more cellular (which isn’t arduous), so he ought to give this passing recreation a little bit little bit of life. The Chargers are seventh within the NFL in completion proportion allowed, however they’re twenty third in air yards per completion, so groups have had success hitting some massive performs in opposition to them.
Indianapolis hasn’t accomplished a lot within the passing recreation this 12 months, however they do have two good man-defense beaters in Michael Pittman and Alec Pierce. Pittman leads the crew with 86 catches for 815 yards, whereas Pierce has chipped in 510 yards on 32 catches and slot receiver Parris Campbell has added an an identical 510 yards on 52 catches, so there are some choices for Foles.
Which is nice information since he received’t have star operating again Jonathan Taylor, who went to the IR with an ankle damage. The Colts will now go together with a mixture of Zack Moss, who had 24 carries for 81 yards in opposition to Minnesota, and Deon Jackson, who has crammed in admirably for Taylor a couple of occasions this 12 months. It’s not an excellent mixture when going through a beatable Thirty first-ranked run protection, however these two will get their alternatives.
On the opposite aspect, the Chargers don’t have any questions at quarterback, the place Justin Herbert continues his ascendance. On the season, he’s accomplished 67.5% of his passes for 4,019 yards with 21 touchdowns and 9 interceptions.
Los Angeles is among the most pass-happy groups within the NFL however accidents to star receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams have held this offense again at occasions this 12 months. In consequence, they’ve the league’s 14th-best scoring price, which might pose an issue since Indianapolis ranks tenth within the league giving up simply 206 passing yards per recreation.
Nevertheless, Kirk Cousins did put up 460 yards and 4 touchdowns final week, so possibly the Colts have misplaced some combat. In addition they rank twenty sixth total in DVOA in opposition to tight ends, so Gerald Everett might be an element on this recreation.
What we do know is that Los Angeles shouldn’t be prone to have success on the bottom. Indianapolis is within the high 10 in speeding success price allowed and Austin Ekeler is averaging a career-low 4.2 yards per carry. He’s topped 60 speeding yards solely twice all season and has averaged 3.5 yards per carry or much less in eight video games.
Nevertheless, Ekeler has been a stud within the receiving recreation with 95 catches this season. In truth, he’s 5 catches away from turning into simply the fifth operating again to report 100 or extra catches in a season. This needs to be an amazing matchup for him because the Colts rank twenty eighth in DVOA in opposition to operating backs within the passing recreation. I anticipate Ekeler to be an enormous element of the Chargers transferring the ball up and down the sector for a couple of scores.
Choose:
Los Angeles 31 Indianapolis 20
Participant Props:
Austin Ekeler OVER 35.5 receiving yards
We mentioned above that Indianapolis struggles in opposition to operating backs within the passing recreation. They permit and a mean of seven targets and 44 receiving yards per recreation to opposing operating backs and have given up 5 receptions of 20 or extra yards, which is third worst within the NFL. Ekeler has topped this line in 10 video games this season, so I’m pleased to guess on him to make it 11.
SPORTSBOOK: Wager at DraftKings (+105)
Nick Foles OVER 224.5 passing yards
Indianapolis undoubtedly needs to run the ball, and that’s how groups have had success in opposition to Los Angeles all season, however I anticipate Justin Herbert to guide a couple of landing drives, which is able to power Foles to need to air it out. He might not be a world-beater, however Foles is a strong quarterback who has some good weapons on the perimeter in opposition to a beatable Chargers secondary that ranks twenty ninth in yards allowed per completion. That is only a actually low line.
SPORTSBOOK: Wager at FanDuel (-113)
Zack Moss UNDER 13.5 rush makes an attempt
I do know we talked about that you simply beat the Chargers on the bottom and that the Colts need to run the ball, in order that would appear to indicate that Moss would hit this over. Nevertheless, the crew additionally talked about that it’s going to go together with a “sizzling hand” method at operating again, and Deon Jackson has been simpler than Moss all season. Add to that the truth that Jackson is their receiving again, and a probable adverse recreation script, and I believe we see much more Jackson than Moss on Monday night time.
SPORTSBOOK: Wager at DraftKings (+100)