NFL Playoff Betting Odds, Predictions & Picks: Indianapolis Colts Vs. Buffalo Bills
The NFL playoffs are finally here and things will kick off with a duel between Indianapolis (11-5 SU, 8-8 ATS) and Buffalo (13-3 SU, 11-5ATS). The Bills are entering the first playoff game on the home ground since 1996 after tearing through the league in the last couple of NFL playoff betting weeks.
It’s worth noting that Buffalo won the last nine playoff matchups in front of their own fans. The crowd will be limited to only 6.000 this time, but nevertheless, the whole city of Buffalo is hyped after the best season this franchise had in years. The Colts also had a solid season, although they have shown plenty of inconsistency and failed to cover in the last three games.
Indianapolis Colts Vs. Buffalo Bills Line Movement
After a fantastic end of the season, the Bills are entering the Saturday matchup as a touchdown favorite, although the -6 line is available at some bookies. The NFL playoff betting line was steady and hasn’t seen much movement all week. The total is set at 51 or 51.5 depending on the sportsbook, a slight drop-off from the opening 52.5.
Notes On The Indianapolis Colts
The Colts won four out of the last five games but were far from convincing. As they neared the end of the season, the early-season efficiency has dropped significantly, especially on the defensive side, a part of the game they dominated early in the campaign. They barely edged past the Texans two times, blew a huge lead against the Steelers, and kept the terrible Jaguars alive until late in the fourth quarter. In addition, they traditionally struggle in January games away from home going 2-7 both straight up and against the spread in the last nine such occasions. On Saturday, they’re likely to try to control the game with their running which has been an area they excelled at throughout the season.
QB Phillip Rivers had a streak of good form around Thanksgiving, but the Colts’ focus on the run and mixed performances from his solid, but unspectacular, receiving trio of Hilton, Pascal, and Pittman caused a significant drop in numbers towards the end of the season. We can hardly expect a big game from him on Saturday, especially as the Bills’ defense against the pass has been excellent lately. Indy will put most of their hopes in the running back Jonathan Taylor who is coming off 253 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Jags, and should put in a strong performance against Buffalo’s run defense which allowed 21 rushing TDs so far.
Notes On The Buffalo Bills
The Bills are entering the playoffs as probably the hottest team in the league dominating the last six games by a 19.8 average margin. They have covered the spread in eight consecutive games and generally looked unbeatable. Buffalo has shown constant improvement from the start of the campaign, going from strength to strength as the season progressed and ending the year as one of the two teams passing the 500-points mark. Furthermore, they scored an average of 47.3 points in the last three contests and made the very good Miami team look like amateurs in the final game of the season.
One of the main reasons for the season the Bills are having is the rapid progress of QB Josh Allen, especially compared to the last year. He now has thrown for a total of 37 touchdowns, while scoring 8 himself. Even though the Colts are good against the pass, he should still be able to continue his good form. If he manages to score on the ground too, Allen should be considered an elite DFS option. The good game for Allen will probably mean a good game for Stefon Diggs who would likely have four straight 100-yards games if he wasn’t pulled early against the Dolphins. Diggs did miss some practice during the week, but the latest news is that he’s ready to go.
NFL Playoff Betting Picks: Over 51
There’s little doubt that the Buffalo Bills offense will be able to get theirs and the Indianapolis Colts should have enough in them to at least hang for most of the NFL playoff betting game. We’ve seen OVER in 8 of the last 12 games involving the Colts, and 11 out of 16 for Buffalo.
