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The Las Vegas Raiders will take on the Indianapolis Colts in another important AFC matchup. It's time to continue our NFL odds series and make a Raiders-Colts prediction and pick.
Another season, another year with the Raiders on the playoff bubble. Las Vegas has been in this position for three years straight now, and they've missed the postseason every single time. A loss here would have the Raiders fall just short again, so this is obviously a must-win contest. Things are so different for the Colts, as they also need a win to solidify their playoff position. A victory in this game and a loss from the Tennessee Titans could also give Indianapolis a shot at winning the AFC South, so there's a ton to play for here.
For more insight on the Raiders-Colts matchup in Week 17, listen below:
Here are the odds for the Raiders-Colts game, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Raiders-Colts Odds
Las Vegas Raiders: +7 (-110)
Indianapolis Colts: -7 (-110)
Over: 45 (-110)
Under: 45 (-110)
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Why The Raiders Could Cover The Spread
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December football always means playing shorthanded, and the Colts are no exception here. Starting quarterback Carson Wentz is on the COVID list, meaning that rookie sixth-rounder Sam Ehlinger is likely to get the start here. Ehlinger hasn't played any sort of meaningful snaps this season, so it's fair to expect him to struggle through this game. To make matters even worse for the Colts, both starting offensive tackles may miss this contest. Left tackle Eric Fisher hasn't practiced all week because of a variety of injuries, and right tackle Braden Smith is on the COVID list. Playing with two backup tackles and a rookie sixth-round quarterback is not a promising prospect.
This Las Vegas defense gets a lot of criticism, but it's time to give credit where credit is due. the Raiders have allowed more than 20 points in only one of their last four games, and the one time they did allow their opponent to cross that threshold was against the Kansas City Chiefs. They didn't face impressive competition besides the Chiefs in that stretch, but every team they shut down is better than a Colts offense with Ehlinger at the helm. If Wentz does end up missing this game, Indianapolis turns into a decent matchup for the Las Vegas defense.
Why The Colts Could Cover The Spread
While it's true that the Raiders have been solid on defense lately, the same can't be said about the Vegas offense. The Raiders haven't scored more than 20 points in a game in over a month, and now they have to face one of the best defenses in the NFL. Indianapolis just held the Arizona Cardinals to 16 points a week after holding the New England Patriots to 17 points. They also lead the league in takeaways. This isn't a good Raiders offense, so the Colts should hold them to less than 20 points.
Even without Carson Wentz, the Colts have a good shot of putting something together on offense. Running back and MVP candidate Jonathan Taylor has a chance to dominate the game against a mediocre Las Vegas run defense that allows 120 rushing yards per game. It doesn't hurt that all three of the Raiders' starting linebackers will miss this game. Two key backup linebackers are also likely to miss this game, leaving Vegas extremely thin at the second level against the best rushing offense in the NFL.
Final Raiders-Colts Prediction & Pick
This pick obviously hinges on the availability of Carson Wentz. If Wentz does end up playing, the Colts are essentially a lock at -7. If he misses this game, the under is the best pick on the board.
Final Raiders-Colts Pick: Indianapolis Colts: -7 (-110) OR Under: 45 (-110)
