The Indianapolis Colts travel to Foxboro to take on the New England Patriots in an AFC showdown. It's time to continue our NFL odds series with a Colts-Patriots prediction and pick.

The Colts lost 17-16 to the Washington Commanders last weekend. Sam Ehlinger completed 17 of his 23 passes for 201 yards. Also, Jonathan Taylor rushed 16 times for 76 yards and also lost a fumble. Alex Pierce caught three passes for 65 yards, and Michael Pittman had seven receptions for 53 yards. Ultimately, the Colts were 5 for 12 on third down and also had two turnovers.

Last weekend, the Patriots defeated the New York Jets 22-17 at the Meadowlands. Mac Jones completed 24 of his 35 passes for 194 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Additionally, Rhamondre Stevenson rushed 16 times for 71 yards while catching seven catches for 72 yards. Damien Harris rushed 11 times for 37 yards. Likewise, Jakobi Meyers caught nine passes for 60 yards and a touchdown. Two key interceptions later propelled the Patriots to victory, turning the game on its head.

The Patriots lead the all-time series 48-29. Significantly, the Patriots are 8-2 against the Colts over 10 games and 8-2 at home. The Pats have won six in a row at Gilette Stadium.

The Colts won 27-17 last season at Lucas Oil Field. Ultimately, Jones completed 26 of his 45 passes for 299 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. Stevenson rushed 10 times for only 36 yards. Hunter Henry was the star, catching six passes for 77 yards and two scores. Meanwhile, Meyers added six catches for 44 yards. The Patriots committed eight penalties which doomed them in that loss.

Here are the Colts-Patriots NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NFL Odds: Colts-Patriots Odds

Indianapolis Colts: +5.5 (-112)

New England Patriots: -5.5 (-108)

Over: 40.5 (-110)

Under: 40.5 (-110)

Why The Colts Could Cover The Spread

The Colts have struggled immensely on offense. However, their defense is finally healthy, and might have to carry them throughout the rest of the season.

Taylor has rushed 107 times for 462 yards and only one touchdown. Now, he has the backfield altogether to himself with Nyheem Hines gone. Deon Jackson is the only significant backup left, and he had rushed 30 times for 100 yards. Pittman has caught 51 passes for 520 yards and a touchdown. Also, Pierce has 24 catches for 373 yards and a touchdown, while Campbell has 30 receptions for 282 yards and two touchdowns. 

The defense has remained steady but is healthier now. Significantly, Stephon Gilmore has 26 solo tackles but only one interception. Deforest Buckner has 15 solo tackles and four sacks. Shaquille Leonard has returned from injury and has played the last two games. Thus, he has generated four solo tackles and one sack. Yannick Ngakoue continues to excel with nine solo tackles and four sacks. Ultimately, the defense will carry them as far as they have to go. 

The Colts will cover the spread if they can run the ball efficiently. Additionally, they must stop the rushing attack the Patriots will employ on them and force Jones to beat them. 

Why The Patriots Could Cover The Spread

The Patriots are a strange team. First, they will lose an unforgivable home game to the Bears, bounce back, and win road games against the Jets and a previous win over the Cleveland Browns. 

Jones has not played well, with a quarterback rating of 73.1 with a completion percentage of 65.9 while throwing 993 yards, three touchdowns, and seven interceptions. However, Stevenson has been great, rushing 114 times for 558 yards and four touchdowns while generating a 4.9 yards-per-carry rate. He has also caught 32 passes for 217 yards. Meanwhile, Harris has rushed 71 times for 302 yards and three touchdowns. 

Meyers has caught 35 passes for 415 yards and three touchdowns. Additionally, Devante Parker has caught 15 passes for 321 yards and a score. Nelson Agholor has added 15 catches for 227 yards and a touchdown. 

But the real backbone of this team has been the defense. Likewise, Devin McCourty has 34 solo tackles and two interceptions. Matthew Judon has 16 solo tackles and 8.5 sacks. Meanwhile, Deatrich Wise Jr. has 18 solo tackles and five sacks. The Patriots rank second in the NFL in interceptions with 10 and look to keep the ball-hawking ways rolling against a rookie quarterback making his second NFL start. 

The Patriots will cover the spread if they can run the ball and stop Taylor. Subsequently, their best plan would be to force the rookie to beat them through the air and build tempo early in the contest. 

Final Colts-Patriots Prediction & Pick

Which Patriots team will we get? The under will prevail, but I felt the Patriots also have a great chance at covering. Consequently, their defense will be too much for the Colts to handle, and they should throttle Indianapolis at home. Expect a 23-13 score or something close to it. 

Final Colts-Patriots Prediction & Pick: New England Patriots: -5.5 (-108)