"The Cincinnati Bengals overachieved last season. Need proof? They are
2-6 so far this season with a team that only improved itself this off
season. In Week 10, they head to Indianapolis to take on a Colts team
that is not the same as it was last year either.
The Bengals have lost five straight games. It sounds horrendous until
you dig a little deeper. In those five losses, the margin of victory
for the opposition has yet to exceed eight points. It’s either a good
sign that they have been able to hang with their competition or it is a
bad sign that they are unable to deliver a death blow to their
combatants.
Carson Palmer has the Cincinnati passing game ranked 6th
in the NFL with an average of 250 yards per game. Chad Ochocinco has
been little help to Palmer this season – it has been the Terrell Owens
show – TO has outgained Chad by 300 yards and has scored five more
touchdowns that Ocho! Ochocinco is a talent however, and chances are
that he will get going at some point this season, helping the Bengals
realize the potential of their potent passing offense.
Cedric Benson was the Comeback Player of the Year last season but has
been unable to get going this season. The Cincinnati running game is
ranked 22nd – a far cry from its output last season.
Cincinnati’s defense has also underachieved this season. They are ranked 17th against the pass (217.75 yards per game) and 23rd
versus the run (120.75 yards per game). This unit has generated a
whopping 7 sacks total in the eight games that they have played this
year.
The Indianapolis Colts didn’t lose three game all of last season and
here they sit 5-3 half way through the season. Once again, this team can
be summed up by one word – Manning! Peyton is having yet another Pro
Bowl caliber season despite injuries to Dallas Clark, Austin Collie,
Joseph Addai among others. Manning has the knack of finding new weapons
and making them into instant Studs!
The passing game is ranked 2nd in the NFL (302.5 yards per game) and the running game is ranked 25th (92.25 yards per game). The Colts are scoring the 2nd
most points in the NFL with a 27.13 average. Manning is once again
controlling the game, is taking care of the ball (only 4 interceptions
this season), he is passing for insane yardage (2478) and scores (16) in
his eight games so far.
The Indy defense has been typically pedestrian – 7th against the pass and a miserable 29th
versus the run (140.88 yards per game). When the Colts lose, it has
been because of the rush defense that has given up an average of over
200 yards per game in their three losses.
Betting Prediction:
The Cincinnati Bengals are 0-5 SU in their last five games, are 1-7
SU in their last eight on the road and are 1-4 ATS in their last five
games on the road. They are 0-5 SU in their last five games versus the
Colts and are 1-5 ATS in their last six against the Colts.
The Indianapolis Colts are 19-6 SU in their last 25 games and are
18-2 SU in their last 20 at home. The Colts are 5-0 SU and ATS at home
in their last five games against the Bengals and are 9-3 SU overall in
the last 12 versus the Bengals.
The Indianapolis Colts are money at home and the Bengals have not
only struggled overall but they have struggled on the road as well.
Peyton Manning and the boys have not lost two straight games in what
seems like a lifetime and I don’t think that it will happen on Sunday.
All told, the Colts are the better team on defense and on offense. I
like the Colts to control the clock, as per usual and get it done on
home turf yet again. Seven points may seem a little rich but I am not
worried about it in the least. The Colts win by 10.
Betting Pick: Indianapolis Colts -7"
And here come the Colts 
under 47.5
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