posted September 5, 2007 at 18:28 in NFL Betting Trends
NFL Betting – New Orleans Saints (0-0) at Indianapolis Colts (0-0)
The NFL betting season has began and the New Orleans Saints take on the Indianapolis Colts in the 2007 NFL regular season opener and this is a game that could almost literally turn into an offensive shootout between two of the best offenses in all of football.
The Colts finally broke through with their first Super Bowl championship since moving to Indianapolis after playing the role of bridesmaids for years.
The New Orleans Saints made a dramatic – and emphatic – return to the ranks of the NFL’s elite teams with a spectacular season in 2006.
Here is a look at tonight’s Key Trends followed by my Free NFL Betting Picks:
Key Saints Trends
The Saints are 7-2 ATS in their last nine road games.
The Saints are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games as a road underdog.
The Saints are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games in September.
Key Colts Trends
The Colts are 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall.
The Colts are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games as a home favorite of 3.5-10.0.
The Colts are 6-1-1 ATS in their last eight games in Week one.
Key Totals Trends
The Under is 4-0 in Saints last four games in Week one.
The Under is 5-1 in Colts last six games in September.
Indianapolis has been one of the most consistent teams in the league the last half-decade, winning 12 or more games four consecutive seasons before finally winning the whole thing last season.
Not only did Colts’ quarterback Peyton Manning finally lead his team to a championship title, but he did it by throwing a career-low nine interceptions to go along with 31 touchdown passes.
Indianapolis will enter the 2007 season without four starters from last year’s team, but according to Manning, the Colts just roll up their sleeves and go to work no matter who’s on the field.
"All we really know how to do is to work hard and get on the same page, “ Manning said. “That's all we've done, that's all I've ever known."
The Colts had a big problem stopping the run last season and that problem could creep up again in 2007 since the Colts may have failed to address their rushing defense problems adequately this offseason.
The New Orleans Saints are one of the favorites to reach the NFC championship game in 2007 and rightfully so. New Orleans has a Pro-Bowl caliber quarterback of their own in veteran signal caller Drew Brees – and two running backs that are downright terrors in Deuce McCallister and Reggie Bush.
The scary thing about the Saints is that they can clearly get better – on both sides of the ball.
"I still feel like we've only scratched the surface as an offense," said Brees, who led the league in passing with a career-high 4,418 yards last season. "We've got a lot of weapons and we've got a lot of balls to be spread around. I'm excited about the possibilities and the opportunity we have."
Brees put up terrific numbers, throwing 26 touchdowns and only 11 interceptions while McAllister rushed for 1,057 yards and 10 scores in 2006.
Bush finished his stellar rookie campaign with a team-high 88 catches for 742 yards, while rushing for another 565 yards on 155 carries. Rookie wide receiver Marques Colston caught 70 passes for 1,038 yards and eight touchdowns.
Here is a look at Thursday's football betting matchup:
Analysis: The Saints and Colts have similar problems – all on the defensive side of the football. Manning will look to get the ball to wideouts, Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne when not handing the ball off to second-year running back Joseph Addai, while Brees and the Saints will look to rush the ball early and often against the Colts’ suspect run defense before going throwing to Colston or Bush out of the backfield.
Expect both teams to score at least three touchdowns with the Colts pulling out a closer-than-expected win in the end.
NFL Free Picks: Colts 31 Saints 27
08:30 PM EST NFL Odds
Over 52½ -110
Under 52½ -110
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