2016 Indianapolis Colts Season Win Total Predictions

Posted by Jordan Walterss on Wednesday,July 20, 2016 10:09, EDT in

The Indianapolis Colts learned last year how important franchise QB Andrew Luck is as he missed more than half the season and the Colts slipped to 8-8 and missed the postseason for the first time since Luck entered the NFL. But he’s healthy now and Indianapolis has a wins total of 9.5 on NFL betting lines.

Here’s a Closer Look at the 2016 Indianapolis Colts Season Win Total Predictions

Total Win/Loss Odds Overview

Just when it seemed like the Colts were on the verge of turning around their season with a 27-24 win over the then-undefeated Broncos on Nov. 8, Luck suffered a lacerated kidney and partially torn abdominal muscle in the victory. Luck wouldn’t play again.

It was thought that Coach Chuck Pagano would be fired, but in a surprise he got a contract extension. He had spent the final weeks of the season talking like a coach who was on his way out after four seasons. Pagano will be paired with general manager Ryan Grigson for four more years in Indianapolis, as owner Jim Irsay also said Grigson was given a three-year extension so that he and Pagano are signed through 2019.

Why Betting On The Over?

As long as Luck stays on the field, the Colts should return to double-digit wins as they did his first three years. He got a five-year, $123 million extension this offseason that ties him to Indy through the 2021 season and includes a record $87 million in guarantees.

The focus and pressure were going to be on Luck prior to the extension considering he was coming off an injury-prone, error-plagued 2015. The magnitude of the contract simply ramps things up. As much as Luck and the entire organization will insist this is a shared venture moving forward No. 12 remains the key to whether the Colts return to postseason relevance or find themselves mired in NFL mediocrity. Individually, it’s incumbent upon Luck to stay true to himself – be aggressive and a playmaker with his right arm and legs – while cutting down on his turnovers.

Why Betting On The Under?

What to expect from No. 2 receiver Phillip Dorsett? Last year’s first-round pick was set to be the final piece of Indy’s puzzle last season as an underneath and over-the- top speed threat who could clear out a defensive backfield with ease. That didn’t happen. Early indications out of camp are that Dorsett will settle in as a modified Tavon Austin-type. Despite the mound of hype-train pieces proclaiming that this is his comeback year, there is a higher likelihood that he’ll be sprinkled into the offense and used more organically. The best part about camp is that we should get to see all of those possibilities, even the ones that won’t eventually be used in the regular season.

What if Luck gets hurt? Backup QB Matt Hasselbeck has retired. Hasselbeck kept the franchise afloat in ’15 while Luck missed extensive time. He was 5-3 as a starter and passed for 1,690 yards with nine touchdowns and five interceptions. The new backup is Scott Tolzien. Tolzien arrived as a free agent from Green Bay with a limited resume and a modest two-year, $3.5 million contract. He appeared in six games in three seasons with the Packers, starting twice – one loss, one tie – and passing for 721 yards with one touchdown and five interceptions.

The loss of linebacker Jerrell Freeman to free agency has opened up a large void in the middle of the Colts’ defense. Trying to fill that will be two guys who have started before in the NFL. Nate Irving started two games for the Colts last season, but spent virtually the entire year fighting through knee pains. Along with Irving, Sio Moore received plenty of first-team run this offseason. The Colts acquired Moore via trade a week before the start of the 2015 season. In his first season with the Colts, Moore was never able to find his way consistently on the field.

My Betting Prediction

Luck’s a star but the offensive line and defense have major holes. Go under on NFL lines.