Arizona Cardinals vs Indianapolis Colts Betting Pick & Prediction 8/17/24
With the point spread sitting at -3.5 in favor of the Colts, they are the heavy favorite in this week two pre-season matchup against the Cardinals. The Colts’ money line odds are -188, and this one is kicking off at 7:00 ET on Saturday, August 17th at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Cardinals are 0-1 in the pre-season, and the over/under line is at 38 points.
ARIZONA CARDINALS VS INDIANAPOLIS COLTS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Arizona Cardinals +3.5
This game will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium at 7:00 ET on Saturday, August 17th.
WHY BET THE ARIZONA CARDINALS:
- We have the Colts winning this one by a score of 23 to 20
- Even though we like the Colts to win, our ATS pick is to take the Cardinals at +3.5
- Look for this game to go over the line of 38 points
Will The Cardinals Pull Off An Upset As Road Underdogs
Although the Cardinals dropped this one 16-14 vs. the Saints, they did manage to cover the spread, as they were +3 point favorites heading into this one. With the Cardinals’ record now at 0-1, they are looking to bounce back in their next pre-season matchup.
As for this one, the over/under line was 38 points, and with only 30 combined points, the under was the right side to be on for this one. The Cardinals’ final touchdown came with 3:10 left in the 4th quarter, as Clayton Tune found Dan Chisena for a 27-yard touchdown.
In the passing game, the Cardinals’ offense finished with just 183 yards through the air in their 16-14 loss to the Saints. They were forced to make four sacks as a team, and Clayton Tune, who finished with 163 yards on 15/24 passing, was their leading passer.
Tune threw one touchdown and finished with a passer rating of 96. Arizona’s offense managed to pick up 17 first downs and 145 yards on the ground, averaging 4.7 yards per attempt in the running game. However, they were unable to generate much in the passing game, finishing with just 5.5 yards per attempt and a 57.6% completion percentage. Dan Chisena led the team with 63 yards receiving.
In the Cardinals’ 16-14 loss to the Saints, their defense really limited the running game, allowing just 101 yards on 29 attempts. Despite this, they still came up short, as the Saints finished with 286 yards and 17 first downs.
Against the pass, the Cardinals held the Saints to 185 yards and just 20 completions on 36 attempts. They didn’t give up any passing touchdowns and held the Saints to 33.3% on third down. However, they only managed one sack in the game.
Are The Colts Going To Defend Home Field Advantage?
Heading into the 4th quarter, the Colts are trailing 27-17 and are on track to drop this pre-season matchup vs. the Broncos by a score of 34-30. This one is going to be a tough loss to swallow, as the Colts’ point spread was only 1.5 points in their favor, and the Broncos are on track to pull off the upset.
Despite the Colts making a late push in the 4th quarter and outscoring the Broncos 13-7, it looks like they will fall short. The Colts’ 4th quarter push was highlighted by a 16-yard touchdown pass from Jason Bean to Laquon Treadwell, bringing the Colts within 44-40 before the Broncos answered back.
Despite the Colts’ offense picking up 17 first downs in their 34-30 loss to the Broncos, they really struggled to run the ball, finishing with just 64 yards on 23 attempts. Instead, they leaned heavily on the passing game, finishing with 219 yards through the air on 26 attempts.
Quarterback Sam Ehlinger led the passing attack with 80 yards, finishing 5/6 passing. However, he didn’t find the endzone and was intercepted once. The running game was led by WR Jason Bean, who finished with 24 yards on four attempts.
In their most recent game vs. the Broncos, the Colts’ defense allowed 279 passing yards on 41 attempts, giving up 32 first downs and 410 total yards. Despite forcing one interception, they allowed Denver to convert on 53.8% of their third down attempts.
The Colts’ run defense allowed 131 yards on 38 attempts, finishing with 11 rushing first downs. Although they defended the pass well at times, they didn’t come away with any sacks and allowed the Broncos to complete 70.7% of their passes. Additionally, the Colts’ run defense gave up 131 yards.