Sunday's Top Action
October 24, 2014
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (5-2) at PITTSBURGH STEELERS (4-3)
Kickoff: Monday, 8:25 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Indianapolis -3, Total: 49
The sizzling-hot Colts seek a sixth straight victory when they visit the up-and-down Steelers on Sunday afternoon.
While Indianapolis stretched its winning streak to five games (SU and ATS) with a 27-0 victory at home against the Bengals last week, Pittsburgh continued its pattern of alternating wins and losses with a 30-23 home victory versus the Texans.
Since 1992, the Steelers are 8-2 SU (5-5 ATS) in this series, including 6-1 SU (4-3 ATS) when hosting the Colts. Five of these seven games played in Pittsburgh have gone Over the total. The most recent matchup between these two teams was a 23-20 Steelers’ road victory on September 25, 2011. Pittsburgh was a 10.5-point favorite in that game.
Indianapolis is 7-0 ATS versus teams that rush for at least 4.5 yards per carry over the past three seasons, and is also 13-4 ATS when playing teams that allow at least 5.65 yards per play in that time. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, is 20-7 ATS versus teams that pass for at least 7.5 yards per attempt since 1992.
WR Reggine Wayne (elbow) is expected to mis this game for Indianapolis. RB Trent Richardson (hamstring) and Arthur Jones (ankle) are questionable for the Colts, while the Steelers have three key defenders listed as questionable in LB Ryan Shazier (knee), S Shamarko Thomas (hamstring) and NT Steve McLendon (shoulder).
The Colts put on a dominant display last week, beating the Bengals 27-0 in a game that their defense was just relentless. They lost the turnover battle in the game, giving up two fumbles with zero takeaways. Even with that, Indy still got the shutout against a solid Bengals offense, holding its opponent to 1-of-13 on third-down conversions.
QB Andrew Luck (2,331 pass yards, 19 TD, 7 INT) has arguably been the league’s best quarterback this season and he should be in for a big game against the Steelers. This matchup has all the makings of a shootout, and Luck will have no problem moving the ball for his offense.
RB Ahmad Bradshaw (336 rush yards, 1 TD) should be in for an expanded role in this game, as RB Trent Richardson (358 rush yards, 2 TD) is dealing with a hamstring injury. Bradshaw has been one of Luck’s most productive red-zone options, catching six touchdowns on the year despite his small size. WR T.Y. Hilton (47 rec, 711 yards, 1 TD) has been on a tear recently, as he's caught 16 passes for 330 yards and a touchdown over the past two games. He has not had a game with less than 80 receiving yards over the past five weeks.
Pittsburgh is coming off of a solid performance against the Texans, winning 30-23 after trailing 13-0 in the first half.
One issue the Steelers are going to have is defending this Colts team. Pittsburgh has allowed 27.0 PPG over the past two games, and it is a middling defense, allowing 230.9 passing yards per game (13th in NFL) and 114.1 rushing yards per game (17th in NFL). The Colts have a balanced attack and could give this Steelers unit a lot of trouble.
Offensively, QB Ben Roethlisberger (1,858 pass yards, 10 TD, 3 INT) will need to come to play. He was good in the win over the Texans, outside of one lost fumble, throwing for 265 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in the game. He’ll look to his go-to-guy WR Antonio Brown (50 rec, 719 yards, 5 TD) early and often.
This game could, however, come down to how effective RB Le’Veon Bell (599 rush yards, 1 TD) is running the football. Bell was explosive in the win over the Texans, catching eight passes for 88 yards and a touchdown. He had 57 yards rushing on 12 carries. Bell’s ability to run the football will open things up for Roethlisberger to pass, but it will be tough for him to get it going between the tackles against a good Colts defense.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (3-3) at CAROLINA PANTHERS (3-3-1)
Kickoff: Monday, 8:25 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Seattle -5, Total: 45
Two teams desperate for a victory will collide on Sunday as the Seahawks head east to take on the Panthers.
Seattle is mired in a two-game losing skid, leaving St. Louis with a disastrous 28-26 loss last week. Carolina was even worse last week, getting blown out 38-17 in Green Bay to fall to 1-3-1 SU in the past five contests.
These teams are meeting for the third straight season with the Seahawks winning and covering in both of the previous defensive battles in Charlotte, prevailing by scores of 16-12 and 12-7.
Panthers QB Cam Newton had a lot of difficulty throwing against the Packers last game, completing only 54.8% of his passes with just one touchdown and an interception. He could have a lot more trouble going up against the Seahawks. Seattle happens to be 15-3 ATS after gaining six or more yards per play in its previous game over the past three seasons, but Carolina is 6-0 ATS in home games after the first month of the season over the past two years. QB Russell Wilson is 2-0 (SU and ATS) versus the Panthers in his career.
The potential absences of Seahawks CB Byron Maxwell (calf) and S Kam Chancellor (ankle) would certainly help Newton if they don’t end up playing on Sunday, but Carolina has a larger volume of injuries with RB DeAngelo Williams (ankle) out, and LB Chase Blackburn (knee), LB Jason Williams (hip), G Trai Turner (knee), RB Fozzy Whittaker (thigh) and CB Bene Benwikere (ankle) among those listed as questionable.
The Seahawks have slipped as of late, losing two straight games SU and ATS. QB Russell Wilson (1,291 pass yards, 10 TD, 2 INT) played one of the better games of his career in last week’s loss to the Rams, throwing for 313 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Wilson also rushed seven times for 106 yards and a touchdown in the game, making him the first quarterback in NFL history to rush for 100+ yards and throw for 300+ in the same game.
Wilson now gets to face a secondary that allowed Packers QB Aaron Rodgers to throw for 255 yards and three touchdowns without even breaking a sweat. This same Carolina defense is also allowing 137.6 rushing yards per game (26th in NFL), so this could be a big afternoon for RB Marshawn Lynch (420 rush yards, 3 TD). Lynch rushed just 18 times for 53 yards in the loss to the Rams, so the Seahawks could make more of an effort to pound the rock in this one.
In the first game the Seahawks played since trading WR Percy Harvin, WR Doug Baldwin (23 rec, 310 yards, 1 TD) caught seven passes for 123 yards and a touchdown against the Rams. Baldwin should be in for a huge game against this porous defense. Seattle’s defense, meanwhile, allows only 238.5 passing yards per game (15th in NFL) and 85.5 rushing yards per game (6th in NFL). They have, however, allowed 29.0 PPG over their past two contests.
The Panthers didn’t stand a chance in Green Bay as they were getting dominated from the opening kickoff. Their defense was unable to get any big stops, allowing four touchdowns to the Packers in the first half alone. They’ll need to turn around quickly and prepare for the dual-threat attack of QB Russell Wilson. This defense has struggled against both the pass and rush on the year, and now faces a quarterback who can shred them doing both.
QB Cam Newton (1,472 pass yards, 8 TD, 3 INT) is also a great dual-threat quarterback, but he has been miserable against the Seahawks in his career, throwing for an average of 133.0 yards per game with just one touchdown total in two losses. When he does throw on Sunday, he’ll be looking for his dangerous duo of TE Greg Olsen (41 rec, 493 yards, 5 TD) and WR Kelvin Benjamin (34 rec, 477 yards, 5 TD). Olsen caught all eight of his targets for 105 yards in the loss to the Packers. He’s been getting open frequently this season and has emerged as one of the top tight ends in the entire NFL. Benjamin had missed a lot of practice during the week and still caught three passes for 61 yards and a touchdown. He should be feeling much better heading into this meeting with the Seahawks.
Carolina’s running back situation has been an issue on the season, so they are eagerly awaiting the return of DeAngelo Williams (ankle), which is not going to happen until next week at the earliest.