jeff benton monday
4-0 past 2 days..plus 125 dimes plus $1250....
MONDAY'S ACTION
20 Dime NFL selection on the TEXANS over the Colts in Monday Night Football action from the Lucas Oil Stadium. Houston is a road undeadog here, with the number fluctuating between 5 and 5 1/2. So as always, make sure you shop aroulnd and get the best number possible. Don’t settle for -5 when there are plenty of oprortunities to at least get the Texans at minus-5 1/2.
TEXANS
I know it’s damn-near blasphemy to go against Peyton Manning at home in a nationally televised prime-time game (after all, last time they were in such a spot, Manning murdered little brother Eli and the Giants 38-14). But I look at all the injuries the Colts are dealing with and I just can’t see how Indianapolis wins this game tonight, especially by margin.
Missing from Manning’s arsenal are RB Joseph Addai (shoulder injury); WR Austin Collie (Manning’s top possession target who is sidelined with a hand injury); and All-Pro TE Dallas Clark (Manning’s most irreplaceable weapon who is out for the season with season-ending hand injury). On top of that, Addai’s backup – Donald Brown (hamstring) – is questionable, and Manning’s other three top WRs (Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon and Anthony Gonzalez) are expected to play even though all three are dealing with leg injuries.
All that means the following guys likely will see significant playing time – and be counted on to produce extensively – tonight: RB Mike Hart (zero NFL starts); rookie WR Blair White (a practice-squad player earlier this year) and TE Jacob Tamme (six career receptions). I know Manning’s a miracle worker, I know he’s had an extra week to prepare given that Indy is coming off a bye, and I know Houston’s defense ranks last in the league in yards allowed, but I’m sorry, you can’t lose multiple Pro Bowl-caliber players and expect the engine to run as smoothly.
Besides, it’s not just the offense that’s dinged up. All-Pro safety Bob Sanders and three key defensive backs (including starter Melvin Bullitt) are on injured reserve, while two of the five “healthy” cornerbacks on the depth chart are battling injury and may sit out (or at least see their roles limited). And remember: In the season opener at Houston, the Texans shredded the Colts’ then-healthy defense for 355 yards in a 34-24 rout that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score indicated.
In that game, Houston RB Arian Foster gashed Indianapolis for 231 rushing yards and three TDs. Also, Texans left tackle Duane Brown stymied Colts All-Pro defensive end Dwight Freeney, and Brown returns tonight after serving a four-game suspension. One more point about that first meeting: Collie (11 catches, 163 yards, 1 TD) and Clark (13 catches, 80 yards, 1 TD) put up monster numbers. Again, both will be on the sidelines in street clothes.
Yes, I know Houston has never won in Indianapolis in eight previous trips, and yes I know that the Texans’ Week 1 victory was just their second in 17 all-time meetings. But as I mention when I gave out a 10 Dime winner on Houston in that 34-24 win over the Colts back on Sept. 12, this has been an extremely competitive rivalry recently. Since December 2006, Houston has two wins and five spread-covers in eight meetings. And in the Colts’ six victories during this stretch, they’ve won by the following margins: 30-24, 38-15, 31-27, 33-27, 20-17 and 35-27. Only one blowout there, and it must be noted that in that game the Texans’ starting QB and RB were Sage Rosenfels and Darius Walker (not exactly Matt Schaub and Arian Foster, right?). Also, Manning had all of his soldiers at his disposal in that game (and every game that Indy has defeated Houston).
Two final points to make here: 1) Since giving up 257 rushing yards to the Texans in Week 1, the Colts’ run defense hasn’t improved much at all, as they rank 26th out of 32 NFL teams in that department; 2) Houston’s offense has been incredible in two road games this season – both victories – averaging 30.5 points, 330 passing yards and 153.5 rushing yards per game (5.1 rushing yards per carry).
The bottom line here is I believe today what I believed back in Week 1: That the Texans are the better football team than the Colts. And that was before Indy suffered its rash of injuries. To be getting this many points with Houston – which has cashed in six of its last eight road games, nine of its last 11 as an underdog and seven of its last eight as a road underdog – is a freaking steal. Grab the generous offering and don’t be shocked if Houston wins another shootout.
4-0 past 2 days..plus 125 dimes plus $1250....
MONDAY'S ACTION
20 Dime NFL selection on the TEXANS over the Colts in Monday Night Football action from the Lucas Oil Stadium. Houston is a road undeadog here, with the number fluctuating between 5 and 5 1/2. So as always, make sure you shop aroulnd and get the best number possible. Don’t settle for -5 when there are plenty of oprortunities to at least get the Texans at minus-5 1/2.
TEXANS
I know it’s damn-near blasphemy to go against Peyton Manning at home in a nationally televised prime-time game (after all, last time they were in such a spot, Manning murdered little brother Eli and the Giants 38-14). But I look at all the injuries the Colts are dealing with and I just can’t see how Indianapolis wins this game tonight, especially by margin.
Missing from Manning’s arsenal are RB Joseph Addai (shoulder injury); WR Austin Collie (Manning’s top possession target who is sidelined with a hand injury); and All-Pro TE Dallas Clark (Manning’s most irreplaceable weapon who is out for the season with season-ending hand injury). On top of that, Addai’s backup – Donald Brown (hamstring) – is questionable, and Manning’s other three top WRs (Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon and Anthony Gonzalez) are expected to play even though all three are dealing with leg injuries.
All that means the following guys likely will see significant playing time – and be counted on to produce extensively – tonight: RB Mike Hart (zero NFL starts); rookie WR Blair White (a practice-squad player earlier this year) and TE Jacob Tamme (six career receptions). I know Manning’s a miracle worker, I know he’s had an extra week to prepare given that Indy is coming off a bye, and I know Houston’s defense ranks last in the league in yards allowed, but I’m sorry, you can’t lose multiple Pro Bowl-caliber players and expect the engine to run as smoothly.
Besides, it’s not just the offense that’s dinged up. All-Pro safety Bob Sanders and three key defensive backs (including starter Melvin Bullitt) are on injured reserve, while two of the five “healthy” cornerbacks on the depth chart are battling injury and may sit out (or at least see their roles limited). And remember: In the season opener at Houston, the Texans shredded the Colts’ then-healthy defense for 355 yards in a 34-24 rout that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score indicated.
In that game, Houston RB Arian Foster gashed Indianapolis for 231 rushing yards and three TDs. Also, Texans left tackle Duane Brown stymied Colts All-Pro defensive end Dwight Freeney, and Brown returns tonight after serving a four-game suspension. One more point about that first meeting: Collie (11 catches, 163 yards, 1 TD) and Clark (13 catches, 80 yards, 1 TD) put up monster numbers. Again, both will be on the sidelines in street clothes.
Yes, I know Houston has never won in Indianapolis in eight previous trips, and yes I know that the Texans’ Week 1 victory was just their second in 17 all-time meetings. But as I mention when I gave out a 10 Dime winner on Houston in that 34-24 win over the Colts back on Sept. 12, this has been an extremely competitive rivalry recently. Since December 2006, Houston has two wins and five spread-covers in eight meetings. And in the Colts’ six victories during this stretch, they’ve won by the following margins: 30-24, 38-15, 31-27, 33-27, 20-17 and 35-27. Only one blowout there, and it must be noted that in that game the Texans’ starting QB and RB were Sage Rosenfels and Darius Walker (not exactly Matt Schaub and Arian Foster, right?). Also, Manning had all of his soldiers at his disposal in that game (and every game that Indy has defeated Houston).
Two final points to make here: 1) Since giving up 257 rushing yards to the Texans in Week 1, the Colts’ run defense hasn’t improved much at all, as they rank 26th out of 32 NFL teams in that department; 2) Houston’s offense has been incredible in two road games this season – both victories – averaging 30.5 points, 330 passing yards and 153.5 rushing yards per game (5.1 rushing yards per carry).
The bottom line here is I believe today what I believed back in Week 1: That the Texans are the better football team than the Colts. And that was before Indy suffered its rash of injuries. To be getting this many points with Houston – which has cashed in six of its last eight road games, nine of its last 11 as an underdog and seven of its last eight as a road underdog – is a freaking steal. Grab the generous offering and don’t be shocked if Houston wins another shootout.