Is Peyton Manning the type of player who would do something to pour it on? That’s a legitimate question for NFL betting aficionados to ask as he prepares to bring his Denver Broncos into Lucas Oil Stadium for a date with the Indianapolis Colts in the Sunday night NFL game, starting at 8:30 PM ET.
We ask that question for reasons other than the fact that the Colts are doing something to honor Manning before the game. It’s a reasonable proposition that such a thing could impact the way this game goes for NFL bettors,.both with regard to the pointspread and the total.
In the NFL odds that are posted on the game at BetAnySports, the Broncos are the road favorites, not that it is any big surprise:
Pro Football odds at BetAnySports
Denver Broncos -6.5
Indianapolis Colts -6.5
Over 55 Points -110
Under 55 Points -110
Jim Irsay, the owner of the Colts, was cornered by reporters, which usually isn’t too necessary, and mentioned that there was some disappointment with the way things had turned out with Manning as his team’s quarterback, with the respect to the fact that with the great numbers Manning put up for the Colts – “Star Wars” numbers, as he put it – he only earned one Super Bowl ring, whereas Tom Brady got three with numbers that may not have been as good.
That was a bit of an affront to Manning, especially since Irsay and general manager Bill Polian did not surround Manning with great people on the defensive side of the ball. It takes an entire team to win a Super Bowl, after all. While Manning really didn’t come out and speak publicly about it, his coach, John Fox, wasn’t silent about it.
Fox said that Irsay should be content to have just one Super Bowl ring, and maybe he’s right. However, it could be “put up or shut up” time in Denver, as Manning is indeed putting up the kind of numbers that are eye-popping. he leads the league in quarterback rating, and has thrown 22 TD passes with only two interceptions. He has been near perfect, except for that pick six he threw against Jacksonville last week, when the Broncos were obviously coasting to a win over the Jags, who were a 27.5-ppoint underdog in the NFL odds at BetAnySports.
The Colts (+210 underdogs in pro football betting tonight), as mentioned, are honoring Manning before the game. That makes things a bit more awkward, although we’re willing to bet Manning takes that in stride. But their is a fire underneath that easy-going personality, and with his team averaging 476 yards and 44 points a game, you wonder whether Irsay’s comments might mean an extra TD or two down the stretch, when he can really turn the screws up. Will his team be in a position to do that? And should that mean something to NFL totals bettors?
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