The AFC Wild Card is heating up through the first weekend in December, but the Colts and Jets are currently on the outside looking in. Indianapolis travels to Met Life Stadium on Monday night trying to reach the .500 mark with a victory and stay in the midst of the AFC South race. New York is riding out the string as the Jets look to snap a three-game losing streak and pick up their second home victory of the season.
The Colts (5-6 SU, 5-5-1 ATS) played without quarterback Andrew Luck on Thanksgiving night due to being in the concussion protocol as Indianapolis was blown out by Pittsburgh, 28-7 as eight-point home underdogs. Scott Tolzien started in place of Luck, but threw two interceptions, while Antonio Brown reached the end zone three times for Pittsburgh. The Steelers outgained the Colts, 369-310, as Indianapolis suffered its third home loss of the season.
New York (3-8 SU, 4-7 ATS) continues to sit at the bottom of the AFC East following last Sunday’s 22-17 home defeat to New England. The Jets managed to cover as nine-point underdogs in spite of blowing a 10-0 lead as New York scored only seven points in the second half. Ryan Fitzpatrick tossed two touchdown passes and compiled 269 yards through the air in the defeat, but the Jets rushed for just 64 yards.
The Jets have slumped to a 1-4 record at Met Life Stadium this season with the only victory coming against the Ravens in Week 7 as 2 ½-point favorites, 24-16. Three of four home defeats have come by five points or less, but own a 1-2 ATS record as a home ‘dog.
The Colts will have their franchise quarterback under center on Monday after Luck missed the Pittsburgh loss. Luck has thrown for under 300 yards in each of his last three starts, while getting intercepted four times in this span. Since starting 0-3 on the road, the Colts have won two straight on the highway at Green Bay and Tennessee, as Indianapolis scored 31 and 34 points respectively in those wins.
These teams are meeting on Monday night for the second straight season as the Jets cruised past the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium last September, 20-7 as six-point underdogs. New York intercepted Luck three times, while Indianapolis turned the ball over five times. Fitzpatrick connected on a pair of touchdown passes, including 15-yard scoring strike to Brandon Marshall. The Jets have won three consecutive meetings against the Colts since the 2010 playoffs, as Indianapolis is facing New York at Met Life Stadium for the first time since Luck’s rookie season of 2012.
The Colts opened as one-point road favorites at the Las Vegas Westgate Superbook, but that number moved up to Indianapolis -2 after Luck’s status was upgraded to probable. The total opened at 49 ½, but that has number slipped to between 48 ½ and 49 at most sports books. The weather at Met Life Stadium shouldn’t be a huge factor with kickoff temperatures in the low 40’s and partly cloudy skies.
