NFL boff Tom Selwyn (@Tom_Selwyn) returns to cover Monday Night Football as the Jets welcome the Colts.
Indianapolis Colts @ New York Jets | Tuesday 01:30 | Sky Sports 1
We’ve got two sub .500 teams for this week’s Monday night game.
The Jets are technically still in the play-off race, but there’s no chance of them making it really.
The Colts, however, thanks to a very poor division do actually stand a realistic chance of making the play-offs. Getting there is going to fall on QB Andrew Luck, who returned to practice this week after being cleared from the concussion protocol.
Get Luck on your side
Despite a valiant showing against the Patriots last week, the Jets are still one of the league’s poorer teams at defending the pass and I’m expecting Luck to be all over them in this one. I’ll be backing him to go Over 263.5 Passing Yards.
First, let’s give the Jets their due – they are very, very good at stopping the run and are giving up just 85.9 yards per-game (fourth in the league).
With the Colts not being a great running team in general, I can’t see them sticking with it too long if they get shut down early, Luck should see more and more passes called as the game goes along.
Jets failing to fly
Despite this proficiency in defending the run, it does seem to come at the expense of the Jets’ pass rush – they are joint 29th with just 19 sacks on the year and has contributed to opposing QBs having success against them.
Luck has averaged 282.7 yards per-game so far this season and I don’t see the Jets slowing him down too much.
The Jets have been giving up 262.8 yards per-game this season (including a match-up against the offense-challenged Rams) and lot of this has been down to the decline of CB Darrelle Revis.
Colts to capitalise
He’s been a shadow of his former self this season and has been victimised by a lot of differently players – most recently New England’s rookie WR Malcom Mitchell who beat him for two TDs.
With players like WR T.Y. Hilton at his disposable and a favourable match-up, Luck should be in for a big day as he hopes to keep the Colts’ play-off hopes alive
Best Bets
Indianapolis Colts @ New York Jets – Andrew Luck to have Over 263.5 Passing Yards 5/6 PaddyPower)
