While Sunday’s AFC championship game between the Indianapolis Colts and the New York Jets is a rematch of a game played just a month ago, just how much we can take from that first encounter between these two teams is debatable.
Indy played half that game with its starters, and half that game at about half-strength. New York, meanwhile, was in a must-win situation, and benefited greatly from the Colts’ decision to look long-term, rather than take a shot at perfection.
Back on Monday morning, BetJamaica.com was listing Indianapolis as 7.5-point favorites for Sunday’s game over New York (3 p.m. ET, CBS), with a total of 40.5. And while that line has held steady into Friday morning, the total has been dropped a point, to 39.5.
BetJamaica.com is also listing the Colts at -350 on its NFL betting moneyline, with the Jets getting +290 to win the game outright.
Indy is also being offered at -3.5 -185 on one of the alternative pointspreads at BetJamaica.com, with New York getting +165 at +3.5. And the Colts are getting +235 when giving -14.5 points, with the Jets getting the 14.5 at -275.
One of the alternative totals on Sunday’s game, 33.5, is priced at over -200 and under +170. And another total of 47.5 is lined at over +220/under -260.
Indy rolled to a 14-0 start this season, then, with home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs wrapped up, benched many key players in the second half of a Week 16 game vs. the Jets.
New York, which needed a victory just to keep its playoff hopes alive that day, promptly rallied from a 15-10 deficit to win 29-15.
Before being pulled for safety’s sake, Colts QB Peyton Manning had hit on 14 of 21 throws that day, for 192 yards, and those numbers would have been even better had Manning not missed on what would have been a couple of big gainers down field.
New York’s game plan Sunday, of course, will be to control the ball with their top-ranked running game, keep the pressure off their rookie quarterback, and use their top-ranked defense to smash Manning in the mouth a few times.
That plan worked in a Wild Card win over Cincinnati two weeks ago and last week when the Jets upset the Chargers out in San Diego 17-14. New York ran for 169 yards and picked off Philip Rivers twice in that game.
During the regular season, the Jets ranked fifth in the league in total yardage at +69 per game, while the Colts ranked 14th at +24 YPG.
Indy won the AFC championship and the Super Bowl four seasons ago. New York, meanwhile, hasn’t been to the Super Bowl since Broadway Joe directed that epic upset of the Baltimore Colts 41 years ago in Super Bowl III.
Since 2000, home teams are 11-7 straight up and 9-9 against the pointspreads in NFL conference championship games.
Back before the season started, BetJamaica.com was offering Indianapolis at +650 to win the AFC championship, while New York was getting +2,000. And going into the playoffs the top-seeded Colts were listed as +100 favorites on BetJam’s AFC championship betting board, with the Jets listed as the longest shots at +1,700.
Indy also went off this season getting +1,400 on the BetJamaica.com Super Bowl 44 betting board, with New York getting +4,500. The Colts then entered the playoffs as +225 favorites on that board, with the Jets getting +3,500. As of Friday morning, BetJam is offering Indianapolis at -125 to win the Big One, with New York getting +800.
Bettors should also check out the NFL propositions board at BetJamaica.com, which offers dozens of interesting wagering opportunities on both of Sunday’s championship games. To see the betting options, click here
Title: AFC Championship: Betting options and analysis
Duration: 0:00
Submited by: BetJamaica.com
Category: Sports Roundup
Added on: January 22nd, 2010
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading ...Views: 66 views
