Chiefs Colts Line


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The Indianapolis Colts will look to avoid starting the season 0-5 when they host the struggling Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday. Indianapolis was unable to hold on to a 17-10 lead against Tampa Bay on Monday Night Football, giving up a late touchdown to lose 17-24. The Chiefs were able to down Minnesota 22-17 for their first win of the season, but still have a long ways to go before they get back in the hunt in the AFC West.

Taking a look at the week 5 NFL spreads, oddsmakers currently have Indianapolis favored by 2.5-points over Kansas City with the total set at 38.5 points.

Kansas City Chiefs:

Some people wondered if the Chiefs would win a game this season after losing 41-7 at home to Buffalo in week 1 followed by a 48-3 loss at Detroit. Kansas City showed some life in a 17-20 loss at San Diego, and then finally broke through with a big time win at home over the winless Vikings. While it’s just the fifth week of the season, a loss this week against the winless Colts would all but ruin the Chiefs chances of getting back in the hunt in the division.

Kansas City had really struggled to do anything right offensively in the first three weeks of the season, but managed to put up 350 yards of total offense against a good Minnesota defense. Matt Cassel had his best game of the season, throwing for 260 yards with a touchdown. Cassel has three touchdowns to just one interceptions in his last two games, after starting the year with just one touchdown to three picks.

With the injury to star running back Jamaal Charles, Kansas City has spread the touches in the backfield between Thomas Jones, Dexter McCluster, and Jackie Battle. The trio combined for 85 yards and on 23 carries against a strong Minnesota run defense, and will have a chance to really make their mark against a Colts defense that is allowing 133 yards per game on the ground.

Wide out Dwayne Bowe scored the only Chiefs touchdown against the Vikings on a 52 yard pass and catch in the fourth quarter. Bowe finished with five catches for 107 yards, giving him 14 catches for 275 yards and two touchdowns in the last three games.

A big concern for the Chiefs has been their inability to score touchdowns. They were forced to kick five field goals in the win over Minnesota, and have managed to score just four touchdowns in four games.

Indianapolis Colts:

The Colts deserve a lot of credit for how hard they continue to play without Peyton Manning. The problem is they continue to lose games and you have to wonder how much longer these players are going to continue to fight.

Offensively the Colts have really struggled to move the ball, but they did show a little more life with Curtis Painter under center against Tampa Bay. Painter threw for 281 yards and two touchdowns, but was just 13 of 30. 146 of his passing yards came on two touchdown passes to Pierre Garcon, and it will be interesting to see if he can keep making big plays as the season goes on.

It would really make things a lot easier on Painter if the Colts could get their running game going. Indianapolis had just 62 yards on the ground against Tampa Bay,  and are averaging just 83.0 yards a game on the season. They go up against a Kansas City defense that has allowed 130 rushing yards on average, but are coming off a game where they held Adrian Peterson to just 80 yards on 23 attempts.

Betting Trends:

Kansas City is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a road underdog of 0.5-3.0.

Indianapolis is 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games as a favorite of 0.5-3.0.

Be sure to stop back and check out who Steve Janus has picked to win in week 5 of the NFL.

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