After an 0-3 start, the Indianapolis Colts have turned things around a bit, winning two of three, with the loss coming in overtime in Baltimore. The two wins, however, have come over Miami and Houston. Against Baltimore, the Colts had a 25-9 lead in the fourth quarter but ended up losing in overtime. It was the first time the Colts had lost a game that they had led by 16 since the team left Baltimore for Indianapolis, which must have been particularly satisfying for old-school fans still angered by the Colts’ departure. Next up for the Colts is a visit to San Francisco, where the 49ers have turned a 2-0 start into a 2-3 record. They lost at Arizona going into the bye, and with Jimmy Garoppolo returning to start at quarterback, it will be interesting to see what the San Francisco offense can do this week. Don’t miss our NFL betting preview of this matchup.
NFL Preview: Indianapolis Colts at San Francisco 49ers (Sunday, October 24)
When: Sunday, October 24, 2021, 8:20 pm ET
Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
TV: NBC
Radio: Westwood One
Live Stream: Hulu
NFL Odds: San Francisco -4 / O/U 44 // Indianapolis +165 / San Francisco -200
Why should you bet on the Colts?
The 49ers should prove a tougher test for the Colts than the Dolphins and the Texans have. In their win over Houston, the Colts got 145 yards and two scores out of Jonathan Taylor, on just 14 carries. That was his top yardage performance on the season, and the more the Colts can rely on Taylor, the less pressure will lie on Carson Wentz’s shoulders. The Colts’ defense has only permitted 81.7 yards per game on the ground over the last three games, and the Colts already have a dozen takeaways this season, so they could take advantage of the 49ers’ ball security problems.
Wentz has an impressive 9:1 TD:INT ratio this season in his first campaign with Indianapolis. Taylor leads the team with 472 rushing yards, and Michael Pittman Jr is the top side receiver, catching 31 balls for 403 yards. T.Y. Hilton is set to return to the field after missing extended time with injury. On the defensive side of the ball, three different Colts are tied for the team lead with two sacks each, and Bobby Okereke leads the team with 51 total tackles.
Why should you put your money on the 49ers?
While the 49ers are in a three-game losing streak, those losses have come by a combined 16 points. The defense has permitted 25 points and 297 yards per game, which should help the team remain competitive. Ball security has been an issue, as San Francisco’s turnover margin is -4 during this losing streak. This three-game streak has also marked the team’s experiment in starting Trey Lance, who came on in relief of Jimmy G during his injury, but a knee sprain in his last game now has him out and Garoppolo back in.
On the season, Garoppolo has a 5:2 TD:INT ratio and 925 yards through the air, completing 66.1% of his passes. Trey Sermon and Elijah Mitchell have each run well, although injuries have also impacted the running game. Deebo Samuel is the top wide receiver this year, catching 31 passes for 548 yards and three scores. Tight end George Kittle has caught 19 balls for 227 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, Nick Bosa has harassed quarterbacks, leading the team with five sacks.
Final Score and Betting Prediction
This line has slid more and more toward San Francisco since its opening despite the fact that Garoppolo will likely have rust and is not at 100% yet — and Lance is not ready to come on in relief should Garoppolo go down again. Wentz has avoided turnovers for the most part this season, and the Colts’ running game should keep him from having to win the game by himself. I like the Colts to win, 20-16.
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