There is a battle between a couple of struggling NFL teams Sunday when the Las Vegas Raiders host the Indianapolis Colts. One strategy to bet this game includes a Jonathan Taylor rushing + receiving yards prop. Let’s dive into the Colts-Raiders prediction, odds and pick.
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NFL Odds: Colts-Raiders Odds
Las Vegas opened as a 3.5-point favorite before being bet up to 4.5, which is where the line currently sits. As of Friday evening, 67% of the bets and 85% of the handle are on the Raiders.
Jonathan Taylor Healthy for Colts
After missing three of the past five games, Taylor’s ankle is finally healed and he looks to be ready to go Sunday.
Backup Deon Jackson is out with a knee injury, which means Taylor is going to play the majority of snaps regardless of whether the Colts (3-5-1) would have liked to ease him back into the lineup.
Taylor’s rushing + receiving yards prop sits at 73.5. In his last game, he combined for 76 rushing and receiving yards against the Washington Commanders. The week before that, he combined for 85 rushing and receiving yards against the Tennessee Titans. Against the Raiders last season, Taylor combined for 114 rushing + receiving yards, and when he played them in 2020, he combined for 165 rushing + receiving yards.
There is no denying Taylor is the primary weapon in the Colts offense, and with head coach Jeff Saturday to make his debut, the run game will be utilized heavily.
Las Vegas Defense to Have Another Bad Outing
The Raiders (2-6) have a big problem defensively and cannot stop bleeding points to the opposition. Entering this week, they rank 24th in the NFL in yards allowed per game and 28th in points allowed per game.
This poor defensive play was predictable before the season started due to the weak personnel (outside of Maxx Crosby and Divine Deablo, who is out Sunday). Entering the season, Pro Football Focus ranked the Raiders defensive line 19th in the league, the linebackers 23rd and the secondary 29th.
This defense has been specifically susceptible to running backs. It allowed 115+ rushing and receiving yards to Derrick Henry in Week 3, Dameon Pierce in Week 7, Alvin Kamara in Week 8 and Travis Etienne in Week 9.
And the run defense has seemingly gotten worse as the season has progressed, while running backs with the ability to catch out of the backfield have feasted against the Raiders. There should not be much optimism in Las Vegas to turn it around, based on the group it is stuck with.
Final Colts-Raiders Prediction & Pick
Las Vegas has gotten killed by running backs each of the last three weeks, and that should not change in this matchup. Taylor’s rushing + receiving total is too low at 73.5 yards with the way Indianapolis heavily utilizes him in its offense.
Stick with the trends here and back the Colts’ best player to get over this number for a third straight game.
Final Colts-Raiders Pick: Jonathan Taylor Over 73.5 Rushing + Receiving Yards (-110, DraftKings)
