Andrew Luck is gone, but the Indianapolis Colts will be out there to prove they are not going to be held back by the quarterback’s goodbye to football. The Colts will open the season on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers, who are also dealing with personnel issues of their own, mainly one that concerns Melvin Gordon. The Colts are +400 to win the AFC South, while the Chargers are +225 to win the AFC West.
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Betting Preview for the Indianapolis Colts vs Los Angeles Chargers NFL Regular Season Week 1 Game on September 8, 2019
Where: Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson
When: Sunday, September 8, 2019, 4:05 PM ET
Line: Indianapolis Colts (+6.5) vs. Los Angeles Chargers (-6.5) – view all 2019 NFL lines
TV Broadcast: CBS
Betting on the Indianapolis Colts (0-0)
It’s a shame that Andrew Luck will no longer play football. That he announced his retirement just two weeks ahead of the 219 NFL regular season was as shocking as it was seemingly damning to the Colts future. Now, the Colts are turning to Jacoby Brissett for the main quarterbacking duties. When Luck missed the entire 2017 season, Brissett stepped in and started in 15 games, finishing the year with 3,098 yards and 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions while also rushing for 260 yards and four rushing scores. Luck’s departure also puts more pressure on the Colts’ backfield. Marlon Mack is the leader of the pack after leading the team with 908 rushing yards and nine rushing TDs in 2018. The Colts’ pass rush should have more success this year, as they signed Justin Houston over the offseason. Houston had 18.5 sacks over the last two seasons.
The Colts are 4-2 against the spread (ATS) in their last six games.
Betting on the Los Angeles Chargers (0-0)
At this point, it might be prudent to assume that Melvin Gordon isn’t going to be there in Week 1 for the Chargers — or maybe for the foreseeable future. Gordon is still on a hold out with most signs pointing to him ultimately missing the first week of the new NFL season. In lieu of Gordon, the Chargers will be utilizing the pair of Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson in their ground attack, while Troymaine Pope will provide third-level depth in the backfield. Philip Rivers will still be the one to carry the team, and he’ll have one huge weapon back with the return of tight end Hunter Henry to action. Henry missed the entire 2018 NFL season due to an ACL injury. Even without Henry, Rivers was able to lead the Chargers into becoming the sixth-highest scoring team in the league in 2018 with 26.6 points per game. The Chargers were also 11th with 253.3 passing yards per contest. Los Angeles’ defense will have a solid secondary led by safety Derwin James. The Chargers also have Joey Bosa, Melvin Ingram, and Thomas Davis.
The under is 4-1 in the Chargers’ last five home games.
Writer’s Prediction
The Chargers win, 27-20.
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