NFL Playoffs 2010 – Manning and Colts to Shut Ryan’s Mouth, Send Jets Packing

If you’re looking to cash in on Saturday’s NFL playoffs 2010 Wild Card weekend matchup between the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts, BetOnline gridiron gamblers, going back a decade to the City of Brotherly Love to analyze Saturday’s contest which gets underway live from Lucas Oil Stadium at 8:00 PM ET just seems like a wise place to start when.

Let me explain.

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New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts 8:00 PM ET

Live From Lucas Oil Stadium

Saturday, January 8, 2011

TV: NBC

NFL Odds

Indianapolis Colts -2.5

Over/Under 44.5

As a young scribe back in the City of Brotherly Love, I always loved former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Buddy Ryan candidness, trash-talking and general belief in his team no matter the circumstances.

Then I remembered how Ryan often opened his mouth and promptly inserted his foot while unknowingly hurting his own team.

Apparently, that trait has been passed on to Ryan’s son Rex Ryan as the trash-talking head coach of the New York Jets still hasn’t mastered the art of when to talk trash and when not to.

Just days before his team’s NFL playoff 2010 Wild Card weekend showdown against the Colts, Ryan opened his big mouth by talking about how this matchup was more than just a football game in his mind.

"Is it personal? Yes, it’s personal," Ryan said Monday. "It’s personal against him, Reggie Wayne, all those guys, yeah. [Dwight] Freeney and [Robert] Mathis and those other dudes? Absolutely."

Now, it could be me, but I believe all Ryan’s foolish comments did were fire up Manning and the experienced Colts – even if the Hall of Fame-bound signal caller doesn’t come out and admit.

The Colts (10-6 SU, 8-7-1 ATS) will be looking to extend their winning ways while eliminating the wildly inconsistent Jets (11-5 SU, 9-7 ATS) from the postseason for the second consecutive season.

The Colts and Jets met in last season’s AFC Championship game, making one thing about this NFL playoffs 2010 contest an absolute certainty. At least one of these teams won’t be playing in this year’s conference finals.

Okay, with that said and the start of the annual postseason wagering period about to begin, let me get started.

Here is a look at the key head-to-head trends surrounding this matchup.

• Over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Indianapolis.
• Over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
• Home team is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

New York Jets 411

• Jets are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games as a road underdog of 3.0 points or less.
• Jets are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as an underdog of 3.0 points or less.
• Jets are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in January.
• Jets are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 vs. AFC.
• Jets are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 road games.
• Jets are 11-5 ATS in their last 16 games as an underdog.
• Jets are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

The New York Jets may have the league’s third-ranked defense and sixth-ranked scoring defense (19.0 ppg) coming into the NFL playoffs 2010, but they’ve also been wildly inconsistent in dropping three of their final five regular season contests.

The Jets allowed at least 38 points in two of those losses, but they’ve still have a ton of encouraging trends pointing in their favor.

New York has compiled an impressive 8-3 ATS mark in their last 11 games against their AFC counterparts while also posting a blistering 10-4 ATS mark in their last 14 road games.

However, even with all of those impressive ATS trends working in their favor, BetOnline gridiron gamblers should know that New York are just 1-4 ATS in their last five road games against a team with a winning home record.

Second-year quarterback Mark Sanchez struggled in completing just 54.8 percent of his passes this season while throwing 17 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions.

New York ranked fourth in the league in rushing (148.4 ypg) sixth against the pass, third against the run and sixth in points allowed (19.0 ppg).

Indianapolis Colts 411

• Colts are 18-7-2 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
• Colts are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following an ATS loss.
• Colts are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games as a favorite.
• Colts are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a home favorite of 3.0 points or less.
• Colts are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games.

The Indianapolis Colts have been in NFL playoffs 2010 mode for the last month as they had to win three of their final four regular season games just to get into the postseason.

won four straight games coming into this matchup, but they’ve been just mediocre against the spread, which should give bettors reason for concern.

The  Colts are just 2-5 ATS in their last seven games as a favorite, 1-4 ATS in their last five home games and just 1-4-1 ATS in their last half-dozen games as a favorite of three (3) points or less.

Analysis: As far as the key head-to-head trends surrounding this matchup are concerned, The Colts are looking good as a 2010 NFL playoffs pick in this matchup with the Home team going 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings between these conference rivals and Indy compiling a long and consistent 18-7-2 ATS mark against a team with a winning record.

Now, I certainly don’t believe the Jets are going to go away mildly into the night – and their 4-1 ATS in their last five games in the month of January says they stand an excellent chance of cashing in against the spread, but I still like Peyton Manning and the Colts to make Rex Ryan eat his foolish words – and Manning’s success against the outspoken head coach, says he’s going to do just that.

Manning has put together a nearly unblemished 5-1 career record against Ryan-coached defenses, including a 30-17 win over the J-E-T-S in last year’s  AFC Championship Game.
In six games against Ryan-coached defenses, Manning has thrown for a whopping 1,513 yards with a dozen TD passes and just two interceptions. Manning repeatedly roasted and toasted the Jets in last season’s AFC title game by throwing for 377 yards and three touchdowns. 

No wonder Rex Ryan called Saturday night’s Wild Card matchup against Manning and the Colts personal – probably because he’s been kicked around by the most studious quarterback in the game today like a 98-poiund weakling getting pounded by some muscle-bound beach bums.

In addition to playing the Colts as the correct NFL playoffs 2010 betting selection in this contest, BetOnline football sportsbook gamblers should also know that the Over is 4-0 in the last four meetings between these teams when they meet in Indianapolis and 4-0 in the last four meetings overall.

NFL Picks: Indianapolis Colts -2.5 Points/Over 44.5 Total Points 

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