The Detroit Lions leave the Motor City to get their 2016 season underway. They travel to face the Indianapolis Colts in an inter-conference contest Sunday afternoon. The game kicks off at 4:25 pm ET from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. Television coverage for the contest is provided by FOX. The current odds show Indianapolis as a 3 point favorite in this contest with the over/under set at 51 points.
Detroit missed the postseason in 2015, one year after making it as a wild card team. The Lions finished 7-9, leaving them third in the NFC North. Indianapolis missed the playoffs for just the second time in the last 14 years last season. The Colts were hurt by injuries and finished 8-8, one game behind the Texans for the AFC South title. This is the 42nd all-time meeting between the franchises. Indianapolis holds a 21-18-2 advantage in the series. The Colts won the last four matchups, including a 35-33 win on December 2, 2012.
Matthew Stafford is still the main man under center. He connected on 398 of 592 passes for 4,262 yards with 32 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions. He was sacked 44 times last season. Dan Orlovsky is the backup; he’s 22 of 40 for 201 yards with one touchdown and one interception in his action. Ameer Abdullah leads the team in rushing as a rookie but his numbers weren’t eye popping. He finished with 143 carries for 597 yards plus two scores but fumbled five times. Abdullah is the lead back in a stable that has Zack Zenner and DeWayne Washington, both rookies. Theo Riddick is the pass catching back of the group.
The Lions have to adjust to life without Megatron. Calvin Johnson, who was second on the team with 88 catches for 1,214 yards and eight scores, retired in the offseason. Riddick hauled in 80 balls for 697 yards and three scores. Golden Tate grabbed a team leading 90 receptions for 813 yards and 6 TD, living up to his free agent deal. Tight end Eric Ebron (47 grabs, 537 yards, 5 TD) is capable of stretching the field down the seam for Stafford. Veterans Marvin Jones, Anquan Boldin and Andre Roberts all look to make an impact to offset Johnson’s departure. Matt Prater connected on 36 of 39 extra point attempts and 22 of 24 field goal tries with a long of 52 yards.
Andrew Luck completed 162 of 293 passes for 1,881 yards with 15 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while getting sacked 15 times. Luck missed the last nine games of the season recovering from a lacerated kidney and a torn abdominal muscle. Matt Hasselbeck was 156 of 256 for 1,690 yards with nine touchdowns and five picks in his action. He retired after the season, leaving Scott Tolzien as the backup quarterback. Tolzien has experience holding a clipboard as he backed up Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. Frank Gore led the team with 260 carries for 967 yards and six scores. Luck contributed 196 yards as the team’s second leading rusher a year ago. Gore’s backups in the run game are Robert Turbin, Jordan Todman and rookie Josh Ferguson. None strike fear in the hearts of opponents.
T.Y. Hilton led the team with 69 catches for 1,124 yards and five scores. Donte Moncrief (64 receptions, 733 yards, 6 TD) developed into a nice secondary receiving option. Philip Dorsett will be counted on to develop as a capable third receiver with Andre Johnson gone. Coby Fleener signed as a free agent with the Saints after a solid year last year. That means Dwayne Allen has to step up his game and his production at the tight end spot. Adam Vinatieri, who turns 44 in December, was 32 of 35 on extra points and 25 of 27 on field goal attempts last season with a long of 55 yards.
The Colts improve from last season simply by bringing Luck back under center. He has to prove that he is back and healthy in order to live up to the massive extension he signed in the offseason. Stafford loses a future Hall of Fame talent in Johnson but there are other capable targets to step up and produce. The Lions have some decent pieces on defense that can make life difficult for Luck. The Lions go on the road and sneak one out late. The Colts lost to Buffalo in their opener last season, why not here? For more free NFL picks, check here! I would have liked this one more when the line was Indy by 5.5 but still think there is value here.
Detroit is 4-1 ATS in their last five on fieldturf and 6-2 ATS in their last eight overall. Indianapolis is 1-7 ATS in their last eight in week 1.