The Colt’s early season has been an up-and-down affair. With a week one shoot-out against the Texans that resulted in a narrow loss and a surprise loss to Green Bay last week. The Colt’s flaws are starting to show early, especially with second-year QB Anthony Richardson. The play-caller has struggled in the passing game with three picks last week and seems limited in his passing ability in general. This isn’t surprising; Richardson came into the league as a raw prospect. Hopefully, we can see some progress in the right direction this weekend with the Bears coming to town.
The Bears have been another team that was struggling early with their quarterback. Caleb Williams, the number 1 pick in the draft this year, looks flustered in his transition to the pros. Even though the Bears are split one and one for the season so far, little of their success has come from the offense. Even with a host of elite offensive weapons, Williams hasn’t been able to deliver the ball consistently. However, this game could be a turning point for either team and has sneakily become a must-win.
Who Wins? The Bears or Colts
- Bears +4
- Colts +4
The Colts can take this one. They have the guts to take it at home from a struggling Bears team. The Bears’ defense is the only concern for the Colts. If Richardson can avoid the turnover bug and Taylor looks in better form, the Colts can run away with this one. This game will entirely depend on QB play, as both have struggled to impact games positively.
Who Scores First?
- Bears +1
- Colts +1
This is just a toss-up here. With the way Richardson has moved the ball downfield on his big plays, there is a good chance the Colts can score first. All he needs is one giant bomb, which we know he can. The only question is, will that ball get picked off in return? Either way, we like the Colts offense slightly more in this game, especially at home.
How Many Total Points?
- More than 44 +1
- Less than 44 +1
We’re leaning heavily on the under here. Neither of these offenses have put up high-scoring games in their first two games. The Bears did score 24 in their first game, but that was with the help of 2 defensive scores. So far, the Bears look like a lame duck out there, along with Williams, who is still adjusting to the NFL. On the other hand, the Colts have struggled with Richardson, too. With their ground game only finding moments of success, we don’t trust either QB to move the ball through the air.
Result of the First Colts Drive
- Points +2
- Anything Else +1
Even though they are at home, the first drive will probably not end in a score. The Colts are still trying to figure out how to get down the field effectively. If they receive the first kick off, we don’t love their chances in a 75-yard drive. Maybe they will surprise us, but without Richardson hitting Pierce for a 45-yard bomb, we could see the Colts struggle to gain first downs in this matchup.
Which Player Will Score a Rushing or Receiving Touchdown?
- Jonathan Taylor +1
- Caleb Williams +2
- Alec Pierce +3
- Cole Kmet +4
- None of These +2
We’re going to ride the hot hand right now. Alec Pierce has scored in the first two games and seems to be growing a connection with Richardson. He might not be the top WR on the depth chart, but he’s been solid in this young NFL season. We think he could continue this streak and get another one, as he’s been the most reliable deep threat the Colts have.
Which QB Will Have the Most Passing Yards?
- Anthony Richardson +1
- Caleb Williams +2
This is an easy one. Richardson may need to be more accurate and consistent, but he can slang the ball. It will only take a couple of balls to find the receiver’s hands so that Richardson can rack up some yards. On the other hand, Caleb hasn’t shown much connection with this WR core, even though they are arguably one of the most talented groups in the league. He leaves the pocket as the O-line consistently lets pressure through. We don’t expect anything to change in this matchup.
How many Rushing Yards for Jonathan Taylor?
- More than 72 Yards +1
- Less than 72 Yards +1
Taylor has started to warm back up. After racking up over 100 yards of rushing last week, the offensive is beginning to lean more on him again. He has elite RB skills and has proven himself to be a top-level back in the league. The Bears’ defense has been solid for the first two games, but we expect the game plan to keep the ball on the ground a lot. The ground game will be their friend, with Richardson’s arm being hit or miss.
Which of These Wide Receivers has the most receiving Yards?
- DJ Moore +1
- Michael Pittman Jr +2
- Alec Pierce +3
- Rome Odunze +4
Again, we’re running it back with Alec Pierce here. As the best deep ball threat on the team, all he needs is one, maybe two receptions to rack up a ton of yards. With two weeks of work already in the book, things are looking good for Pierce. We don’t think this type of production will continue, but hey, you never know. Maybe Pierce will surpass Pittman in the depth chart as the lead receiver.
Will There be a Defensive or Special Teams Touchdown?
- Yes +3
- No +1
We’re leaning on here just because defensive scores are generally pretty rare. This matchup might make them more likely, though. The matchup between Richardson and the Bears secondary that took two to the house in week one could be intriguing. We’re assuming the Colts will pull back on the passing game after Richardson’s devastating week last week, but you never know!
Will There be a Tie or Lead Change in the 4th Quarter?
- Yes +1
- No +1
We don’t think there will be many lead changes in this game at all. With how these offenses have played, this game probably won’t be much scoring. It may stay close, but lacking consistence in the passing game will significantly reduce what these teams can do on the scoreboard.
