The 2019 NFL season has reached the stretch run, and we're here with a betting preview for Monday night's game on ESPN between the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints.
The Colts (6-7) have lost three in a row to see their playoff hopes fade away, while the Saints (10-3) have already clinched the NFC South.
ESPN betting analyst Joe Fortenbaugh and fantasy's Mike Clay offer their best bets for the Week 15 finale.
Note: Odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook as of Sunday evening, unless otherwise noted.
Indianapolis Colts at New Orleans Saints (-9, 47)
Colts +9
Fortenbaugh: Nine points is a big line for two teams that consistently find themselves embroiled in tightly contested matchups. In 2019 alone, one score has decided 11 of the 13 games played by the Colts and eight of the 13 matchups played by the Saints. Additionally, New Orleans isn't what it once was when it comes to smashing the opposition inside of the Voodoo Dome thanks to a 3-8 ATS mark over the franchise's last 11 home games. On the flip side, the Colts have failed to cover the number just twice over their last 10 road dates. This isn't a bet that I love, but I'd definitely prefer to have nine points in my pocket with a competitive team that ranks sixth in the league in rushing and seventh in time of possession as opposed to the alternative.
Jacoby Brissett over 1.5 pass TDs (-110)
Clay: Brissett has thrown at least two touchdowns in seven of 13 games this season. The Colts have operated a run-first offense but have scored two-thirds of their touchdowns through the air, which is 11th-highest in the league. The Saints, meanwhile, have allowed at least two passing touchdowns in nine of 13 games this season, including each of their past five. That included a Week 14 performance that saw Jimmy Garoppolo toss five touchdowns in the Superdome. Opponents are throwing the ball 68% of the time (second-highest in the league) and scoring 73% of their touchdowns through the air (eighth-highest) against the Saints this season. New Orleans also lost starters Marcus Davenport and Sheldon Rankins for the season last week, which figures to take some pressure off Brissett in the pocket.