Now at 5-6 following a win over the New York Jets, the Indianapolis Colts have a renewed spark thanks to the return and play of quarterback Anthony Richardson, and they still find themselves very much in the AFC playoff mix.
However, maintaining and building upon that momentum won’t come easy in Week 12, with the 9-1 Detroit Lions coming to Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday.
Detroit will enter Sunday’s game leading the NFL in scoring at over 33 points per game. They have arguably the best offensive line in football, a dynamic running back duo, feature Amon-Ra St. Brown at receiver, and Jared Goff is playing at an MVP level.
Not to be forgotten about is the defense, who also ranks top-five in scoring on that side of the ball. Basically pick a metric, offense or defense, and you’ll more likely than not find the Lions hanging around the top of that list.
Any potential success for the Colts begins with the run game on both sides of the ball. The defense has to find a way to contain Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, while the offense has to be able to pick up yards on the ground to avoid becoming one-dimensional.
Indianapolis Colts vs Lions game odds:
All NFL Odds via BetMGM:
- Point spread: Lions by 7.5 points
- Money line: Colts +310 / Lions -400
- Over-under: 50.5 total points
Indianapolis Colts vs Lions injury updates:
The Colts have already ruled out left tackle Bernhard Raimann as he continues to work through a knee injury, while defensive end Tyquan Lewis, who was designated to return from IR this week, is questionable.
Detroit, meanwhile, has three cornerbacks listed with injury designations, including rookie Terrion Arnold. For more on the Lions’ injury report, click here.
Indianapolis Colts vs Lions prediction, pick
Detroit is a well-oiled machine and the Colts, while coming off an encouraging win with Richardson at the helm, are still battling inconsistency on both sides of the ball. I just don’t see the Colts having the firepower, or at least not steadily enough, to come away with the win.
Prediction: Lions 34 – Colts 24
To see who the experts are picking, click here.
Indianapolis Colts vs Lions channel, start time, streaming:
The Indianapolis Colts vs Lions game starts at 1:00 PM ET and can be seen on FOX.
Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.