Week 17’s Indianapolis Colts vs. New York Giants matchup will go a long way in deciding what the NFC playoff picture will look like. The situation for New York is simple, win and get in. A loss will open up a ton of other scenarios that the Giants will likely want to avoid. Let’s dive into the key NFL betting points and give a Colts vs. Giants prediction for this week.
Note that all odds are from our friends over at DraftKings Sportsbook and are up to date as of Dec. 27.
Colts vs. Giants Odds
- Spread
Giants -5.5 - Moneyline
Giants -225, Colts +185 - Over/Under
39.5 points
Colts vs. Giants Prediction
Although both of these teams are coming into this game off losses, the Giants can hold their heads high after a close, hard-fought battle with the 12-3 Minnesota Vikings. Indianapolis, on the other hand, started their third different quarterback on the year and lost 20-3 to Los Angeles, solidifying the Chargers’ playoff spot.
What does that all mean? Well, it means that the Giants are laying nearly a touchdown (-5.5) at home this week. Nick Foles will once again be under center for the Colts, but I’m not sure why. He looked terrible in his first start for the team, throwing for 130 yards and three interceptions.
However, head coach Jeff Saturday has already said that Foles will start the last three games of the season, so it would be tough to imagine they go back to Matt Ryan after already having benched him twice this year. Would Ryan be a better option this week against a middle-of-the-pack Giants defense? Doubtful.
MORE: Early NFL Week 17 Predictions and Picks Against the Spread
New York currently ranks 20th in opponent points allowed per game (22.6) and 27th in opponent yards allowed per game (366.3). But they’ve gone up against some of the most potent offenses in the NFL, including the Eagles, Cowboys, and Vikings. Regardless, whether it be with Foles, Ryan, or even Sam Ehlinger, this Colts offense is completely lifeless.
They currently rank 31st in points scored per game (16.5) and are only ahead of the equally awful Denver Broncos. Based on what we just witnessed on Monday Night Football against the Chargers, it’s hard to imagine that this Indianapolis team somehow managed to put up 36 points against the Vikings only two weeks ago.
However, this is a completely different offense compared to two weeks ago. Ryan is riding the bench, and more importantly, the team has lost arguably one of the best running backs in the game Jonathan Taylor. Taylor went on IR ahead of Monday Night Football and will miss the remainder of the season. The Colts are now relying on a combination of Zack Moss and Deon Jackson in the backfield.
This will be the biggest game at MetLife Stadium in years. Giants head coach Brian Daboll was brought in to help rebuild this franchise, and very few expected him to have them competing for a playoff spot in Year 1. However, thanks to quality play from QB Daniel Jones and a resurgence from RB Saquon Barkley, New York is looking at a playoff spot for the first time since 2018.
Daboll has this team ready and firing on all cylinders. And although he knows how high the stakes are, he refuses to treat this week any differently. In a press conference on Monday, Daboll was asked about the win and get-in nature of this game and if he was preparing any differently.
MORE: NFL Week 17 Best Bets
“No, it’s our next game. I think everybody knows what you just said [that it’s a playoff-like game],” Daboll said. “But what we can control is, again, the same stuff we try to control each week – making sure we’re prepared, ready to go, and go out there and put our best foot forward.”
The Giants might not be the kind of team that will make a ton of noise in the playoffs, but I expect them to punch their ticket to the dance this week. The Colts are awful at defending the run, ranking 27th in rushing TDs allowed. Daboll will take advantage of this, and I expect to see Barkley have another massive game. A ton of points probably won’t be scored, but New York will do just enough to cover the spread.
Colts vs. Giants Prediction
Giants 20, Colts 10