Chiefs bring better record in battle with Colts

Who would believed or predicted that the Kansas City Chiefs would be 3-0 and the Indianapolis Colts only 2-2 four weeks into this 2010 NFL season.
The NFL teams meet Sunday at 10 a.m. (PT) in Indianapolis and the Colts are the biggest NFL spread favorites on the Week 5 board at minus nine. The ‘over/under’ is 44 ½.
Indianapolis’ record of seven consecutive NFL seasons with 12 or more victories is in jeopardy, while Kansas City is off to its best start since 2003.
The Chiefs are the lone unbeaten team in the NFL. Kansas City was idle last week, so the Chiefs will be rested although their momentum may be slowed.

This is the Colts’ only home contest during a four-week span. Their last two games were on the road against Jacksonville and Denver and they are at Washington next week.
Peyton Manning sure isn’t the problem for Indianapolis. He has the top passer rating and leads the NFL in touchdown passes with 11. Manning is second in passing yards and only has one interception.
The Chiefs have allowed just 38 points this season in winning and covering against San Diego (21-14 as four-point home underdogs), Cleveland (16-14 as three-point road ‘dogs) and San Francisco (31-10 as 2 ½-point home ‘dogs).
Kansas City ranks fifth in run defense giving up 3.2 yards per rush, but its secondary has allowed 11 pass plays of 20 or more yards.
Manning has the weapons to take full advantage, especially with Reggie Wayne, who finished with a team-record 15 receptions for 196 yards in last Sunday’s 31-28 loss to Jacksonville.
The Colts lost to the Jaguars as seven-point road favorites, surrendering 337 yards, including 174 on the ground.
The Chiefs have the runners to take advantage in Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles, who is averaging seven yards a carry.
Kansas City rates 27th in passing offense, though, as Matt Cassel has failed to live up to his huge contract averaging less than 165 yards per game though the air.
Indianapolis should be pumped for a strong defensive effort. Can the Colts do it is the question.

Minus injured star safety Bob Sanders, the Colts allowed 472 passing yards to Denver two weeks ago. Indianapolis helped make a star of Houston running back Arian Foster opening week by giving up 231 yards on the ground to him.
The Colts then bailed out Jacksonville’s beleaguered quarterback David Garrard this past Sunday. Garrard, in danger of losing his job, completed 17-of-22 passes versus Indianapolis with two touchdown throws. The Jaguars had managed only 184 yards of offense last week at home in a 25-point loss to Philadelphia.
The Chiefs probably will try to follow the blueprint the Texans and Jaguars showed when they upset the Colts, which is control the ball by frequently running and put lots of pressure on Manning. Kansas City had five sacks against San Francisco in its last game.
Kansas City has several NFL trends in its favor, including covering in six of its last seven road contests and going 5-0 ATS as an underdog. The Chiefs also have covered during their past four games against AFC opponents.
The Colts have trends going for them, too. They are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 October games and 5-2-1 ATS in their past eight matchups at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Colts fare well against strong competition going 6-1-1 ATS the last eight times they’ve met a foe with a winning mark.
The NFL betting ‘over’ has cashed seven of the past nine times the Colts have met an AFC opponent.
Indianapolis has covered seven of the last nine times versus Kansas City, although the teams last met in 2007 with the Colts winning, 13-10, but failing to cover as 14 ½-point home favorites.