Las Vegas Raiders vs. Indianapolis Colts prediction: Playoffs on the line
.JPG "Las Vegas Raiders running back Peyton Barber rushes during the second half of an NFL game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Dec. 26, 2021, in Las Vegas.")
A big game looms for the Las Vegas Raiders and Indianapolis Colts.
The Colts, by winning, would clinch a playoff berth. The Raiders, meanwhile, need a victory just to keep their hopes alive for the postseason tournament.
Las Vegas needs to win this week, then beat the Los Angeles Chargers to get into the AFC playoffs as the sixth seed.
A loss for Las Vegas this week? The Raiders would need help to stay alive, then hope all types of scenarios play out the right way in Week 18.
The Raiders know what’s at stake as they head out on the road, where they are 4-3 this season. The Colts are 4-4 at home compared to 5-2 on the road.
It will be a tough one for Las Vegas, as it goes against one of the NFL’s hottest teams, led by second-year running back Jonathan Taylor.
“Well, I’m not going to lie to you. I’m pretty proud of myself because I thought he was one of the better backs coming out,” Raiders quarterback Derek Carr said. “I was like, ‘This guy is going to be special.’ I thought he was going to be a pretty good player, and it turns out that he’s one heck of a football player.”
It is expected that both teams will welcome back the majority of the players placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, though the status of some very key players is up in the air.
The Colts on Tuesday put quarterback Carson Wentz on the list, but the NFL changed its protocols to match CDC recommendations (isolating for five days instead of 10), meaning he could be cleared by Sunday.
The Raiders placed star tight end Darren Waller on the COVID list Wednesday, and even his coach wasn’t sure if he still has a chance to play this week.
“I’m not really sure how that works and I’m not sure if he gets two negatives tomorrow, or two negatives two days in a row,” Raiders interim coach Rich Bisaccia said. “We have a whole slew of guys that handle that. I just know as of today he wasn’t able to practice, and we’ll see what happens tomorrow. But if it’s the five-day protocol, then he probably would not be able to play. So, we’ll find out here as the week goes on.”
Foster Moreau has played the majority of the snaps since Waller went down with an injury against the Dallas Cowboys, missing the past four games.
No matter who suits up, the Raiders likely will need to play their best game of the season against the Colts if they want to see the postseason for the first time since 2016.
Odds, TV and Raiders-Colts prediction
Originally the game wasn’t going to be shown in the Fresno area, but Fox decided Thursday it was better to go with the Raiders and Colts game because of its playoff implications.
The game will be shown in Fresno on KMPH 26 and throughout Northern California.
The Colts enter as a 7-point favorite by Draft Kings, with the over/under at 44.5.
Who will want it more?
The Raiders have fared better on the road this season and the away trend is a plus for Las Vegas in the recent series history.
Las Vegas lost to Indianapolis last season at Allegiant Stadium, but the Raiders were victorious in Indy in 2019.
The tandem of Maxx Crosby and Yannick Ngakoue and the Raiders’ defensive tackles need to disrupt whoever starts at quarterback and at least slow down Taylor.
Winning the turnover battle also would help the Raiders’ cause, even if they can only prevent their own giveaways. The offense needs to have a clean game and the running game needs to be as effective as it was in last week’s 17-13 win over the Denver Broncos.
Can the Raiders pull off a massive upset to keep their playoff hopes alive? We think they play a complete game to make it happen.
Prediction: Raiders 27, Colts 24
