Las Vegas Raiders vs. Indianapolis Colts Matchup Preview (1/2/22): Betting Odds, Depth Charts, Live Stream (Watch Online)

Las Vegas Raiders vs. Indianapolis Colts Matchup Preview (1/2/22)

The Las Vegas Raiders are flying out to Indianapolis to take on the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium this Sunday, January 2nd. The two teams are still in the fight for the 2021 NFL postseason, and this game can carry some serious weight for both of them. The Raiders are entering Week 17 with a two-game win streak following success against the Cleveland Browns and the Denver Broncos, significantly helping their playoff odds. The Colts are coming into this week with a three-game win streak from the Houston Texans, New England Patriots, and Arizona Cardinals, moving them only two games behind the AFC South leaders, the Tennessee Titans. The Colts are missing their starting quarterback, Carson Wentz, which would seem like a disadvantage, but the elite Jonathon Taylor might be able to run circles around the Raiders’ defense to secure a win. This matchup may be one of the most fun of the week to watch, so you may want to turn your tv onto the showdown of the AFC.

Las Vegas Raiders vs. Indianapolis Colts Betting Odds

Entering this week, the Colts were informed that their starting quarterback, Carson Wentz, will most likely be unable to play due to illness, but they are still given the favor in this matchup. Even with the possibility of a rookie QB start, ESPN’s matchup predictor provides the Colts with a 70% confidence interval of victory. 

The Indianapolis team has a very impressive 10-5 record against the spread, leaving them with the third-best record in the league. The Raiders are 6-9 against the spread and have had six of seven of their last game decided between double-digit spreads. This week, the spread was placed at -7 (-110) for the Colts and +7 (-110) for the Raiders. The moneyline has been placed at -305 with the Colts and +240 for the Raiders. This game will ultimately result in the matchup between the Raiders’ defense and Jonathon Taylor, and it seems as if Taylor may emerge victorious once again. The Raiders have a bottom-tier defense with a particular struggle against the rush, giving the Colts an edge they need if they’re going to start Sam Ehlinger in his first game. Overall, I think this game has the potential to be close if the Raiders focus on stopping the rush but can leave the secondary lacking for an unpredictable pass game with a new quarterback.

My Prediction: Colts Win 24-17, Raiders cover

TV Schedule

Date: 1/2/22
Time: 1:00 PM ET
Location: Lucas Oil Stadium
TV Coverage: FOX

Las Vegas Raiders vs. Indianapolis Colts Live Stream

Where can you watch Raiders vs. Colts online? You can stream this game, and many other NFL games live online with Hulu. Hulu has a 7 Day free trial and is cheaper than cable options at $5.99/month. Watch Raiders vs. Colts Free Online Now.

Las Vegas Raiders Analysis

The Las Vegas Raiders have picked up their pace towards the end of this season after some big losses from under-qualified teams like the New York Giants and the Washington Football team. They find themselves in second place in the AFC West and are inching to keep their playoff chances alive. If they want to win this fight against the Colts, their defense will have to pick up their game and focus heavily on proper coverage as not to allow for mistakes they have continued to make in their secondary and on their defensive line.

Derek Carr has had an impressive season landing him in third place for passing yards in the league. He had a brief moment in first place, taking over Tom Brady, but that didn’t last long against the GOAT. He has 4,363 passing yards for 20 touchdowns and twelve interceptions so far this year. He started his season with an average of 400 yards per game in his first three games but has fallen to an average of 233 passing yards per game in his last three games. The change may be attributed to the loss of his top receiver, Henry Ruggs, and he has only been able to rely on Hunter Renfrow. This game is crucial for the Raiders to try to overtake the Los Angeles Chargers for a single spot as second in the division, so Carr needs to bring back his play he had at the beginning of the season. 

Josh Jacobs and Hunter Renfrow are going to be key players for the Raiders team this Sunday. Jacobs is the leading rusher for the team, with 677 rushing yards on 175 carries. Renfrow has been the main target for Carr after the devastating news of Henry Ruggs, with 949 receiving yards on 92 receptions. The Colts have one of the worst pass TD defenses in the league, so I project Carr will be looking for Renfrow in the red zone more than normal.

Las Vegas Raiders Depth Chart

QB: Derek Carr
RB1: Josh Jacobs
RB2: Peyton Barber
RB3: Jalen Richard
WR1: Hunter Renfrow
WR2: DeSean Jackson
WR3: Bryan Edwards
TE1: Foster Moreau

Indianapolis Colts Analysis

The Indianapolis Colts have been turning around their season after a 0-3 start. They enter this week with a huge three-game win streak which gives a huge momentum going into this matchup. They are most likely going to be missing their starting quarterback due to a non-related COVID illness. In his place, Sam Ehlinger is most likely going to be making his first NFL debut. Ehlinger played four years at the University of Texas, leading them to a 21-17 record in four years and has the second-best UT record, just behind Colt McCoy. Ehlinger has gotten into three games for the Colts for only three snaps and nine yards but has yet to make a start. He seemed confident in college, but it will be a shaky game for him against aggressive NFL defensive lines. Lucky for him, the Colts have an impeccable running back that can carry the team if he begins to struggle with his accuracy.

All eyes will be on Jonathan Taylor in this matchup. He leads the league in carries and yards with a significant margin. So far this season, he has 1,626 rushing yards on 297 carries. His touches have continued to increase throughout the season as the team begins to rely on his agility more and more. In his last three games, Taylor has easily surpassed 100 rushing yards and has the potential to reach a record high in this week’s game. The Raiders will be expecting the run from Taylor, so the team will have to have specific play calls that give him an open field to take the ball to the house.

When the ball is going in the air, Ehlinger will most likely be looking for short passes to the trusted Michael Pittman Jr. Pittman has 971 yards on 76 receptions so far this year and has been an incredibly accurate receiver. He may have to change his tempo to find a groove with Ehlinger but has potential to make it easy for the young backup QB.

Indianapolis Colts Depth Chart

QB: Carson Wentz
RB1: Jonathan Taylor
RB2: Nyheim Hines
WR1: Michael Pittman Jr.
WR2: T.Y. Hilton
WR3: Zach Pascal
TE1: Mo Alie-Cox
TE2: Jack Doyle

Las Vegas Raiders vs. Indianapolis Colts Fantasy Picks

If you have Jonathan Taylor on your fantasy team, you have not been disappointed with his performance all year. He leads the league with fantasy points for a running back, averaging 22.8 points. Last week, he had one of his season lows of 10.8 points, but the Colts will need to rely on him with a rookie quarterback in charge of leading the team. 

The Colts’ defense might also be a good starter for this week. They are the fourth-best defense in fantasy and averages 7.5 points per match. This week, they are projected 6 points but have boomed in five of their games. The Colts will want to apply heavy pressure against Derek Carr, which is known for making him make mistakes, leading to potential interceptions for defensive points.