Things need to get back on the rails in a hurry for the winless Indianapolis Colts (0-2) if they hope to stay competitive with an undefeated Houston Texans squad in the AFC South. Their opponent this weekend also has several key issues to iron out quickly, as the Chicago Bears (1-1) are only averaging 15 points per game through the first two games of the 2024-25 NFL Season. Kickoff is set for 1:00 PM EST on September 22nd at Lucas Oil Stadium.
It was an ugly road performance for the Colts in Week 2, as they couldn’t find a way to get past a Green Bay team that was forced to start Malik Willis at quarterback after a knee injury sidelined Jordan Love. Chicago also had a tough outing despite a solid effort on defense, winding up on the wrong end of a 19-13 decision against the Texans on Sunday Night Football.
The key to this game for Indianapolis will definitely be a better outing from Anthony Richardson, as he fell flat against the Packers after putting up a solid showing in Week 1 against Houston at home. On the Bears side, rookie Caleb Williams will need to avoid turning the ball over after throwing two costly interceptions in Week 2 that cost his team the game.
Matchup Details, Betting Market Information and Where to Watch
Oddsmakers opened this game up with the Colts listed as 1.5-point home favorites. The spread has tightened by half a point after early betting, as Indianapolis is currently available at -1 on most sportsbooks. The total for this matchup is 43.5 points. Viewers hoping to watch the game should note that it will be televised on CBS. In Canada, the game will also be available on DAZN.
Chicago Bears Come Up Short Against Texans
Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams saw his struggles continue in his second career start after passing for just 93 yards in Chicago’s home opener in Week 1. Houston applied a ton of pressure on Williams all night, forcing two turnovers and holding the Bears to under 250 total yards of offense. They also did a fantastic job limiting the ground attack, as no Bears player managed to rush for more than 44 yards. The only two players that had any sort of success on Sunday night were D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze, as the receiving duo combined for 86 yards on eight total receptions.
Chicago played extremely well on the other side of the ball in a very tough matchup against one of the NFL’s best offenses. The Bears managed to hold Houston to just one touchdown the entire game, although they did allow star receiver Nico Collins to torch them for 135 yards and a touchdown on a game-high eight catches.
Indianapolis Colts Disjointed On Offense In Green Bay
Not a lot went right for the Colts on offense against Green Bay in Week 2, as Anthony Richardson looked dreadful until late in the fourth quarter when the game was already well out of reach for Indianapolis. RB Jonathan Taylor had a much better outing on the ground after a slow start to the season in Week 1, rushing for 103 yards on just 12 total carries.
Depth receiver Alex Pierce continued his hot start to the year in an increased role due to Josh Downs still being sidelined with an injury, finding the end zone for a second consecutive game and leading the Colts with 56 receiving yards. Michael Pittman has yet to break out however, recording just three catches for 21 receiving yards all afternoon.
On the other side of the ball, Indianapolis kept the struggling offense in the game by holding the Packers to just three field goals after allowing a first quarter touchdown. However, the Colts had absolutely no answer for Josh Jacobs on the ground, as they got bulldozed for 151 yards on 30+ carries.
Our Bears vs Colts NFL Betting Prediction and Pick
I’m willing to give the Colts offense the benefit of the doubt after one bad outing, especially since they will be playing at home in the dome this weekend where they looked solid to start the season back in Week 1. The Bears offense also seems to be headed in the wrong direction, as their impotent passing attack continued to struggle against Houston with Caleb Williams turning the ball over twice and failing to find the end zone through the air yet again.
Indianapolis definitely looked better on defense last weekend despite struggling to slow down the Packers on the ground. They should have a much better performance here in Week 3 against a Chicago team that will struggle to keep pace against an explosive offense led by one of the most exciting young quarterbacks in the entire NFL.
Against the Spread Betting Market Tip: Colts -1
I have absolutely no problem laying the single point in this matchup, as I think that Indianapolis is the optimal play against a Bears team that is still searching for an identity. While Chicago’s strong play on defense should keep this game from getting out of hand early, I have no faith in Caleb Williams’ ability to suddenly figure things out under center after looking lost at times through the first two weeks of the season.
The Colts also appear to have the advantage on the ground, as Jonathan Taylor looked like his usual self in Week 2 despite a negative game script for the rushing attack. If Indianpolis gets out to an early lead on Sunday afternoon, look for Taylor to record 20+ carries and put the game away in the second half. Pay the single point and take the home favorite to cover the spread in a game they need to win outright if they want to have any chance of closing the gap with the Texans in the AFC South. Give me Indianapolis!
