Colts vs. Broncos Week 5 Betting: Can Jonathan Taylor-less Indy Beat Denver on Thursday?

Week 5 of the 2022 NFL season is just days away from beginning. The new slate of games kicks off with a massive Thursday Night Football affair between two AFC teams as the Indianapolis Colts pay a visit to the Denver Broncos.

From @GMFB: The #Colts are monitoring their star RB Jonathan Taylor (ankle), while #Broncos RB Javonte Williams is feared to have suffered a serious knee injury. pic.twitter.com/BaRAgcLTFn

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 3, 2022

The Colts’ underwhelming campaign took another hit over the weekend thanks to a 24-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans. While the final score doesn’t look that bad, Indianapolis looked downright sloppy at times, highlighted by three turnovers.

Meanwhile, the Broncos finally discovered their offense, but couldn’t get the job done in their 32-23 loss to the rival Las Vegas Raiders. Russell Wilson threw for 237 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but it wasn’t good enough to get the job done.

Betting News has gathered the latest Colts vs Broncos odds from BetOnline Sportsbook to help shed some light on the situation, along with a prediction and best bets for the NFL Week 5 game.

Indianapolis Colts vs Denver Broncos Week 5 Matchup Information and Betting Odds

Matchup Information

• Matchup: Indianapolis Colts (1-2-1, 0-1-1 Away) vs. Denver Broncos (2-2, 2-0 Home)
• Venue & Location: Empower Field at Mile High (Denver, Colorado)
• Date: Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022
• Game Time: 8:15 p.m. Eastern Time
• Colts vs Broncos Info: Prime Video

Colts vs Broncos Odds

Game odds are via BetOnline as of Monday, Oct. 3 at 7:51 a.m. ET. Odds from other top online sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Spread

• Indianapolis Colts +3 (-106)
• Denver Broncos -3 (-114)

Over/Under

• Over 43.5 Points (-106)
• Under 43.5 Points (-114)

Moneyline

• Indianapolis Colts +142
• Denver Broncos -168

Indianapolis Colts vs Denver Broncos Betting Trends

• Indianapolis is 9-3 straight up in its last 12 games against Denver.
• Denver is 11-4 straight up in its last 15 games played on Thursday.
• Indianapolis is 1-5 against the spread (ATS) in its last six games.
• Denver is 1-4 ATS in its last five home games against Indianapolis.
• The total has hit the under in each of Indianapolis’ last five road games.
• The total has hit the under in five of Denver’s last six games against the AFC South.

Indianapolis Colts vs Denver Broncos Prediction and Picks

Colts vs Broncos Prediction: Broncos 23, Colts 17

Colts vs Broncos Picks: Broncos -3 (Best Value: -114 at BetOnline) & Under 43.5 Points (Best Value: -114 at BetOnline)

Fans and experts alike had huge expectations for the Colts and Broncos ahead of the 2022 NFL season. In fact, both teams were expected to be among the AFC’s best teams, potentially competing for Super Bowl LVII in February.

Instead, the two sides are off to slow starts, mainly due to neither offense clicking. Now, Indianapolis and Denver have the opportunity to turn things around in Week 5’s Thursday Night Football matchup.

Unfortunately, things won’t get any easier for the Colts. Starting running back Jonathan Taylor suffered a potential high-ankle sprain in Week 4 and though it’s not expected to require surgery, there’s a chance that he won’t face the Broncos due to a quick turnaround.

Without Taylor, there isn’t much to like about the Colts offense up to this point. Quarterback Matt Ryan looks like a shell of his former self. He might have chemistry with the likes of Michael Pittman Jr. and Mo Alie-Cox at times, but the connection with all of his pass-catchers is far from consistent.

The result? Indianapolis averaging a league-worst 14.3 points per game. On the flip side, the Broncos’ only average 16.5 PPG (No. 29), so improvements must be made there — especially after RB Javonte Williams was also hurt in Week 4.

#Broncos RB Javonte Williams is feared to have suffered a serious knee injury, source said. He’ll have an MRI tomorrow to determine the full extent, but there is not a lot of optimism surrounding the injury.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 3, 2022

The good news is that Denver still has Melvin Gordon to take over in the backfield, while Wilson is coming off a nice showing with wideouts Jerry Jeudy (four receptions, 53 yards and a TD) and Courtland Sutton (5-52-1).

At the end of the day, I expect Denver’s defense to make the most of the opposition’s struggles. The Colts have turned the ball over nine times — the second-most in the NFL — and while the Broncos only have four turnovers, the talent is there to make Indianapolis pay for its mistakes.

Taylor’s absence would also hurt the Colts more than Williams would the Broncos. Yes, last year’s leading rusher hasn’t done much since Week 1, but without him on the field, Denver can focus on Indianapolis’ passing game, which clearly isn’t that great.

I could see this game being decided by only one possession, however, I am backing the Broncos here. The Colts have looked like one of the worst teams in the league at times. Even with the talent they possess, they’re just too tough to trust at the moment.

I do think that the Broncos can cover the 3-point spread, especially with the Colts only being 1-5 ATS in their last six games. I also think that offensive expectations should be lowered because of the injuries, which is why I predict that the two sides will combine for under 43.5 points.