Indianapolis Colts Favored To Win AFC Championship

NFL News - January 5th, 2010 - Written by John

The Indianapolis Colts gave up on an undefeated season, but it's hard to imagine anyone else as the favorites to win the AFC Championship this year. Despite a streaking San Diego Chargers team nipping at their heels, the Colts are the odds-on favorites, according to 2009 NFL Playoff Betting Lines, to win both playoff games and reach the Super Bowl.

A moneyline payout returns at +110 if Indianapolis wins the conference later this month, while the Chargers are a close second at +200.

It would be Indianapolis' second trip to the big show in the last four years -- the last time the game was held in Miami. In 2007, the Colts survived the Chiefs, Ravens and Patriots in the AFC bracket to advance to the Super Bowl at Dolphins Stadium, and finished the run by beating the Chicago Bears for the championship.

But if there's a team poised to spoil Indianapolis' charmed season, it's the white-hot Chargers, who have the league's longest-active winning streak at 10 games. Philip Rivers has thrown only three interceptions in the last eight games, and has earned a plus-100 rating six times in that span.

Both Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates have over 1,000 yards on the year, and San Diego has scored the fourth-most points on the season.

LaDainian Tomlinson didn't reach 1,000 yards (and never really even got close) but provided a powerful punch at the goalline, scoring 12 times.

Of the remaining wild card teams who must win three to win the conference, the betting site considers the New England Patriots as the best option. At +500, they are the only other team not with quadruple-digit odds. Still one of the better teams in the league, New England certainly took a shot to the gut with the injury to leading-receiver Wes Welker. Qucik slants and bubble screens have been a critical facet to the Patriots' scheme, which makes Julian Edelman a vital player in the slot.

Baltimore and Cincinnati make up the fourth and fifth horses, despite the fact that the Ravens are actually the sixth-seed. The Jets are the longshot at +2000 for a variety of reasons, not the least of which being an inexperienced quarterback with eight more interceptions than touchdowns.

New York eeked it's way into the postseason with a win on the final day, and will have to face an angry Bengals team in the 2009 NFL Playoffs opener Saturday. But don't sleep on the Jets. They have the no. 1 ranked defense and a top-five rushing attack that could be trouble in the wintry playoff games.