Opening NFL odds Week 16 - Chargers favored by 4 over Colts in Indianapolis

As of this writing, DraftKings Sportsbook favors the Los Angeles Chargers by 4 points when they visit the Indianapolis Colts for Monday Night Football.

It’s hard to imagine the Colts being favorites in any game for the rest of the season. They proved on national television Saturday that no lead is enough to feel comfortable. They proved that even their defense can and will lay over in back-to-back games, cushioned with their Bye, for the whole world to see.

The offense is awful, and losing Jonathan Taylor for the rest of the season will do the unit no favors. There is no reason for any player to put his body on the line at this point, as players will now pivot to thinking about where they might play next year and if they will get a new contract. The NFL Network embarrassed itself Saturday, playing up a narrative that the game between the Vikings and Colts was pitting a team in the playoff hunt against a team that was trying to wrap up its Division and keep itself near the top in NFC seeding.

The reality for anyone following the NFL is that the Colts haven’t been serious playoff contenders for weeks. A variety of major team events pointed to this obvious fact, but maybe someone watching television watching the game for the first time was convinced that the Colts were a legitimate threat to make the playoffs. And maybe, because of that, they tuned into the game longer than they might have.

Ultimately, the team is showing no pride. The coaching staff cannot prepare them for the games or keep them in ones after kickoff. The players, even the really good ones, aren’t enough to overcome weaknesses, injuries, or poor communication. The offense is dead. The offensive line is still terrible. In big moments, Matt Ryan appears incapable of feeling his way around a pocket. Now Jonathan Taylor is done.

So yeah, the Colts aren’t favorites. They shouldn’t be. The most entertaining pre-game bet might be whether the broadcast lists the Colts in the playoff hunt. Or perhaps it makes more sense to show where they could fall in the 2023 Draft - that is a more relevant discussion.