Early Lines Favor Colts over Patriots in Week Fifteen; Odds for Division, Conference Improve for New England

The 9-4 New England Patriots are set to face the 7-6 Indianapolis Colts on Saturday, December 18 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The New England Patriots are entering Week Fifteen of the 2021 season having won seven straight games, the listed winning streak in the NFL. The 9-4 Patriots are set for a Saturday night showdown with the Indianapolis Colts as both the top-seeded team in the AFC, as well as the division leader in the AFC East. They also lead the league with a +150 point differential. In short, the Pats might just be the hottest team in football…even fresh off of their bye week.

Still, despite the standings, the oddsmakers are currently favoring the home team this weekend…at least, for now. Per the latest lines at BetOnline.ag, the Patriots are entering Saturday’s primetime matchup in Indianapolis as 2-point underdogs. The over/under has been set at 45 ½.

Though a loss in Indianapolis would not derail the Patriots postseason aspirations, wins remain at a premium to keep pace with an AFC playoff race that is tightening by the day. Conversely, a victory would help the Patriots remain in the top spot in both the conference and the division, as well as providing them with considerable momentum for their final three-game stretch of the regular season.

While New England enjoyed a well-deserved and much-needed bye-week rest in Week Fourteen, they still improved their odds for Division title contention. The Buffalo Bills’ 33-27 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday dropped them to 7-6 on the 2021 season. As a result, the Patriots remain in the first place slot of the Division. With four games remaining on their schedule, including a post-Christmas matchup against the Bills, the Pats are -450 favorites in the race for the AFC, with the Bills’ behind them at +300.

The Pats are also among the favorites to win the conference title. In the overall race for the AFC, BetOnline has New England at +260 to be crowned kings of the AFC, trailing only the Kansas City Chiefs at +240. As for the Pats’ Saturday night opponents, Indy has the eighth best odds at +1600.

While the odds are subject to change between now and Saturday, the Pats return to prominence means that they will once again be very much a part of the action when it comes to the sports books.