Colts (4-10-1) at Giants (8-6-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J. TV: CBS
Tipico Sportsbook line: Giants by 3
Colts’ keys to victory: Indianapolis is minus-12 in turnover differential, which is last in the NFL. New York has been loose with the football in recent weeks, which opens the door for LB Zaire Franklin, who leads the Colts in forced fumbles. On offense, QB Nick Foles and Co. had better prepare for the heavy blitz packages of DC Wink Martindale and counteract with screens and quick passes.
Giants’ keys to victory: One thing the Colts do well is getting to the quarterback. LT Andrew Thomas will need to limit DE Yannick Ngakoue while the interior line prevents DT DeForest Buckner from collapsing the pocket. That will allow QB Daniel Jones to get into a rhythm and potentially take shots downfield. Using RB Saquon Barkley should allow for play-action When the opportunities arrive, Giants DBs need to capitalize. They’ve dropped too many interceptions.
Matchup to watch: Colts LT Bernhard Raimann vs. Giants LB Kayvon Thibodeaux. It’s a rookie vs. rookie matchup that could decide this game. Thibodeaux has come on strong late and has begun to cause havoc. He also thrives in big moments, and there have been none bigger than this, with the playoffs on the line. Raimann has at times held his own against the NFL’s elite talent.
Who wins? The Giants have gone 1-4-1 over their last six games, but a win against the Colts punches their first ticket to the playoffs since 2016. MetLife Stadium will undoubtedly be rocking. Indy won’t be a pushover, but the Giants will do more than enough.
Giants, 24-17