NFL Underdog Pick for Week 5
October 9th 2010 - Special K            

Kansas City Chiefs (+8) at Indianapolis Colts

As long as the Chiefs don't fall behind early on by a large margin, they won't need to rely on Matt Cassel passing the football and will cover the spread easily. When the Colts jump out to a big lead at home, it is usually game over for the opposing team. It seems like Freeney and Mathis are in the backfield abusing QB's before the offensive line even moves. The Colts have been atrocious against the run this season and this plays into the Chiefs strength. The Colts are giving up nearly 150 yards per game on the ground. so I expect the Chiefs to run the ball all day and keep Manning on the sidelines.

The Chiefs also have the advantage of an experienced coaching staff in Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel that has faced Peyton Manning several times in the past. This is a great article on how Romeo Crennel has fared against Peyton Manning and the Colts (read here). Peyton Manning has actually thrown more interceptions than TD's against Romeo led defenses and this even includes his tenure with the Browns. The Chiefs will make the Colts work for their points this week and keep it close with a strong rushing attack.

Take the Chiefs plus the points