Jules
The Colts Fan
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http://content.usatoday.com/communi...lts-21-point-underdogs-new-england-patriots/1
There seems little chance that the 0-11 Indianapolis Colts will get their first victory of the season on Sunday at New England (8-3). But perhaps the Colts can at least claim a moral victory by beating the gargantuan 21-point spread.
It has been nearly 20 years since a 20-point underdog didn't beat the spread, and very seldom has any underdog even had to contend with the insult of being that lightly regarded.
The four most-recent 20-point spreads all favored the Patriots during their 16-0 regular-season run in 2007.
New England won eight of its first 10 games that season by at least 20 or more points, but wasn't made a 20-point favorite in any of those games. When the oddsmakers did finally favor them by 20 (or more) in four games the Patriots didn't cover in any of them.
Twice they won by only a field goal. Those four games (via the Wall Street Journal and RJ Bell of Pregame.com):
New England was favored by 23 at home vs. Philadelphia and won 31-28.
New England was favored by 20 at Baltimore and won 27-24.
New England was favored by 21 at home vs. the Jets and won 20-10.
New England was favored by 22 at home vs. Miami and won 28-7.
Before that, you have to go all the way back to the great 49ers teams to find a spread of 20 points or more.
San Francisco won 21-8 at home against Cincinnati in 1993, but didn't cover the 23-point spread. The season before, the Niners also failed to cover a 20-point spread at home when they beat Tampa Bay, 21-14.
Also in 1992, Buffalo failed to cover when favored by 20 at home against New England, winning 16-7.
So when is the last time a 20-point favorite covered the spread?
In two Buffalo blowouts of the Colts, with the Bills favored by 20 both times. Buffalo won by 38-0 in 1992 and also by 42-6 in 1991.
There seems little chance that the 0-11 Indianapolis Colts will get their first victory of the season on Sunday at New England (8-3). But perhaps the Colts can at least claim a moral victory by beating the gargantuan 21-point spread.
It has been nearly 20 years since a 20-point underdog didn't beat the spread, and very seldom has any underdog even had to contend with the insult of being that lightly regarded.
The four most-recent 20-point spreads all favored the Patriots during their 16-0 regular-season run in 2007.
New England won eight of its first 10 games that season by at least 20 or more points, but wasn't made a 20-point favorite in any of those games. When the oddsmakers did finally favor them by 20 (or more) in four games the Patriots didn't cover in any of them.
Twice they won by only a field goal. Those four games (via the Wall Street Journal and RJ Bell of Pregame.com):
New England was favored by 23 at home vs. Philadelphia and won 31-28.
New England was favored by 20 at Baltimore and won 27-24.
New England was favored by 21 at home vs. the Jets and won 20-10.
New England was favored by 22 at home vs. Miami and won 28-7.
Before that, you have to go all the way back to the great 49ers teams to find a spread of 20 points or more.
San Francisco won 21-8 at home against Cincinnati in 1993, but didn't cover the 23-point spread. The season before, the Niners also failed to cover a 20-point spread at home when they beat Tampa Bay, 21-14.
Also in 1992, Buffalo failed to cover when favored by 20 at home against New England, winning 16-7.
So when is the last time a 20-point favorite covered the spread?
In two Buffalo blowouts of the Colts, with the Bills favored by 20 both times. Buffalo won by 38-0 in 1992 and also by 42-6 in 1991.
