49ers vs. Colts prediction: NFL Week 16 ‘Monday Night Football’ odds, pick, best bets

Week 16 gave us plenty of thrills between a wild “Thursday Night Football” game and a heart-stopping finish on Saturday night. Maybe we’ll get another game to remember for the final matchup of the week when the San Francisco 49ers visit the Indianapolis Colts on “Monday Night Football.”

The Colts (8-4) have lost four straight games and are in the midst of a free-fall down the AFC standings after an excellent start. They went from being one of the early bright spots of the season and a potential redemption story to one of the unfortunate victims of poor injury luck when quarterback Daniel Jones went down with a torn Achilles.

The Colts find themselves outside of the NFL postseason picture with 44-year-old, formerly retired quarterback Philip Rivers hoping to orchestrate an improbable comeback.

Rivers and the Colts need to overcome the 49ers (10-4), who have won four in a row entering Monday night’s showdown.

Oddsmakers at DraftKings have the Niners listed as 5.5-point favorites on the road, and the betting public is heavy on them as well, with 83 percent of moneyline bets landing on the road team.

49ers vs. Colts odds, prediction

The Colts may have the more recent notable injury, but the 49ers have been dealing with them all season.

Quarterback Brock Purdy missed nine games with turf toe, which is still a lingering issue. Nick Bosa and Fred Warner are out for the season. Brandon Aiyuk, who seems destined for another team, hasn’t played a snap this season. Still, the Niners have managed to trudge along and keep themselves in the thick of the playoff hunt.

What stands out most to me in this game are the two stellar running backs on both sides. Both men are dynamic at their position.

Jonathan Taylor entered Week 16 as the leading rusher in the NFL with 1,443 yards on the ground and 16 rushing touchdowns. McCaffrey entered the week leading the NFL in touches and had the third-most yards from scrimmage (1,742) behind Bijan Robinson and Taylor.

Getty Images

I expect both teams to look for ways to get their backs going in both the running and passing games. The Colts rank fifth in rushing yards allowed per game, while the 49ers rank 12th, but both teams have shown vulnerability against the run in recent weeks.

Betting on the NFL?

• Read our expert guide on how to bet on the NFL
• Check out the best NFL betting sites
• Get the BetMGM Bonus Code

The Colts allowed 185 combined yards to Chiefs running backs, 101 combined yards to Texans backs, and 87 yards and two touchdowns to Jaguars backs during this losing skid.

The 49ers have had similar struggles containing backs, with the Browns and Titans backfields putting up 132 and 151 total yards, respectively.

Instead of betting which of these two star rushers will have more success, I’m going to bet them both and look to find value in their combined greatness.

The Play: Jonathan Taylor & Christian McCaffrey Over 163.5 Rushing Yards (-115, DraftKings)

Why Trust New York Post Betting

Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He’s a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and combat sports. He spends his weeknights in the winter looking for edges on plus-money NBA player props.