NFL Week 9: Atlanta Falcons vs. Indianapolis Colts Preview

And then there were two – winless teams, that is, as we enter the halfway pole of the 2011 NFL race.

Atlanta Falcons and the Indianapolis Colts will fight on Sunday.

That’s a good thing from a handicapper’s perspective, considering that NFL maidens are a long-term 40-24-2 ATS winning proposition from Game Nine out over the last 30 years.

While it’s not good enough to qualify for a Breeders Cup race, it pays the feed bill, if you will.

If there was a ray of hope in the Colts’ loss at Tennessee last week, it was the fact that Indy managed to outgain its first opponent this season.

Call it the tip of the iceberg, if you will, but one tends to find solace wherever they can. Relief also comes in knowing the Falcons are a dreadful 0-4 ATS under head coach Mike Smith in games off back-to-back SU wins when the last came SU as a dog.

That ties in nicely to the Dirty Birds’ 1-8 ATS mark as favorites of 6 or more points off a SU dog win when taking on an opponent off a double-digit loss.

The Colts are in the gate this week and look to hit the board.

Atlanta Falcons vs. Indianapolis Colts Week 9 stats:

The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games
Atlanta is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games on the road
Atlanta is 17-6 SU in its last 23 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Atlanta's last 9 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Indianapolis's last 7 games
Indianapolis is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Indianapolis's last 7 games at home
Indianapolis is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games at home