Indianapolis Colts vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Spread Info and Predictions

Curtis Painter is getting thrown into the fire on the road—in front of the entire nation—when he tries to lead the Indianapolis Colts to victory over a surging Tampa Bay Buccaneers team.

Clearly this matchup doesn't care the same pizazz it did when we thought Peyton Manning would be under center, but the Colts proved they aren't going to lie down for anyone when they gave the Steelers a scare last week.

The Colts face an uphill battle, as the Bucs look to jump to a hot 3-1 start.

Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL

When: 8:30 p.m. ET, Oct. 3, 2011.

Watch: ESPN

Over/Under: 40 1/2

Note: Lines According to Bodog

Go with the under. Tampa Bay is going to run the ball at will with LeGarrette Blount. While they are going to be able to put up points and Mike Williams should get back on track this week, it's hard to see the Colts meeting them halfway.

Spread: Tampa Bay -10 1/2

Take the Bucs -10 1/2. Curtis Painter was never able to develop because Peyton Manning hogged every rep week after week in practice. The offense is not in sync and you shouldn't take them competing last week as a sign of things to come.

Painter is going to be under fire, as a young and talented Bucs defensive line makes his life miserable. Adrian Clayborn is the manchild everyone thought he would be. You can expect him to terrorize Painter and the Colts' line on the way to a huge win.

Key Injuries:

Colts:

Kerry Collins, QB: Questionable (concussion)
Antoine Bethea, S: Probable (heal)
Ernie Sims, LB: Questionable (knee)
Dwight Freeney, DE: Probable (abdomen)
Gary Brackett, LB: IR (shoulder)
Melvin Bullett, S: IR (shoulder)
Justin Tryon, CB: Questionable (hamstring)
Peyton Manning, QB: Out (neck)

Buccaneers:

Quincy Black, LB: Questionable (ankle)
Geno Hayes, LB: Questionable (concussion)
Cody Grimm, S: IR (Knee)

Fantasy Big Plays

Joseph Addai: The Colts are going to try to get it going on the ground. Expect Joseph Addai to get the ball early and often as Indy looks to compensate for having Painter under center. Addai looks better every week and his increased workload makes him worth the start.

All Colts receivers: Bench every Colts receiver you have. Things won't get better, the passing game won't become more fluid and Painter is not going to have a breakout game in his first experience as a starter. Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon and even Dallas Clark are no-go's this week.

LeGarrette Blount: The Bucs are at their best when Blount is at his. Josh Freeman is their best player, but they have problems moving the ball if they aren't getting it going on the ground. His 24 carries last week point to an increased workload for him and more points for you.

Mike Williams: Times are tough for Mike Williams owners. Even though he's been a disappointment, it's not time to bench him just yet. Freeman to Williams is going to make a comeback. With the run game starting to make a comeback, the pass will open up in due time.

Keys to Indianapolis Colts win:

Run the football. The longer the ball stays in Curtis Painter's hand, the more he becomes a liability. There is no shame in dumbing down the offense. Make him more comfortable by limiting his role and moving the ball with Joseph Addai.

Limit turnovers. This is obviously a key to any victory, but there is a good chance Painter hits the panic button and becomes a turnover machine. The Colts are going to have a hard enough time winning without making costly mental errors.

Keys to Tampa Bay Buccaneers win:

Trust LeGarrette Blount. Blount came up big last week and picked up the tough yards when he needed to. He's the kind of player who can put the entire team on his back and carry them to victory. Literally running over the Colts will break their spirit and let them know they have no shot in this one.

Attack Curtis Painter. The worst thing the Bucs can do is give Painter a chance to succeed. The Colts have weapons and if he falls into a rhythm, the Bucs can find themselves in trouble. It's unnecessary. As long as Tampa Bay dials up the pressure, Painter will be as bad as everyone thinks he is capable of being.

Prediction:

Colts 10, Buccaneers 28

The Colts are a liability on both sides of the ball. They had bad enough problems at quarterback with Kerry Collins leading the charge. With him going down, the Colts don't have a chance.

The Bucs are coming off a huge win against Atlanta and have a national stage to show the world just how promising they are with a big performance on Monday night.