The Indianapolis Colts are just about set to open the 2023 regular season with a home matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Sunday matchup will feature two teams heading in opposite directions. While the Colts have an optimistic future to build toward with a new head coach and franchise quarterback, the Jaguars are the reigning division champions looking to defend their crown.
The oddsmakers in Vegas see the Jaguars coming away with a road win to begin the season. Here’s how some of the experts around the league view the matchup:
| Expert | Pick | Score (if applicable) | Link |
| Nate Davis (USA TODAY) | Jaguars | 23-16 | Link |
| Jarrett Bell (USA TODAY) | Jaguars | 28-19 | Link |
| Lorenzo Reyes (USA TODAY) | Jaguars | 25-17 | Link |
| Mike Clay (ESPN) | Jaguars | — | Link |
| Dan Graziano (ESPN) | Jaguars | — | Link |
| NFL Network | Jaguars | 27-18 | Link |
| Bill Bender (Sporting News) | Jaguars | 31-21 | Link |
| Pete Prisco (CBS Sports) | Jaguars | 34-17 | Link |
| Cam DaSilva (Sportsbook Wire) | Jaguars | — | Link |
| Bleacher Report | Jaguars | 30-16 | Link |
There shouldn’t be much of a surprise to see the experts erring on the side of caution to begin the season. Over at Tallysight, 96% of the analysts have the Jaguars taking a road victory, and 81% of analysts believe Jacksonville will cover the spread (-5).
So much of the Colts offense is an unknown right now, but there is room for them to surprise the league. Anthony Richardson’s volatile passing may be an issue to begin the season, but his affinity for avoiding sacks will keep the Colts offense on the field. Not to mention, the Jaguars were 26th in sacks during the 2022 season.
It will take a lot for the Colts to pull off the upset and while it’s certainly possible, the experts around the league don’t see that happening.
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