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Anthony Richardson of the Indianapolis Colts looks to pass the ball during a preseason game as we share our Colts vs. Eagles prediction.
Anthony Richardson of the Indianapolis Colts looks to pass the ball during a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. Photo by Bryan M. Bennett Getty Images via AFP.

After brawling at Tuesday's joint practice, the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles can settle their differences on the field in Thursday's preseason finale. Here are our Colts vs. Eagles predictions for Thursday Night Football based on the best NFL odds.

When the Philadelphia Eagles and Indianapolis Colts participated in a joint practice on Tuesday, a sideline-clearing brawl cut the session short. The fight was started when Eagles center Jason Kelce knocked Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin to the ground at the end of the play. Kelce later admitted that it was a cheap shot.

"We try and keep things civil on the field, and I pride myself on being a guy that sustains the emotions and level of play out there, and I let my emotions get the better of me," Kelce told ESPN after the practice. "That certainly doesn't belong out there on the field, and a little ashamed that it got to that level."

Will any of that bad blood carry over into Thursday's preseason finale? The Eagles (0-1-1) are still searching for their first win, while the Colts (1-1) are slated to give rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson the start.

Here is our best Colts vs. Eagles prediction for Thursday Night Football (odds via our best NFL betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Colts vs. Eagles prediction: Thursday Night Football

Eagles +5 (-110 via Caesars) ⭐⭐⭐

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Betting on preseason football can involve much more variance than the regular season, particularly with the final game of the preseason slate. This is a chance for fringe players to make their case for the final roster, while starters will typically spend more time on the sideline.

As such, the market has pushed this spread too far after the news that Anthony Richardson would get the start for the Indianapolis Colts. We don't know how long the rookie quarterback will even go, particularly since the Colts just played a preseason game on Saturday and had a joint practice on Tuesday. 

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Richardson also went 7-for-12 for 67 yards and an interception against the Buffalo Bills in Week 1, so I'm not convinced the Colts have an obvious advantage at quarterback compared to what the Eagles have gotten out of Tanner McKee and Marcus Mariota this preseason. McKee went 10-for-18 for 147 yards and a touchdown in a 18-18 tie with the Cleveland Browns last Thursday.

More importantly, the Eagles have more depth than their winless preseason showing would suggest. This front office has become one of the best at finding talent through the NFL Draft, and I'd expect them to have a strong showing in this finale. For example, former Georgia teammates Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter can dictate this game in the trenches by creating pressure against the Colts' O-line.

The Eagles only have a -1 point differential this preseason after dropping a 20-19 decision to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. We expect them to be within striking distance once again, and perhaps they can even finish the job to get a win heading into the regular season.

Colts vs. Eagles best odds

Caesars (-110)

DraftKingsFanDuelBetMGMCaesarsbet365
Eagles +4.5Eagles +4.5Eagles +4.5Eagles +5Eagles +4.5
-110-110-110-110-110

The best sports betting apps have agreed to make Indianapolis more than a field-goal favorite, but Caesars has the best number with a full five points. While typically this difference would be negligible with football's rigid scoring, the amount of playing time from reserves does open up enough variance that we must grab the +5 in this case.

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Colts vs. Eagles odds

Colts vs. Eagles odds analysis

The spread opened at Colts -3 across our best sports betting sites, but the line is now as high as -5. The total hasn't moved much, however, hovering around 38 for much of the lead-up to the preseason finale.

Thursday Night Football game info

  • Date: Thursday, Aug. 24, 8 p.m. ET
  • TV: Amazon Prime
  • Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
  • Weather: 72 degrees, 44% chance of precipitation, 9-mph winds

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