Buffalo closed the season with a flourish
The Buffalo Bills had a late-game collapse against the Houston Texans last season. It is what prevented them from advancing in the playoffs. Now they have come back with a new and improved version. And we say that especially on the part of quarterback Josh Allen. So this is a different look as they take on the Indianapolis Colts.
Let’s see if we can make a case for the Bills getting the win AND the cover.
These teams meet in Saturday’s AFC Wild Card playoff round, starting at 1:05 PM ET at Bills Stadium.
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Buffalo Bills vs. Indianapolis Colts Wild Card Odds
| Team | SP/RL | TOTAL | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colts | +6½ (-110) | 51 (-109) | +245 |  |
| Bills | -6½ (-110) | 51 (-111) | -300 | |
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Bills are on a roll
Buffalo has won its last six games, and the Bills have also covered eight games in a row. And they could not have possibly looked any better than they did in the regular-season finale. Facing a Miami team that needed to win to get into the playoffs, the Bills completely dominated. Scoring in all phases of the game (offense, defense, special teams), they routed the Dolphins 56-26. And in the process of that, they intercepted Tua Tagovailoa three times.
They also clinched the #2 AFC seed, which will give them a home game against anyone but Kansas City.
Allen is a new guy
When Josh Allen first came into the NFL, he was known as someone very raw. He didn’t recognize coverages right away. He took off and ran a lot. He put himself in harm’s way. He made silly mistakes. And frankly, he did that as recently as last season, when he drooled a bit down the stretch in a playoff game against Houston. Allen’s mistakes allowed the Texans to get back into the game, which went into overtime and resulted in a Buffalo loss.
But he came back this year like a guy who was fully formed. Part of it is that he has been working with quarterback guru Jordan Palmer. In case you’re not aware, that’s the brother of former Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer.
Also, Bills coach Sean McDermott and team management put some more weaponry in front of him. Stefon Diggs, who had been a top receiver in Minnesota, was acquired. And all he’s done is lead the NFL with 127 catches for 1532 yards. Together with slot receiver Cole Beasley (967 yards), he makes for a dangerous combination.
And so Allen has made his first Pro Bowl roster, throwing for 4544 yards, with 39 touchdowns. He has, without a doubt, become a premier quarterback. And he isn’t a guy who short-arms it; Allen gets the ball down the field.
Defense – how good are the Colts, really?
The commonly accepted perception is that the Colts are the better defensive team. We would grant that to be true, but to what degree?
When you look at the category of yards allowed on a per-drive basis, you might be surprised. Buffalo ranks 16th in the NFL, while Indy is 17th. And a closer observation of the Indianapolis schedule, you’ll see something especially interesting. In their first nine games of the season, the Colts surrendered only 17.8 points per game. But over their last seven, that figure inflated to 26.4. Perhaps not coincidentally, that’s when the schedule got tougher.
So how did we do? Did we convince you?
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