WILD CARD PREVIEW 1: INDIANAPOLIS COLTS AT BUFFALO BILLS

BY ADAM GREENE

Our Wild Card Weekend opens with a fantastic AFC match up that might end up closer on paper than it will be on the field as the Indianapolis Colts travel to upstate New York to take on the Buffalo Bills.

The Colts have Buffalo to thank for making the postseason. If the Bills had rested starters and relaxed last week, surrendering their game to the Miami Dolphins, Indy would be watching this one on their Barcaloungers and choosing whether or not to add wings to their pizza order.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS AT BUFFALO BILLS (-6, O/U: 51)

Location: Bills Stadium, Orchard Park, N.Y.

Kickoff: Jan. 9, 1:05 p.m. EST

Broadcast: CBS

THE HISTORY

All the history between these two teams begins at the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, but that’s not the storyline anyone’s going to be interested in come Saturday.

Here’s the real history we’re dealing with; Indy head coach Frank Reich is not only one of the greatest back up quarterbacks in NFL history, he is a Buffalo Bills legend. In the 1992-93 Wild Card game against the Houston Oilers, Reich, starting for an injured Jim Kelly, led the Bills to a 41-38 overtime victory after falling behind 35-3 in what remains the greatest comeback in NFL history. Reich knocked off the Pittsburgh Steelers the very next week in the Divisional Round before passing the baton back to Kelly who took Buffalo to its fourth consecutive Super Bowl appearance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOrhwgpZNP0&feature=youtu.be

As for the Colts and Bills as franchises, they’ve met up 70 times in the past 50 years, but this is the first to come in the postseason. Buffalo holds a 37-32-1 advantage in the all time series.

They last clashed on Oct. 21, 2018 with Indianapolis claiming a 37-5 victory. Andrew Luck threw for 156 yards and four touchdowns in the win. Marlon Mack rushed for 126 yards and a score. Derek Anderson got the start for Buffalo and he threw for 175 yards and three interceptions.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (11-5)

You can’t say the Colts backed into the playoffs, but maybe pulled off a “Cha-Cha Slide” into the tournament. In Week 17 they knocked off the Jacksonville Jaguars 28-14 to stay alive, but didn’t secure a spot until the Dolphins were forced to take their talents to South Beach by the opponent Indy faces Saturday.

Philip Rivers threw for 164 yards, a touchdown and a pick in the win. Jonathan Taylor rushed 30 times for 253 yards and two touchdowns. The defense sacked Mike Glennon six times and forced a turnover.

BUFFALO BILLS (13-3)

The Bills could have packed it in last Sunday, but decided to go ahead and play most of the game with their starters. Turns out, that was plenty as they obliterated Miami 56-26 and denied the Dolphins a shot to lose immediately in the playoffs.

Josh Allen threw for 224 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Matt Barkley, coming out of the bullpen, was good for 164 yards, a TD and a pick. Gabriel Davis caught two passes for 107 yards and TD.

THE PICK

Of all the possible outcomes of Wild Card weekend, this is the one I feel the best about. No team, not even the Kansas City Chiefs, is playing anywhere near the level the Bills have over the last two months. They are elite on offense and defense and I don’t think this one will be close. Bills 51, Colts 23

LAST WEEK

Straight up: 13-3

Against the spread: 11-5

SEASON

Straight up: 170-85-1

Against the spread: 131-125

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