Here are News' sports staff predictions for Saturday's AFC wild-card game between the Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts:
Vic Carucci
There are reasons to believe the Colts are as formidable an opponent as the Bills could face in the wild-card round. They have superb coaching. They have a solid defense. They have a beast of a rookie running back in Jonathan Taylor.
However, none of that is enough to derail what should be a deep postseason run by the Bills. Josh Allen and the rest of one of the most dominant offenses in the league will be more than the Colts can handle.
The Bills' defense has shown its vulnerability against outstanding rushers, but it should have little trouble getting after 39-year-old Philip Rivers, who has virtually no mobility and has a history of struggling in cold weather and forcing turnovers. The Bills also have exceptional coaching in all phases. Bills, 30-23.
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Beasley was listed as a limited participant in Thursday's session. Diggs, who has an oblique injury, also was limited in practice Thursday after sitting out Tuesday and Wednesday.
Jay Skurski
This is no first-round bye. The Colts should give the Bills pause. They are well coached, have a potential Hall of Fame quarterback, a dynamic rookie running back and a sound defense. With all that being true, the Bills should still take care of business. They are the hottest team in the NFL, led by a quarterback playing as well or better than any other player in the league at his position.
Expect Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll to stay with his "all gas, no brakes" style. The way to beat the Colts is to spread them out and let Josh Allen throw, throw and throw some more to Stefon Diggs and Co. The Colts being without cornerback Rock Ya-Sin because of a concussion makes it even more difficult for them to match up when the Bills use three or four wide receivers, which they figure to do often.
A quick start is important for the Bills, because that would force the Colts away from running the ball as much as they might prefer to with Taylor. Bills, 34-20.
Mark Gaughan
I think Indianapolis and Cleveland were the two “easier” wild-card matchups for the Bills, as opposed to Tennessee and Baltimore. For sure, the Colts have an impressive collection of elite talent. They have five players who I’d rank among the top five in the NFL at their positions: guard Quenton Nelson, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, linebacker Darius Leonard, center Ryan Kelly and nickel corner Kenny Moore. But if I were a Colts fan, the Bills would have been the matchup I least preferred. The Colts match up better against Tennessee, because Buckner and nose tackle Grover Stewart are so stout against the run and it’s a division foe they know so well.
The Colts were a top-five defense at the midway point of the season, but that ranking was deceiving because they didn’t play great quarterbacks. Once the competition got tougher, their ranking sank. I think the Colts still are a top-flight edge rusher and probably one more quality defensive back away from being a championship-caliber defense. I think the Colts will move the ball on the Bills’ defense. Jonathan Taylor will gash the Bills’ run front a few times, at least. But I can’t see them keeping up with the Bills’ offense for four quarters.
Give me 24-year-old Josh Allen over 39-year Philip Rivers all day, every day. Bills, 31-20.
Remember, every scorching force cools off after reaching its apex.
Jason Wolf
The Bills didn't rebound from a crushing wild-card loss at Houston last season to go 13-3 and win the AFC East for the first time in 25 years to lose to the Colts in the first round in Orchard Park. Last year's playoff loss motivated Buffalo, and the pain of that experience, along with one of the most potent offenses in the NFL, spells big trouble for Indianapolis.
The Colts' middling pass defense is going to be overwhelmed by Josh Allen, who could have his top three wide receivers in Stefon Diggs, John Brown and Cole Beasley, should he return from injury. And Buffalo will put up points to force the Colts to abandon the run.
Indy running back Jonathan Taylor rushed for 253 yards in the regular-season finale against the Jaguars and will pose a major problem for as long as the score remains close, making a quick start and early lead essential.
Expect the Bills' pass rush to get after the immobile 39-year-old Philip Rivers, who has a 5-6 career record in the playoffs. Bills, 31-23.
Rachel Lenzi
Unlike recent weeks, don’t expect this game to be a romp for the Bills. Not just because it’s the playoffs, but because the Bills are facing a team that has a few horses, no pun intended.
Josh Allen and the Bills’ receivers still need to be patient against a defense that has allowed its opponents to throw for over 300 yards four times in its last five games, and doesn’t have the peak capability of shutting down the Bills’ wide receivers.
The Bills' defense, meanwhile, has to minimize the Colts’ running game, which gained 400 yards and scored four touchdowns over its final two regular-season games.
With the muscle the Colts have – particularly veteran quarterback Philip Rivers, running back Jonathan Taylor and wide receiver T.Y. Hilton – they should have beat the Steelers earlier this season in a game that had playoff-type intensity. There’s a question as to whether they will be as competitive against the Bills, who have proven that they are a higher-caliber team than the Steelers. Bills, 27-24.
