Your complete preview for Saturday's Bills-Colts wild-card game

Here are my five takes on the Buffalo Bills’ AFC wild-card playoff game Saturday at 1:05 p.m. against the Indianapolis Colts at Bills Stadium.

1. This time, Josh Allen keeps his poise from start to finish.

A year ago, in the Bills’ wild-card loss at Houston in overtime, Allen looked every bit like a quarterback playing in his first postseason game. He fumbled twice, losing the ball once. He took bad sacks. He made poor decisions with the ball.

As a 16-point lead began to fade in the third quarter, Allen began to unravel. His desire to do whatever possible to win the game – even if it meant attempting the impossible – was a glaring indication of a lack of composure/maturity.

That shouldn’t be the case Saturday.

Allen’s development as a quarterback goes beyond his dramatic improvement in throwing accuracy. Throughout the season, he has demonstrated a far greater ability to stay focused and within himself. Allen has discussed the lessons he learned from what happened against the Texans. The biggest is doing his part to prevent the Bills from self-destruction.

Assuming his two best receivers, Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley, are healthy enough to contribute at the lofty levels they established in the regular season, Allen should have another dynamic performance in a season filled with them.

2. Turn up the heat on Philip Rivers.

The Colts’ quarterback is a virtual statue in the pocket. The Bills know it and fully plan to unleash as much pressure as they can.

Through the front four winning its battles and a variety of pressure packages involving linemen, linebackers and defensive backs, the Bills should be able to consistently disrupt Rivers. At the least, they should be able to hurry him into incompletions and mistakes. At the most, they should be able to put him on the ground multiple times.

Rivers will use his 16 years of experience and savvy and quick release to try to stay ahead of the pass rush. But there’s every reason to believe the Bills will have their share of success forcing him to make the kind of mistakes that greatly impact the outcome of a game of this magnitude.

3. Don’t let Jonathan Taylor take over the game.

The Bills’ run defense has shown repeated vulnerability against talented running backs. Taylor has shown that he belongs in that category after a standout rookie season in which he rushed for 1,169 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The Colts likely will make extensive use of Taylor, especially early in the game, to allow their talented offensive line to set a physical tone. If he gets rolling, that will undermine the Bills’ efforts to get after Rivers.

Matt Milano, Tremaine Edmunds and A.J. Klein need to be at the top of their respective games. The same goes for Ed Oliver, Vernon Butler and A.J. Epenesa.

Preventing significant running success by the Colts at the outset should go a long way toward allowing the Bills to keep momentum on their side.

4. Get their own rushing attack in gear.

Brian Daboll will almost certainly employ his signature pass-happy, aggressive scheme because that’s what got the Bills to this point. That’s what the members of his offense execute best.

Still, Daboll can’t and probably won’t ignore the importance of establishing an effective running game.

Colts tackle DeForest Buckner and linebacker Darius Leonard are more than capable of applying strong pressure on the quarterback. Having Devin Singletary and Zack Moss involved in the offense would go a long way toward slowing the Colts’ pass rush and allow the Bills to put together some long, time-consuming, will-draining drives they’ve repeatedly had on the way to their 6-0 finish to the regular season.

5. Make difference-making plays on special teams.

The Bills’ kicking units are one of the team’s major strengths, right behind one of the most explosive passing games in the NFL.

They have a highly reliable kicker in rookie Tyler Bass. They have an exceptionally talented punter in Corey Bojorquez. They have a Pro Bowl return man in Andre Roberts. And Isaiah McKenzie isn’t a bad returner, either.

The Bills are consistently effective in kick coverage and should be able to impact the outcome in significant ways.

Game details

TV: CBS. Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Charles Davis (analyst).

Radio: Bills Radio Network. Buffalo-WGR 550 AM; Toronto-Fan 590 AM; Rochester-WCMF 96.5 FM and WROC 950 AM; Syracuse-WTKW 99.5 FM and WTKV 105.5 FM. Announcers: John Murphy (play-by-play), Steve Tasker (analyst).

Series history: The Bills lead the series, 37-32-1.

Bills injury report: Questionable: WR Cole Beasley (knee), WR Stefon Diggs (oblique).

Colts injury report: Out: CB Rock Ya-Sin (concussion), OT Will Holden (ankle). Questionable: DE DeForest Buckner (ankle).

Point spread: The Bills are a 6½-point favorite at vegasinsider.com.

Did you know: Josh Allen has faced 16 top-10 NFL defenses, as ranked at the end of the season, in his three-year career (not counting a Week 17 game against the Jets, because he only played a quarter). Allen was 4-0 against top-10 defenses in 2020 and 7-5 from 2018 to ’19.

Next: A win would snap a string of five wild-card losses since 1996 and advance the Bills to the divisional round for the first time since ’95.

When the Bills throw: Josh Allen got them to this point, and there’s no reason to think the team will stop throwing it now. The Colts’ secondary will be without cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (concussion). Even with receivers Stefon Diggs (oblique) and Cole Beasley (knee) listed as questionable, the Bills have enough talent at receiver to stress the Colts’ defense by spreading it out. Excluding last week against the weak Jacksonville passing attack, Indianapolis had allowed 23 completions of at least 15 air yards in the previous four weeks. Those completions went for 614 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. That’s bad news for the Colts, because Allen is on an absolute heater right now. His 32-yard touchdown to John Brown in Week 17 had just a 19.5% chance of being completed, according to NFL’s Next Gen Stats, making it the second-most improbable completion of the season for Allen. He finished the year with a completion percentage over expected of 4.6%, which ranked second in the NFL. He is making throws that maybe only one or two other quarterbacks in the NFL can make. EDGE: Bills.

When the Bills run: Don’t expect the Bills to place a heavy emphasis on this against the Colts. Indianapolis ranked second in the NFL against the run in the regular season, allowing just 90.5 yards per game. The Colts’ best defensive player is linebacker Darius Leonard. He finished with 132 tackles, which ranked eighth in the NFL. Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, who is listed as questionable, is a close second. He is an elite pass rusher (team-leading 9.5 sacks), but can also stop the run. Colts safety Khari Willis had 37 tackles in run support, which was just one behind Leonard for the team lead. The Bills finished 20th in the league in rushing. EDGE: Colts.

When the Colts pass: At 39 years old, the Bills probably aren’t going to be able to confuse Colts quarterback Philip Rivers too much. He’s seen just about every defensive look. Rivers lacks mobility, which is an understatement, but compensates by getting rid of the ball quickly. According to Pro Football Focus, Rivers’ average time to throw of 2.35 seconds was third fastest among 29 quarterbacks with at least 348 drop backs this season. That, along with a strong offensive line, led to Rivers being sacked just 19 times. Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton was a fantasy bust much of the season, but came on at the end with five touchdowns over the last six games. Rookie Michael Pittman and slot receiver Zach Pascal make up the rest of a solid, but not spectacular, top three receivers. EDGE: Bills.

When the Colts run: There is a reason Indianapolis used a second-round draft pick on Jonathan Taylor. The rookie running back from Wisconsin has been explosive late in the season, including a 253-yard game against the Jaguars in Week 17. Over the final seven weeks of the season, Taylor had 25 runs of 10-plus yards and six runs of 20-plus yards, both of which trailed only Tennessee’s Derrick Henry. Overall, Taylor rushed for 741 yards in that stretch, again second only to Henry. Taylor’s average of 5.0 yards per carry finished tied for ninth in the NFL, but of those ahead of him on the list, only Green Bay’s Aaron Jones (5.5) and Henry (5.4) had more than 200 attempts (Taylor had 232). Taylor can cook – he reached 21.25 mph on his 56-yard run against Jacksonville last week, according to Next Gen Stats, and reached 20-plus mph on six touches this season – two more than any other running back. EDGE: Colts.

Special teams: Both teams have good rookie kickers. Rodrigo Blankenship went 32 of 37 on field goals in the regular season, including 12 of 13 in outdoor games. Blankenship, though, went just 1 of 3 on field goals of 50-plus yards. The Bills’ Tyler Bass went 28 of 34, but hasn’t missed a field goal since Week 9. The Bills led the NFL with an average of 27.6 yards per kickoff return, while the Colts were close behind, tied for fourth at 25.8 yards. The Bills were fourth in average punt return, 11.9 yards, while the Colts finished tied for 10th at 10.1 yards per return. EDGE: Bills.

Coaching: This is a new challenge for Sean McDermott. The Bills, like most teams, love playing the “underdogs” card. That’s not available to them now. Vegas has them as a touchdown favorite. The Bills proved to be one of the NFL’s best teams with a 13-win regular season, and they enter the playoffs as arguably the hottest. Much is expected of this team, starting Saturday. Colts coach Frank Reich is gladly using the “underdogs” card, even if he’s got a Hall of Fame quarterback, as McDermott pointed out, and won 11 games. Both coaches are two of the best in the game. Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll is potentially coaching his last game for the team – it would be a surprise if he didn’t land a head-coaching job after this season. Daboll is locked in with Allen right now, producing some special results. EDGE: Bills.

Prediction: Bills 34, Colts 20.

Dwight Freeney is rooting for the Buffalo Bills to win the Super Bowl, even though that means defeating the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the NFL playoffs on Saturday in Orchard Park.

The reason? His friendship with Mario Addison and Jerry Hughes. 

“Those are my guys,” Freeney, a member of the Colts Ring of Honor, said this week in a phone interview with The Buffalo News. “These are the dudes who I brought up in the game a little bit, so I always have this fatherly like, ‘Godfather’ type of thing with them, thinking about their successes.”

The Bills’ veteran defensive ends were young teammates and roommates in Indianapolis early in their careers. Hughes, a first-round draft pick in 2010, befriended Addison in 2011 when the Colts claimed the undrafted rookie off waivers from the Chicago Bears. It seemed like an ideal landing spot.

Indianapolis provided an opportunity to learn from all-time greats Robert Mathis and Freeney, and Hughes offered free lodging in a three-bedroom house he rented near the stadium. But both young players moved on to other teams after what Freeney described as a “perfect storm of disaster,” only to reunite nearly a decade later in Buffalo, where they’ve helped lead the Bills to a 13-3 record, the franchise’s first AFC East championship in 25 years and an AFC wild-card matchup against the organization that introduced them.

“I was just trying to soak up all the knowledge I could …” Addison said about his 10½ months over two seasons with Indianapolis. “I learned (from) two different vets, how to play ball from two different standpoints. One guy with just speed, and he could get up under the big guys, and then on the other side we had a guy that he would spin a tornado. I just learned so much from them, man, and they always taught me, ‘Take care of your body, respect your teammates and it’ll take you a long way.’ ”

Hughes was traded in 2013 to the Bills, where he developed into a franchise cornerstone, racking up double-digit sacks in each of his first two seasons in Buffalo. His 51 sacks are fifth in team history, and he’s a captain this season for the first time in his career. His streak of 124 consecutive games, the second-longest active streak for a defensive lineman in the NFL, ended when he sat out the season finale last Sunday. 

Addison had a tougher road to relevance.

The 6-foot-3, 260-pound edge rusher played for five head coaches and four franchises in his first two seasons in the NFL, including nearly a year with the Colts, before developing into one of the most consistent sack artists in the league over eight seasons in Carolina.

That’s where he racked up 55 of 60 career sacks, including at least nine in each of the last four seasons.

That’s where he signed his first big contract, advanced to Super Bowl 50 and found comfort in his football family after the murder of his younger brother, Gjamal Antonio Rodriqcus, who was shot to death in 2019.

And it was the relationships he forged along the way, including with Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott and first-year defensive line coach Eric Washington, when they were assistants in Carolina, along with his friendship with Hughes, that led him to the Bills.

“Whenever we would play Carolina, I would always tell him, ‘We’ve always got a spot for you up in Buffalo,’ ” Hughes said.

Addison, 33, signed a three-year, $30.45 million contract with the Bills in March.

He leads the team with five sacks this season, tied with linebacker A.J. Klein. Hughes, 32, is third with 4.5 sacks.

“Mario had several suitors” in free agency, Washington said. “Someone with almost 40 sacks in the past four years is going to have a lot of people interested in him, and he mentioned to me that he was waiting to see where I was going to go, and that’s exactly where he was going, and we laughed about that and I appreciated that and the feeling is definitely mutual.

“From the very first day (in Buffalo), Mario could complete a lot of my sentences and assertions when it came to technique and he was almost like having – Jacques Cesaire has done an unbelievable job assisting with the group – but Mario is almost like a third assistant for me.”

Freeney, who left Indianapolis after the 2012 season but signed a one-day contract to retire with the Colts in 2018, said he felt no disappointment about Addison and Hughes starting against the Colts this weekend, as opposed to for them.

“You play long enough in this league, you understand that it’s a business, man. I wish them the best luck. You know? Screw it,” Freeney said. “When I left the Colts, I went to San Diego. I almost tried to go to a place just so I could play the Colts so I could destroy them. That’s just kind of the mentality of an NFL player, especially when you leave a team that you had so many memories with. Right?

“How could you let me go? How could you trade me? How could you not sign me back? That is going to be running through those guys’ veins while they’re going out there. I know they’re going to be revved up. And it’s the playoffs, so I’m looking for really big games for those guys, and I wish them the best. Hopefully they can go ahead and get a ring.”

‘Under the radar'

Retired Troy football coach Larry Blakeney, who has more wins than any coach in Sun Belt Conference history, remembers Addison as a good student and impact player who never loafed, but never imagined he’d have a shot at the NFL when the defensive lineman joined his program after two years at Northeast Mississippi Community College.

“I had no clue,” Blakeney said this week. “We had a bunch of guys that (reached the NFL) along the way, and it’s not always easily recognizable. You can say, ‘That guy’s tall enough, he’s got a good enough body mass, he can run good enough and all that, but you can’t measure that heart until you’ve been around him a while, and we were around Mario really long enough to measure that, but you never did know how the pros were going to perceive it.

“And I’ll tell you what, there ain’t many real draftees at Troy, you know?”

There have been a few.

Osi Umenyiora was a second-round pick by the New York Giants in 2003.

DeMarcus Ware was drafted 11th overall by the Dallas Cowboys in 2005.

Leodis McKelvin was the 11th overall pick by the Bills in 2008.

“Quite frankly, I was looking for a player like Mario who was under the radar,” said agent Garcia Major, who has represented Addison throughout his career. “But someone that I felt had the talent and had the work ethic and passion to do what he needed to do to take advantage of an opportunity when it came along. I believed he had the potential to have a successful career.”

There had been chatter about Addison being a late-round draft pick, but it wasn’t a surprise when he went undrafted in 2011, in the midst of the NFL’s 18-week lockout that spanned from mid-March until late July. Several teams were interested in signing him as a free agent, Major said.

Addison signed with the Bears, eager to learn from Julius Peppers. He made the 53-man roster and dressed for four regular season games before being released.

“It really came down to a numbers thing,” Major said. “I don’t think it was a situation where Chicago wanted to release Mario, but it was a business move. And being able to explain to Mario why it came about, it really allowed him to know that it had less to do with his ability and more to do with the business side of what happens, when there are injuries and things of that nature.

“He never lost confidence in his ability, and I reinforced, ‘Hey, I’m here for you and we’re going to find the next best landing spot for you. And as long as you keep your ears pinned back and do what you do, everything will work itself out.’”

Addison was claimed by the Colts the next day.

“We liked him coming out of Troy,” then-Colts general manager Chris Polian said this week. “Liked his motor, liked his pass rush, his character, all those things, and then had a chance to get him when Chicago let him go. And at that point in Indy, we had Freeney and Mathis and Jerry Hughes, and Jerry had a little bit of a rough start, but I’m really happy for both guys where their careers are …

“Athletic pass rushers who play hard, those guys are always going to get a chance and Mario has taken advantage of that.”

'A matter of time'

Addison appeared in just six games with Indianapolis, assisting on four special teams tackles, but the statistics don’t reflect his growth as a result of the experience.

Freeney and Mathis would get a veteran rest day each week, beginning around midseason.

“So the younger guys were able to get a lot of reps in practice,” Polian said, “and then we had a great defensive line coach in John Teerlinck, who wanted speed, wanted guys to be able to attack the corners.

“Some teams don’t believe in the arm-over swim. Some teams don’t believe in the spin. It’s a different rush style. But John wanted athletic speed guys with a lot of movements skill, an ability to bend, be athletic, mix things up, have a different repertoire, and it was very important that they be athletic enough to be able to rush with their hands and their feet at the same time. Some guys can’t do that. They become a little bit sectional trying to do it, if that makes sense. And you’re always looking for extra rushers.”

Teerlinck, a Rochester native considered one of the greatest defensive line coaches in NFL history, won three Super Bowls, two with the Denver Broncos and one with the Colts, and is the namesake for the annual award presented to the NFL’s best defensive line coach.

He died May 10. He was 69 years old.

“When John Teerlinck was still alive, he was a guy that he always emphasized, ‘Make sure you teach these young guys the right way, how to play the game,’ ” Freeney said, “and we took every opportunity to do so and to see them flourish and still play for years and years – both those guys are over 10 years now – it makes me smile knowing that me and Rob, we did something right.”

Teerlinck’s son, Bill, was the Bills’ defensive line coach the last two seasons before accepting the same position at Virginia Tech.

He was a defensive assistant on the Colts under his father in 2011.

“It’s very unusual for that much talent to be assembled in one room at one time in one era,” Bill Teerlinck said this week, “with two of what I believe are future Hall of Fame ends in Freeney and Mathis, and here’s Jerry, the young first-round pick, heir apparent, the guy who’s going to take over, and he’s working behind them and learning and soaking it up, and then we were able to land Mario.

“You could see, maybe not fully developed yet, but Hughes and Mario both had what Robert and Dwight had. They had juice and a knack for getting to the quarterback and the belief and the understanding of how important the sack was. … And the thing that you could tell, and it didn’t always show up every week in the stat sheet the first year or so for those guys, but their work ethic, their thirst for knowledge, how they studied the older guys, you just knew it was a matter of time.”

A huge change?

The Colts had been the cream of the AFC for more than a decade, piling up double-digit victories in 11 of the previous 12 seasons. But Indy staggered to a 2-14 record in 2011, which Peyton Manning missed because of neck surgery, finishing 30th in the league in total offense with quarterbacks Curtis Painter (0-8 as a starter), Dan Orlovsky (2-3) and Kerry Collins (0-3).

Indianapolis then fired Jim Caldwell and his coaching staff and restructured the front office.

The new regime, helmed by coach Chuck Pagano, changed the base defense from a 4-3 to a 3-4 alignment, forcing defensive ends to become outside linebackers.

“Caldwell getting fired after that year was criminal,” Freeney said. “He should have never got fired, but it is what it is. That year was like a perfect storm of disaster for us as an organization. The next year, they brought in Pagano, and he’s a great guy, but he ended up turning the whole entire system upside down to where you had your defensive ends who like putting their hands on the ground and don’t know anything about being outside linebackers, turning them into outside linebackers.

“It was just a disaster.”

Pagano, the defensive coordinator for the Bears, was not available for an interview this week, according to a team spokesperson, because Chicago is preparing for a wild-card game Sunday at New Orleans.

James Bettcher, who most recently served as the New York Giants’ defensive coordinator, coached outside linebackers with the Colts in 2012.

“When you’re switching from 4-3 to 3-4 … the misconception is it’s a huge change,” Bettcher said this week. “Well, the truth is once you get through this like 15%, the rest of it’s the same, because you play so much nickel defense with four down as opposed to five on the line. Outside linebackers play so much of that with the looks that you get offensively in the league now that it is not such a drastic switch as you think.”

But it is a switch, and the positions require different skillsets.

“It’s the discussion you have in every draft room across the league,” Polian said. “What are the ‘edge’ players, you know? Everybody has this term now, he’s an ‘edge.’ Well, that’s great. I’ve never been in a draft room where we have a position, ‘edge.’ They have to do different things in different schemes.”

Freeney reunited with Bettcher in 2015, when he was the defensive coordinator with the Arizona Cardinals, which ran a 3-4 defense. Mathis, who did return requests for comment, retired after the 2016 season and joined the Colts' coaching staff until stepping away before last season.

"Dwight and Robert were so great with guys," Bettcher said. "They’d be after practice, he’d be asking those guys questions on the side, getting in extra work. Robert and Dwight, when practice was over, they were the kings. And this was my first true NFL experience. So that’s what I know. And I use examples of those guys everywhere I’ve coached since."

Eight years later, Freeney remains incredulous about the Colts switching to a 3-4 scheme.

“It’s completely different,” Freeney said, “and I think it was ridiculous, in my mind, when you have two guys, the staples of that defense, who have only played defensive end their entire career. You only have 4-3, hand-in-the-dirt guys, and then you transition your defense and your two staples and turn them to doing something completely different that they’ve never done before…

“It makes them like, ‘Wait a minute. What do I have to do? Drop back in coverage?’ It brings in some doubt. And then that ripple effect just continues on throughout that defense. So of course, you’ve got a young guy like Mario, who’s learning the defensive end position with his hand in the ground and how to play a certain technique and how to play a tackle or a down block or all these plays, and the next year he had to learn how to drop back in coverage and do different things. ‘No, that stance isn’t right,’ and all these other things. That can affect a player. And I’m happy that he’s still around and that didn’t affect him too bad, to where he was no longer in the league.”

Finding a home

By early October, Addison had been waived and signed to the practice squad.

A week later, he had an opportunity to sign with Washington, and as much as he valued working with Freeney and Mathis and his friendship with Hughes, he couldn’t turn down the promise of playing time.

The weight of his decision hit him while packing.

“It was rough, man, because I thought I found a home,” Addison said. “I felt a great relationship with guys on the Colts team, and when I say ‘great relationship’ – great relationship. Everybody was fun to be around. And everybody enjoyed each other.”

Hughes took it hard, as well, but knew Addison had to do what was best for his career.

“It was tough just because he was my roommate,” Hughes said. “We had a lot of fun in Indy together going back and forth from the practice facility and things like that. We built a great friendship, so it was tough.

“The (Colts’ defensive line) room was certainly a lot different. I was back to being the only young guy. But it was a great opportunity with the both of us being young defensive ends and the position that we were able to watch Dwight and Rob, two guys who we kind of modeled our game after, took some bits and pieces from, and just kept learning and growing throughout the league.”

Addison lasted five games in Washington before he was on the move again, this time signed by the Carolina, where he developed into a force.

Washington, the Bills defensive line coach who’s worked with Addison for nine seasons, said the versatility born from his switch from 4-3 defensive end to 3-4 outside linebacker in Indianapolis has been a tremendous boon to his career.

“That’s the thing about Mario that really stands out,” Washington said. “He has so much flexibility in terms of where we like to align him and really depend on the level of execution we can get, depending on what we ask him to do, and also we can depend on the production.

“Mario can rush at either defensive end position, we utilize him in our drop system, he can align and rush and win as an inside rusher, and he can play from a two-point stance or a three-point stance, so a lot of flexibility with Mario and it really makes our gameday rotation that much better and that much more potent on Sunday. That’s one of the things that you love about him.”

Addison considers his experience in Indianapolis, what he learned from Mathis and Freeney and his friendship with Hughes, as integral to his success.

“It was very critical, man. Up to today, man,” Addison said. “I know Jerry always gets tired of me telling him, ‘Thank you.’ He’s always like, ‘It’s OK, man. It’s OK.’ I’m so humble, man, and grateful to have a guy like him as a friend. And I don’t call too many people friends.

“Jerry definitely is a friend. And this is probably one of the happiest I’ve ever been in my career, man, really just to be able to play on the side with him, because when we first came into the league we were young guys trying to find our way, and now we’re both starters on the same team and it’s a sight to see.”

Welcome to a playoff edition of the Bills Mailbag. Let’s get right to it …

Bob Rajczak asks: Stefon Diggs had a great year on a passing team, but Justin Jefferson (his replacement in Minnesota) set rookie records on a running team. So, who won the trade? Especially considering that the Vikings got more draft picks in addition to the No. 1 they used for Jefferson?

Jay: Both teams. That might seem like taking the easy way, but it’s true. If you asked both teams today if they would do the deal again, they would each say yes. That’s a true win-win. From Buffalo’s side, Diggs had the best single season in team history for a receiver and was named first-team All-Pro for the first time in his career. What more can you ask for? He’s an absolutely perfect fit for this offense with Josh Allen. He’s also in his prime and on a fair contract for a No. 1 receiver. You also have to remember where these two teams are headed. The Bills believe their championship window is right now. Given the choice of a sure thing or rolling the dice on a rookie, GM Brandon Beane made the understandable decision of going with a proven player. Jefferson was great in Minnesota – 88 catches for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns, the most receiving yards by a rookie receiver in the Super Bowl era (since 1970) – but it’s no guarantee he would have had the same season here. Keep in mind, the Vikings have another really good receiver in Adam Thielen, so Jefferson didn’t have to be the No. 1 option right away, like Diggs is here. The Vikings, though, have to be thrilled with what they got from Jefferson as a rookie. He’s on a cost-controlled contract for the next four years, too, so it was a great deal from their side, even before we see what happens with the players selected from the other draft picks they received.

Dennis Priore asks: Sean McDermott and the Bills have been very good about taking each game one at a time and not looking ahead, but fans tend to look ahead and with the team playing their best football of the season (and as good or better than any team in the NFL), fans are looking ahead. We know the Bills will need to win three games (the wild-card round, the divisional round and the conference championship game) to reach the Super Bowl, but for fans pondering who they might play next, would you explain how the playoff seeding works?

Jay: The highest seed always plays at home against the lowest seed. If the seedings hold, that means Kansas City as the No. 1 seed would play the winner of the Tennessee-Baltimore game, while the Bills, as the No. 2 seed, would host the No. 3-seed Steelers. If Pittsburgh loses to Cleveland, the Browns would go to Kansas City as the No. 6 seed and the Bills (assuming they win) would play the Titans-Ravens winner. Given the challenges Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Tennessee present, Bills fans wouldn’t be wrong if they are rooting for the Steelers to win Sunday.

Josh McKay asks: I can’t remember the last time I read a Duke Williams question. So here it is. Were you surprised he wasn’t called up for the game last week? If Cole Beasley can’t play this weekend, isn’t Williams more game-ready and familiar with the plays than the other recent signings to get called up, or are they content with the WRs already on the active roster?

Also, with Covid concerns, why doesn’t the NFL scrap the postgame hugs and handshakes with the other team?

Jay: Williams didn’t practice the Friday before the Week 17 game, so it’s possible he was dealing with some sort of injury. Because he’s on the practice squad, the team is not required to put him on the injury report. As for a replacement for Beasley, I see Gabriel Davis or Isaiah McKenzie stepping into that role. With John Brown healthy again and Diggs expected to be ready to play, the Bills are set at outside receiver. However, the Bills elevated Williams for Saturday’s game anyway.

Jerry P. asks: After Matt Barkley replaced Josh Allen, offensive coordinator Brian Daboll was shown sitting back with his arms crossed while the Bills’ offense was on the field. Who took over calling the offensive plays?

Jay: That was just for a moment, Jerry. Daboll continued to call the offense just as he has all season. The image of him appearing to relax during a blowout was just good timing by the TV crew.

IDiggIt asks: The Bills’ offensive line seems to have finally come together as a cohesive unit once the constant shuffling and rotation of the guards stopped after Cody Ford’s injury and the return of Jon Feliciano. What do you foresee for the ‘21 Bills offensive line with a flat cap and free agents to sign?

Richard S. asks: Early prediction and rationale for Bills’ O-line starters next season?

Jay: I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Bills move on from Mitch Morse, then re-sign Feliciano to play center. The franchise loves Feliciano’s toughness, and he’s close with Allen. Ford should be back to play left guard and Dawkins is set at left tackle. That leaves questions on the right side. Brian Winters is a free agent whom I wouldn’t expect back. I’d prioritize re-signing Daryl Williams to play right tackle and then have a competition at right guard, including Ike Boettger and whoever else Beane brings in.

Rick McGuire asks: I don’t think we’re going to see Daboll back with the Bills next year. He’s most definitely earned a shot at being a head coach. Is Ken Dorsey ready to be an offensive coordinator? If he’s not promoted, will he leave and go elsewhere, perhaps with Daboll as his OC?

Jay: All of that is a possibility, Rick. There is no doubt Sean McDermott has a list of candidates to replace Daboll, should he get a head-coaching job. I would expect Dorsey to be on that list, although the only one whose opinion matters on if he’s ready for such a role is McDermott. Allen’s development and the seemingly strong working relationship he has with Dorsey works in the quarterback coach’s favor. Keeping Allen happy and on the right track should be the top priority of whoever takes over as the next offensive coordinator, if Daboll departs.

John Jarzynski asks: I am fascinated by Bill Belichick’s record without Tom Brady. Does he have it in him to rebuild the team at age 68? Where do they go for a quarterback?

Jay: I’m tempted to say never doubt the Hoodie, but I’m over here seriously doubting him. Did you see what a mess that team was on Monday night in Week 16? They are absolutely in quarterback purgatory right now – a place the Bills found themselves for basically the entirety of New England’s reign atop the AFC East. Now, if Belichick manages to find a quarterback the way the Patriots did with Brady, perhaps they turn it around quickly. If I had to choose right now, though, I’d say New England is in for a lengthy downturn.

Luigi Mike Speranza asks: One of the most exciting plays in the NFL is the kickoff return, which was greatly limited due to the head injury concerns. Any chance it might make a comeback as it is appearing from time to time now?

Jay: I don’t see much of a change in that regard. As long as teams continue to kick off from the 35-yard line to start games or after scores, touchbacks are going to be recorded a high percentage of the time. If anything, I could see the NFL continuing to move toward eliminating the kickoff altogether in an effort to make the game safer. As long as the rules stay the way they are, though, the Bills have an advantage with Andre Roberts as their returner. A good example of that came after the Patriots took a 3-0 lead on their opening drive Monday night. Roberts responded with a big return out near midfield, giving the offense a short field to start the game off on a positive note.

X-Jbuss81 asks: Which uniforms would you like the Bills to wear for the playoffs?

Jay: I’m not a huge uniform guy, but the team’s best look to me is the all-whites with the red standing buffalo helmet.

Colt Snyder asks: Will you take me to the game with you?

Jay: I will not. Happy New Year, though!

Jeff Miller: I am admittedly a football novice as far as strategies and defensive schemes, etc. goes. There is always the talk of taking care of business in November and December. I always thought if you take care of business in September and October then you don't have to be so "concerned" about November and December, but now I see the advantage, even the necessity, of finishing the season on a high note with all phases of the game clicking on a high note and carrying that momentum into the postseason. Let's go Bills. Corral the Colts and crush them!

Jay: OK, so, there isn’t really a question here, but it seems like a good spot to end for Bills fans. Enjoy the game, and thanks for all the questions!

Stefon Diggs doesn’t come across as someone who gets nervous easily.

To borrow a line from Outkast, the Buffalo Bills’ star receiver looks cooler than a polar bear’s toenails at pretty much all times. Heck, in a 2017 interview with The Undefeated, he said he wouldn’t even be nervous meeting Halle Berry.

Diggs, however, recently admitted to a situation that made him feel those butterflies in his stomach. It was back in May when several of his new teammates, including quarterback Josh Allen, gathered in Florida for informal workouts.

That was the first time Diggs had met them since he was traded to the Bills by the Minnesota Vikings two months prior. Just as the Bills were about to get started with a drill, veteran receiver John Brown brought Diggs to the front of the line.

That encouragement was all the receiver needed. He ran the route, and the nervousness melted away under the South Florida sun. Diggs was at home with his new team – even if he was 1,400 miles from where that team plays.

Handing out the hardware: Bills MVP, Rookie of the Year and more awards

As the Bills head into the playoffs, it’s time to hand out some awards based on the regular season.

Fast forward to today, and the start of a new year, and Diggs reflects back on the move that brought him to Western New York.

“I was telling my people, just the other day, it’s the scene in the movie where a lot of things go right,” he said. “I’m not going to say anything is perfect. I’ve had my highs and lows, especially just as far as going into this (past) year. I’m just thankful to be where I am right now, because I didn’t envision it being this way or even working out this well. So coming from a thankful standpoint of being humble and still being hungry because it’s a lot more out there. I’m thankful for the group that I’m around, I’m thankful to be healthy and to be around such great people.”

After a regular season in which he became the first Bills player to lead the NFL in both catches (127) and yards (1,535) – setting single-season franchise records in both categories – the trade for Diggs is already looking like one of the best in team history.

Where it lands exactly on that list is up for debate. Here’s a look at five of the best trades involving player acquisitions in team history – and the parallels between the deal for Diggs and a move that came 34 years ago.

‘Biscuit’ comes to Buffalo

It was Halloween 1987, and the Bills were involved in a three-team trade that remains one of the biggest in league history. Needing a last piece for their defense, the Bills sent running back Greg Bell, their first-round draft pick in 1988 and first- and second-round picks in 1989 to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for linebacker Cornelius Bennett.

The Colts in turn sent all of that, running back Owen Gill, their own first-round pick in 1988 and a pair of second-round choices to the Los Angeles Rams for running back Eric Dickerson.

“When I got traded, I didn't think much of it,” Bennett told The Buffalo News on Thursday in a phone conversation. “The only thing I thought was, you know, I'm finally getting my chance to live out my childhood dream of playing professional football.’ ”

Bennett arrived having not played a down of professional football to that point. The Colts made the linebacker the No. 2 overall draft pick out of Alabama in the 1987 draft, but had not been able to sign him to a contract.

“Here I was just this hot shot No. 2 pick in the draft not willing to take what I thought was less than fair market value at that particular time,” he said.

Bennett can relate to those nerves that Diggs felt in Florida.

“I had to just come in and be quiet and do my job,” he said.

Over a nine-year career with the Bills, few did it better. Bennett made the Pro Bowl five times in those nine years, was chosen as a first-team All-Pro in 1988 and was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week seven times. He had a knack for making the big play, forcing or recovering 41 fumbles. The Pro Football Hall of Fame named him to its all-1990s second team. Most recently, he was a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the first time.

“We wouldn’t have been able to accomplish our incredible run and pretty much having a foothold in the history books without Cornelius Bennett,” Bruce Smith said in an interview with The News last year.

The similarities between Bennett’s arrival and Diggs’ addition this year are hard to ignore.

In the 1988 season – Bennett’s first with the team – the Bills had the No. 3 scoring defense in the NFL. He turned in arguably his best season – making 103 tackles, 9.5 sacks, two interceptions, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

“Over time, I came to the realization that I was a big part of our success,” Bennett said. “I guess that's probably the only time you'll ever hear me say some selfish words – ‘I was, instead of we were’ – but looking at (Diggs’) situation, I definitely can say that he has been the key component coming in, the last piece.

“The team has played well over the last three years, been in the playoffs. They've had capable receivers in the past.”

Nobody like Diggs, though. The Bills ranked second in scoring and tied for second in yards on offense this season, a year after ranking 23rd and 24th, respectively, in those categories. Even as an admitted casual observer of the NFL, Bennett could see from Diggs’ time in Minnesota that the Bills had landed a premier talent.

“What I didn't know and couldn’t see is his locker room presence,” Bennett said, “but from watching the clips and the highlights, seeing how he interacts with everybody, especially his quarterback, he seems to be that guy, that locker room piece. It looks like he’s a team guy. He wants to fit in. When he first got traded, he met with his quarterback, they hooked up. That showed his desire to be a team player and not come in there as some highly sought-after individual.”

As with any trade, there were questions after the Bills made each deal. In Bennett’s case, they were acquiring a rookie. In Diggs’ case, they were getting a player who, while highly productive, was made available by his former team for a reason.

“I think the thing was, what was he going to bring from the off the field part of it,” Bennett said. “His attitude, being in the locker room, he's proven whatever his situation was in Minnesota, whatever they thought of him, he's proven them wrong. ... From looking at his numbers from in Minnesota to now, I don't know who you're going to go out and get a guy that's better than him. ... His maturity was definitely way ahead of mine. He's a much older guy than I was when I got traded. His pedigree had already allowed him to have a voice in the locker room.”

While Diggs never publicly asked for a trade, there was enough circumstantial evidence to suggest he would welcome one. When it finally went down – with the Bills sending 2020 first-, fifth-, and sixth-round picks, as well as a 2021 fourth-rounder – Diggs was ready for it.

“I accepted it before it even happened,” he said. “Football means a lot to me, but I also understand this is a business. You always have to go in with 'don't get your feelings or your heart caught up in the business, because that's never good for business.' For me, whatever new situation I was going to be put in or chosen in, I was just going to embrace it.

“The first thing I always try to do is earn the respect of my teammates and my coaches, and that's by working your butt off. Just grinding, putting that work in and letting the chips fall where they lay. For me, I just approached it as a business mindset, you know, having come full circle like I've got a new family. I'm really cool with these people here.”

Josh's Journey: 10 games that have defined Allen and what we learned about him

From rookie to MVP candidate, here are 10 mileposts on Josh Allen's journey.

Diggs is a perfect fit for the Bills. His skill set matches perfectly with quarterback Josh Allen. Any concerns about his unhappiness in Minnesota carrying over to his new home haven’t come to fruition. It’s hard to be too upset as a receiver, after all, when you get 166 targets and your team wins 13 games.

There should be years of production to come. At 27 years old, Diggs is in the prime of his career. He has three more years on his contract – and will be playing for an extension on that deal soon enough. Teammates and coaches rave about his physical condition, saying they have rarely, if ever, seen a player work harder on his body. 

Despite all of that being true, Diggs joked that he could count on one hand the number of people who believed his first season in Buffalo would go as well as it has – even if he believed all along.

“I was more so counting other people, as far as the people that trusted and believed that the process was going to work out and we had the right guys and bringing me here was one of the right decisions,” he said.

The trade for Diggs isn’t the only one paying off currently for the Bills.

Highway robbery of Hughes

When former General Manager Buddy Nix shipped linebacker Kelvin Sheppard to the Indianapolis Colts on April 29, 2013 in exchange for pass rusher Jerry Hughes, not much was made of the deal. Although Hughes was a former first-round draft pick, playing time was hard to come by with the Colts behind Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis.

Hughes, though, quickly showed all he needed was a fresh start. He had 10 sacks in his first year in Buffalo, and has been one of the team’s most consistent pass rushers ever since. He hadn’t missed a game until this past week, ending a streak of 146 straight games.

“Stefon is a little bit like myself,” Hughes said. “Once he was traded and he stepped foot in this building, he came to work every day. Learning the offense, getting with Josh, getting with (offensive coordinator Brian) Daboll, getting with his receivers coach – doing every little bit he could to catch up to the team, to be up to speed so there wouldn't be any gap.

“It was very similar to myself back in 2013 when I got here. I hit the ground running. I wanted to dive quickly into the playbook so I could get acclimated to it, so once we hit the field, I'm not holding my teammates back. That's the way Stef has been, and that's why he's had the season that he's had. He comes here and he comes to work.”

The trade for Diggs is one that truly can be viewed as a win-win. With the first-round pick acquired from the Bills, Minnesota selected LSU receiver Justin Jefferson. He turned in a record-setting season with 88 catches for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns. That’s the most receiving yards by a rookie receiver in the Super Bowl era (since 1970).

The trade for Hughes was much more one-sided. Sheppard spent just one season in Indianapolis before bouncing around to Miami, the New York Giants and Detroit before being finished in the NFL after the 2018 season.

So which deal was better?

“I got to go with the one that got us to 13-3, man,” Hughes joked.

There are other trades that were decisive wins for the Bills (for our purposes, we’re not counting trades that returned draft picks, so the deal that netted the pick that became quarterback Jim Kelly, for example, is not considered here).

Trading linebacker Kiko Alonso for running back LeSean McCoy in 2015 was another heist for the Bills. McCoy rushed for 3,814 yards and 25 touchdowns in four years after joining the team, while Alonso spent just one year with the Philadelphia Eagles. He went on to have three fairly productive years with the Miami Dolphins, but is currently out of the NFL.

Going back a few years, the Bills traded backup quarterback Dennis Shaw to the St. Louis Cardinals for wide receiver Ahmad Rashad. Shaw would throw just four more passes the rest of his career, while Rashad had a team-leading 36 catches for 433 yards and four touchdowns as the Bills went 9-5 to make the playoffs in 1974.

For now, the trade of Bennett remains the gold standard for the organization. What will it take for the deal for Diggs to take over that unofficial spot?

Bills notebook: Stefon Diggs doesn't practice, but says he's good to face Colts

"I’m cool. No major issues," Diggs said. "Don’t believe everything you read. I’m just messing. I’m all right though, big guy. Thanks for asking."

“Only if they win the Super Bowl,” Bennett said with a laugh. “Can they maintain? They don't want to be a one-hit wonder, because we've seen that before as well. Even though I half-jokingly say that, the icing on the cake would be them winning the Super Bowl. Then you could start comparing. I had a nine-year history there where we got better and better, finishing off in 1995, the last Bills home playoff game. That's our footprint.

“It's an honor to be associated with greatness and to be remembered, because that's why a majority of us play the game, is to leave our footprint in the sand so generations can follow after us.”

Diggs is off to a good start in that regard, but Bennett is right. A deep playoff run – one that culminates in something that those great teams from the early 1990s were never able to accomplish – would elevate it to an entirely new level. The first chance to start writing that legacy comes Saturday against the Indianapolis Colts.

The Buffalo Bills’ regular season was one for the record book.

Numerous franchise and individual records were tied or set, including victories (13), points scored (501) and AFC East record (a perfect 6-0 for the first time).

Along the way, the Bills won their first division title since 1995 and are set to host their first playoff game since 1996 – the start of what the team and its fans hope is a long postseason run.

Before that, though, it’s time to hand out some awards based on the regular season:

Team MVP: Josh Allen

Not a real shock here, right? Allen transformed into the quarterback the franchise hoped he would become when he was drafted seventh overall in 2018 out of Wyoming. He is very much in the running for league MVP after a season in which he set single-season franchise records for passing yards (4,544), completions (396) and touchdown passes (37). He also became the first NFL player in league history with 4,500 passing yards and at least 35 touchdown passes and five rushing touchdowns in a single season. He is, simply, the biggest reason the Bills have transformed into legitimate Super Bowl contenders.

Offensive MVP: Stefon Diggs

Diggs became the first Bills receiver to lead the NFL in catches (127) and yards (1,535). He set single-season franchise records in both categories, and his total number of receptions ranks sixth in NFL history for a year. Don’t get it twisted: Diggs works hard. Allen said after Sunday’s regular season finale that he’s never seen another player take care of his body the way Diggs does. It’s just that he makes it look so easy on the field. The dude was flossing on the sideline against the Dolphins, for crying out loud, and he made it look cool. Diggs’ acquisition ended up being arguably the biggest move of the offseason. It should make General Manager Brandon Beane a strong candidate for the NFL Executive of the Year award, which is given out annually by the Pro Football Writers of America.

Defensive MVP: Jordan Poyer

A strong case can also be made for cornerback Tre’Davious White, but we’ll go with Poyer, who was wrongfully overlooked for a spot in the Pro Bowl. Poyer finished 11th among safeties who played at least 600 defensive snaps in Pro Football Focus’ positional rankings. He made a team-high 122 tackles, and finished with two sacks, two interceptions, five passes defensed and two forced fumbles. Poyer’s game is about more than just numbers, though. Pound for pound, he’s one of the toughest players on the roster, and that mentality filters through the entire defense. There is a reason coach Sean McDermott made Poyer one of his first additions in free agency four years ago, and why the team signed him to a contract extension this past offseason. Poyer epitomizes what the Bills are all about.

Special teams MVP: Andre Roberts

Rookie kicker Tyler Bass and punter Corey Bojorquez each turned in strong seasons that deserve recognition, but Roberts is the choice after another Pro Bowl campaign. The veteran led the NFL with an average of 30.0 yards on kickoff returns – gaining 961 yards on 32 attempts. He also finished seventh in punt-return average, at 9.9 yards. Roberts gave the Bills quality field position and proved to have steady hands when needed. He’s a good decision maker who can be trusted to field the ball cleanly – not always a sure thing for returners in recent Bills history.

Top rookie: Gabriel Davis

The fourth-round draft pick from Central Florida finished the season the way he started training camp – by showing that he belongs. Davis had two catches against the Dolphins that gained 107 yards – a cool average of 53.5 yards per reception. He finished the year with 35 catches for 599 yards (a team-leading 17.1 yards per reception, which was No. 4 in the NFL) and seven touchdowns. Despite the lack of spring practices and preseason games, Davis capably filled in at whatever receiver position the Bills needed.

Best free agent signing: Daryl Williams

The Bills plucked Williams off the scrap heap, signing the former Carolina Panthers offensive tackle to a one-year contract worth just $2.25 million. Williams figures to earn a lot more than that this offseason after resurrecting his career. A second-team All-Pro in 2017, he finished the year at No. 20 on PFF’s rankings of offensive tackles, one spot ahead of his teammate on the opposite side, Dion Dawkins. Williams allowed just 21 total pressures, according to PFF, which tied for 18th fewest among the 58 tackles in the league who played at least 600 snaps. Williams’ emergence allowed the Bills to shift 2019 second-round draft pick Cody Ford to the inside before his season-ending injury.

Unsung hero: A.J. Klein

Let’s be real: Klein wasn’t getting many votes for this award in the first half of the season. The veteran linebacker was skewered on social media in September and October. Klein, however, hit his stride when linebacker Matt Milano was forced out of the lineup because of a pectoral injury. In Week 9 against Seattle, Klein had two sacks, four quarterback hits, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He was even better a couple of weeks later against the Chargers, finishing with 14 tackles, three of which went for losses, 1.5 sacks, two quarterback hits and a pass defensed. Klein ended the season tied for the team lead in sacks (five) and tied for second in quarterback hits (nine).

Best play: Allen-to-Diggs 50-yard touchdown

This play had it all. Let’s start with who it came against. The once mighty New England Patriots in what had been a house of horrors for the Bills – Gillette Stadium. Then consider what it provided – a 24-9 lead in what would end up being a 38-9 demolition of the Patriots – the worst home loss ever for coach Bill Belichick. Finally, consider the play itself – Allen, standing tall in the pocket and patiently going through his progression, then delivering an accurate strike to his No. 1 receiver. Think of all the questions Allen answered in that one play. Then there was Diggs, who turned on the afterburners to leave Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson in the dust – even flashing him the peace sign right before crossing the goal line. If you’re looking for the very moment the Bills said deuces to the Patriots’ reign of terror atop the AFC East, this was it.

Comeback player: Josh Norman

Norman did not have an easy season after signing a one-year contract following his release by Washington. A hamstring injury suffered during the team’s scrimmage landed him on injured reserve to start the season. He returned in Week 4 against the Raiders, forcing and recovering a key fumble in the win, only to get hurt again. He also spent time on the NFL’s reserve/Covid-19 list. Through it all, though, Norman managed to find a way to give back off the field. Despite being here for less than a year, he started a donation drive to support small businesses in Buffalo – a campaign that raised more than $100,000. He finished the season on a high note with a pick-six against the Dolphins.

Most disappointing season: Trent Murphy

The Bills kept the veteran defensive end coming out of training camp, perhaps because they felt that second-round draft pick A.J. Epenesa wasn’t quite ready for a bigger role. Murphy was a healthy inactive in Week 6 against the Chiefs – a big message sent by the coaching staff, considering he has the fifth-highest salary-cap hit on the team. Although he returned to the lineup briefly after that, the Bills made Murphy a healthy inactive in every game after their Week 11 bye, with the exception of Sunday’s season finale. He finished the year with 19 tackles and two sacks in 10 games. Although the coaches applauded him for his professional approach, there is no doubt the season had to be a disappointment for Murphy.

You know it was a challenging week for Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.

How is he going to slow down the hottest offense in the NFL?

The 50-year-old Eberflus is a candidate for multiple head coaching openings. The basis of his defensive scheme is getting pressure with the front four.

The Colts have one of the top-five inside linebackers in the NFL in Darius Leonard. Their other nickel linebacker, Bobby Okereke, is well above average, with 4.58 speed in the 40. (Matt Milano runs 4.67).

Let those two cover massive space underneath, get pressure with the front four and make the quarterback hang onto the ball until the heat gets home.

That’s the Colts’ preferred way to play. The one guy who’s most critical to making it work: defensive tackle DeForest Buckner.

Buckner is one of the top five defensive tackles in the NFL, behind the Rams’ Aaron Donald and up there with Kansas City’s Chris Jones and Pittsburgh’s Casey Hayward.

He’s 6 feet, 7 inches and 295 pounds and he has the biggest hands ever measured at the NFL scouting combine (11 3/4 inches). His acquisition was the Colts’ version of the Stefon Diggs trade last offseason. They gave up a first-round pick to get him from San Francisco and then gave him a $21 million-a-year contract, second richest among NFL defensive tackles.

“It’s been worth every penny and more,” Colts coach Frank Reich said. “He’s a difference maker on the field. He disrupts in the run game and the pass game. He’s a great leader in the locker room. He’s just an A-plus player and leader and teammate.”

Here's Buckner using his long arms to beat Vikings guard Dakota Dozier, No. 78:

The Bills have two things going for them this week in dealing with Buckner: Buffalo has allowed only seven sacks the past seven games, and the Colts’ defense overall has struggled to contain good quarterbacks the second half of the season.

The last seven games of the season, Colts’ opponents have averaged 297 passing yards a game, a 69% completion rate and a 102.1 passer rating. The yardage total would be worst in the league over an entire season. (The No. 32-ranked Falcons allowed 294 yards a game.) The QBs Indy faced down the stretch include Deshaun Watson (twice), Aaron Rodgers, Ryan Tannehill, Derek Carr and Ben Roethlisberger.

The first nine games, the Colts’ opponents had an average rank of 22nd in passing yards. The Colts held them to an average of 198 yards, 62.2% completions and a 78.9 quarterback rating.

The Colts aren’t normally a big blitzing team. In two games against the Texans’ Watson – a comparable threat to Josh Allen – the Colts rushed five or more just 16.5% of pass plays. Watson rolled up 341 and 373 passing yards against them. They did blitz Tannehill a lot in their second meeting, but that was more because they fell behind early. Maybe they mix it up and decide they need to attack Allen more.

“They’ll throw a lot of zone at you and then all of a sudden they’ll switch it up and try to get you with pressure,” Allen said. “It’s my job to try to decipher that and get it to the open guys. Their linebackers are extremely quick and they’re able to run side to side and get into passing lanes.”

Buckner is in the 3-technique position and will line up over either of the Bills’ guards.

He's been limited this week with an ankle injury and is listed as questionable but is expected to play.

"The growth in him the last two years has been tremendous," said guard Jon Feliciano. "He's having a great year. Before, he was more of a one-trick pony. Bull rush and you'll be all right if you can get through that. But now he's added a lot of things off his bull rush; a swim, he'll push-pull you. So he's been playing lights out."

Here's Buckner dominating Houston's Zach Fulton, No. 73, for a sack of Deshaun Watson:

The likeliest way the Bills’ offense gets derailed is if Buckner wreaks havoc. The Colts have a good edge rusher in Justin Houston, 31, who has eight sacks. But he doesn’t command the double-teams that he saw earlier in his career. Houston lines up over left tackle (Dion Dawkins) two-thirds of the time. Dawkins will need to contain him.

The Colts can’t win without a very big day from Buckner.

The 30,000-foot view. Philip Rivers ranked fifth in the NFL in passing yards and eighth in passer rating. He turned 39 in December. The Colts probably will bring him back for another year in 2021. The obvious alternative for the Colts, however, is to try to trade for the Eagles’ Carson Wentz, given the fact Reich was Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator in 2017. That’s presuming the Eagles decide to move Wentz (which would be a big mistake). Meanwhile, the Colts are in good cap shape. They have the third most cap room in 2021, at $63 million, according to Spotrac.com. That will allow them to give massive extensions to Leonard and guard Quenton Nelson, both of whom will command top-of-their-positions pay. Leonard will get about $20 million a year and Nelson $15 million. General Manager Chris Ballard deserves credit for fiscal restraint. Each of the past three offseasons, the Colts have been among the leaders in available cap space, but they have refrained from going on a Jets-like, $150 million spending spree. That has left them in good position to keep their good, young players.

“He has been very judicious,” Reich said of Ballard. “He’s done a great job with our roster in the draft and in free agency, being judicious but not being stubborn. Being selective and going after guys who could help us and fit who we are.”

WR report. Here’s more on the brilliance of Stefon Diggs from the people at NFL Next Gen Stats and Zebra Technologies. Diggs caught 76.5% of his targets (seventh best among pass catchers), while commanding 33.4% of the Bills’ air yards, the 10th highest rate in the league. Gabriel Davis averaged 17.1 yards per catch, sixth best in the league among the 170 players who had at least 25 catches. Davis was fourth in the NFL at 15.9 air yards per target.

Underrated. The Colts are second in the NFL in rush yards allowed and yards-per-rush allowed. Playing next to Buckner is one of the most underrated 1-technique defensive tackles in the league in Grover Stewart, a 6-foot-4-inch, 333-pounder. Stewart, who lines up over a shoulder of the center, was a fourth-round steal out of Division II Albany State. He’s not as talented as Miami’s Christian Wilkins, but he’s close to being as productive. The Colts signed him to a $10 million-a-year contract extension in November. With Buckner and Stewart in the middle, don’t be surprised if Brian Daboll sticks to his formula and throws about 80% of the plays in the first half.

Stats for the road. The Colts have played two tight-end sets 21% of the time on the season. But they’ve rushed for only 3.3 yards a carry out of that 12 personnel grouping. They run better out of 11 personnel (three wideouts). The Colts are averaging 4.8 yards a carry from the spread formations. That means Taron Johnson will be on the field a lot and will be counted upon for sure tackling. He has been good at it this year. ... Backup QB Jacoby Brissett has had 17 rush attempts this year. Look for the Colts to bring him onto the field in place of Rivers in some short-yardage situations.

Week 2, 2018, vs. Los Angeles Chargers  

Significance: Allen’s first start, and a rude awakening to the NFL.  

Result: Chargers 30, Bills 21.  

Statistics: 18 of 33, 246 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions; 8 carries, 32 yards.  

Highlights: Allen was sacked five times and was harassed much of the day by the Chargers’ defensive pressure. Safety Derwin James was a heat-seeking missile, blitzing Allen on 11 plays, chasing him sideline to sideline and contributing to two of the sacks. The Bills fell behind, 28-3, but Allen did breathe some life into an offense that had been dominated in a season-opening loss at Baltimore. The game also was noteworthy because Bills cornerback Vontae Davis decided to retire at halftime.  

Quotable: “This week we decided, hey, let’s put some pressure on the rookie,” said Chargers cornerback Casey Hayward. 

“That was my first start,” Allen recalled in a 2019 interview. “I was trying to change the protection. I said different words than what they actually meant and what I actually meant to say. The line was all discombobulated. It was all my fault, and there was nothing I could do about it. It was just kind of one of those baptism by fire deals.” '

Week 3, 2018, at Minnesota Vikings

Significance: Welcome to the Josh Allen Experience. Allen announced himself to the NFL as a quarterback with world-class athleticism by hurdling over linebacker Anthony Barr on a 10-yard run through the Vikings defense that was seen by football fans nationwide. #JoshAllenJumpingOverThings became a social media phenomenon.  

Result: Bills 27, Vikings 6. 

Statistics: 15 of 22, 196 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs; 10 carries, 39 yards, 2 TDs. 

Highlights: It was Allen’s first win as a starter. The Bills were 16.5-point underdogs and were the first NFL team to win as that big of an underdog since 1995. Buffalo built a 27-0 lead in the second quarter. Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins committed three turnovers.  

Quotable: “I don't think we took them too lightly,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. “I think they came out and kicked our butts.” 

“I was just trying to ignite a spark in our offense and our team,” Allen said. “It was third down. They brought a little pressure, I escaped. And I probably got my eyes down too low. I should have went through the progression a little longer. But I was trusting my feet, trusting my gut.” 

Week 12, 2018, at Miami  

Significance: Allen showed off more remarkable athleticism and almost pulled out a last-minute comeback win vs. the Dolphins.  

Result: Dolphins 21, Bills 17. 

Statistics: 18 of 33, 231 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs; 9 carries, 135 yards.  

Highlights: Tight end Charles Clay dropped a deep heave to the end zone by Allen on a fourth-and-11 play from the Miami 30 with 1:05 left. The Bills fell to 4-8, but Allen turned in an exciting performance. He broke the record for rushing yards by a Bills quarterback that he had set the previous week (with 99 yards) in a win over Jacksonville.  

Quotable: “It was a good ball by Josh,” a somber Clay said in a quiet Bills dressing room. “I just didn't come down with it. And it’s not much more than that. You’ve just got to catch it. That’s why you put in all the work. 

Running back LeSean McCoy was upbeat despite the loss. 

“He’s a bad boy,” McCoy said of Allen. “For him to be so young, just taking control, throwing the ball, running the ball. He wants that moment (of) greatness. Fourth quarter, down four, need a touchdown, just to be a part of that. ... It’s scary to see him grow, what type of player he can be.” 

Week 17, 2018, vs. Miami

Significance: Allen closes his first season with a bang, becoming the second rookie ever to pass for three TDs and rush for two TDs in a game. 

Result: Bills 42, Dolphins 17. 

Statistics: 17 of 26, 224 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT; 9 carries, 95 yards, 2 TDs.  

Highlights: The Bills closed the season at 6-10 but spirits were high after a decisive victory. Allen finished the season with 18 touchdowns produced, the most by a rookie in team history. His eight rushing TDs equaled a franchise record. He flashed his speed and explosiveness on a 30-yard TD run that gave the Bills a 35-17 lead. One of Allen’s completions was a 9-yarder to Kyle Williams, who was playing his last game.  

Quotable: “I’m excited for next year,” safety Micah Hyde said. “We’ve been practicing against him, we see flashes of greatness that he’s been showing and getting on the field and going out there competing, showing heart, motivating guys. Bright, bright future around this place.” 

“We all know what Josh can do,” said running back LeSean McCoy. “He has a bright future. Put the right pieces around him and it’s going to be dangerous.” 

Week 4, 2019, vs. New England Patriots 

Significance: Allen throws career-high three INTs.

Result: Patriots 16, Bills 10.

Statistics: 13 of 28 for 153 yards, 0 TDs, 3 INTs; 5 carries, 26 yards, 1 TD.

Highlights: In an early season matchup of unbeatens, Allen had a chance to symbolically wrest the AFC East torch from Tom Brady, who was playing his final game in Orchard Park. Instead, Allen tossed three interceptions, fumbled and badly overthrew receivers. The Patriots scored nine points off those turnovers and returned a blocked punt for a touchdown. Allen left the game early in the fourth quarter after scrambling and taking a helmet-to-helmet hit from cornerback Jonathan Jones, who was flagged but not ejected. The Bills’ defense held the Patriots to a single offensive touchdown and forced three-and-outs on seven of 11 drives. 

Quotable: “That's the first thing that came out of my mouth on the sideline, if one of us did that to 12 (Brady), we wouldn't have been in the game anymore,” Bills safety Micah Hyde said of Jackson not being ejected.

“After that game, I had numerous talks with Daboll, McDermott and Beane,” Allen said this season. “I made a vow to them, and I’ll keep that in-house, that I’d be a better quarterback and do things the right way.”

Week 13, 2019, at Dallas

Significance: Allen and the Bills made a statement about their legitimacy as a playoff team by dominating the Cowboys on Thanksgiving day. Allen’s toughness was on display on a turning-point play. On fourth-and-1 from the Dallas 30, he fumbled the snap, picked it up and powered his way over the middle of the defense for a 3-yard gain, punctuating the play with a big fist pump. 

Result: Bills 26, Cowboys 15.  

Statistics: 19 of 24 for 231 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs; 10 carries, 43 yards, 1 TD. 

Highlights: Allen set career bests for completion percentage (79.2) and passer rating (120.7). The Bills took command on a double-reverse trick play, with John Brown throwing a 28-yard TD pass to Devin Singletary to give Buffalo a 13-7 lead. Ed Oliver returned to his home state and had a big day, with two sacks, including a strip of Dak Prescott that set up a Bills TD.  

Quotable: “That was a big first down, and how it happened, fourth-and-short and fumbling the snap," Allen said of his key short-yardage conversion. “I wanted it really bad. I knew that it put us in a good position to score points.”

AFC 2019 wild-card playoffs, at Houston

Significance: Allen’s first postseason start. A blown lead followed by a heartbreaking finish.

Result: Texans 22, Bills 19 (OT).

Statistics: 24 of 46 for 264 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs; 9 carries, 92 yards, 1 catch, 16 yards, 1 TD.

Highlights: Allen caught a touchdown pass from wide receiver John Brown on the Bills’ first possession, and the offense was off to a blazing start. An inability to finish drives would catch up to the Bills after that, though, as the team settled for three field goals by Stephen Hauschka. That made the score 16-0 early in the third quarter, but the defense couldn’t hold the lead against Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. Allen lost a fumble at the start of the fourth quarter, and after the Bills fell behind, the second-year quarterback appeared to completely lose his head on a few occasions (remember that failed lateral attempt to tight end Dawson Knox?). Despite that, the Bills were in a position to win the game at the end of regulation and in overtime. Each time, the offense came up short.

Quotable: “I won’t be over this until we start playing again,” Allen said. “I’m very self-driven and I understand things could've went differently. I’m going to learn from it, I’m going to use it and I’m going to grow from it.”

Week 2, 2020, at Miami

Significance: The Bills served notice their passing game was elite, and Allen became the first player in Bills history with 400 passing yards, four passing TDs and no interceptions in a game. His passing yards were a career high.  

Result: Bills 31, Dolphins 28. 

Statistics: 24 of 35 for 415 yards, four TDs, 0 INTs; 4 carries, 19 yards. 

Highlights: Man-to-man coverage had been a problem for the passing game in 2019. But the Bills scorched Miami’s cornerbacks in one-on-one situations. Stefon Diggs caught eight passes for 153 yards and a TD. Allen rallied Buffalo from a 20-17 fourth quarter deficit with TD passes to Gabriel Davis and John Brown. Allen became one of only four quarterbacks to have 700-plus yards, six-plus touchdowns and zero interceptions in the first two weeks of the season. (The others: Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Patrick Mahomes.) The passing yards were the most by a Bill since Drew Bledsoe had 417 against the Raiders in 2002. 

Quotable: “He's got ice water in his veins," coach Sean McDermott said of his QB. "There's no moment too big for him. ... Josh is the leader and he does a great job leading by example." 

Week 9, 2020, vs. Seattle Seahawks 

Significance: Allen shreds Seahawks in wake of grandmother’s death.

Result: Bills 44, Seahawks 34.

Statistics: 31 of 38 for 415 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs, 138.5 rating; 7 carries, 14 yards, 1 TD.

Highlights: Allen played one of the best games of his career against one of the top teams in the NFL, despite being sacked seven times and less than 24 hours after learning his grandmother, Patricia Allen, had died unexpectedly. She was 80 years old. Allen did not mention his grandmother's passing in his postgame remarks; coach Sean McDermott told reporters. Patricia Allen's death spawned a movement that led to donations by Bills fans and others around the NFL of more than $1 million to Oishei Children's Hospital. Allen became the only quarterback in the Super Bowl era to record two games in the same season with at least 400 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, no interceptions and a passer rating over 130, following a similar outburst in a Week 2 victory at Miami, when he also had a career-high 415 passing yards. This was his 14th career game with both a passing and rushing TD, breaking a franchise record previously held by Jack Kemp.

Quotable: “He said he wanted to play,” McDermott said. “We just felt like he was going to have to compartmentalize for the better part of 24 hours in order to get through the game and that's what he did, and then it was emotional after the game. Not an easy thing to play through.”

Week 13, 2020, at San Francisco

Significance: Allen’s “MVP” campaign makes a stop on "Monday Night Football."

Result: Bills 34, 49ers 24.  

Statistics: 32 of 40, for 375 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs; 6 carries, 11 yards. 

Highlights: Allen carved up the team he rooted for as a child growing up in Firebaugh, Calif., leading the Bills to their first official win on "Monday Night Football" since 1999. He was nearly flawless in setting a franchise record by throwing for at least 300 yards and three touchdowns for the fourth time in a single season – a record he would extend to five later in the year. Allen targeted his favorite receivers often, as Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley combined for 19 catches, 222 yards and a touchdown.

Quotable: “I got into a zone today. When it’s spinning off your hand and you know what the ball’s doing, what the tail’s doing, that’s kind of what I felt today. I understood where my guys were,” Allen said. Offensive coordinator Brian “Daboll called a great game plan, our guys did a great job of executing and in a dome type of setting with no wind and no cold, when the ball’s spinning off your hands, you feel like you have supreme control and that’s kind of what I felt tonight.”

Quarterback Josh Allen arguably is the hottest player in the NFL entering the playoffs.

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor isn’t too far behind.

Taylor rushed for 253 yards in Sunday’s win over Jacksonville, tied for the second-highest total ever by an NFL rookie.

Over his last six games, Taylor has 741 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns and a 6.2-yard average per carry.

Containing the rookie from the University of Wisconsin will be the top priority for the Buffalo Bills’ defense in Saturday’s wild-card playoff game. It’s a task made harder by the fact the Colts have one of the better offensive lines in the league, led by All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson.

“I think it’s going to be a challenge this week,” said Bills coach Sean McDermott. “They’ve got a couple first-round picks up front, and their interior offensive line does a great job. I think we’re going to be challenged as a defense. They like to set the line of scrimmage.”

“That’s one of the reasons they’re running the football so well, for sure, because of their offensive line,” said Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier. “So, it will present some challenges for our defensive line. We’re gonna have to do a great job of playing with good pad level and finding ways to separate from blocks. This offensive line has done a great job of neutralizing good defensive lines and we’ll be challenged. The way they’ve run the football the last few weeks, they put a lot of pressure on your defense to stop the run, which can open up some things in the passing game.”

At 5 feet, 10 inches and 226 pounds, Taylor is a power back with speed. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds. The Bills’ Zack Moss ran 4.65 and Devin Singletary 4.66. Arm-tackle attempts barely slow Taylor down.

Taylor led NFL rookies with 1,468 scrimmage yards, 1,169 rushing yards and 12 TDs. He’s the eighth rookie ever with 1,000 rushing yards, 10-plus TDs and a 5.0-yard average per carry.

“Confidence and reps,” said Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni a couple weeks ago. “He just keeps getting reps, keeps getting better. He just keeps seeing it over and over and over again, and he is building confidence from that.”

Taylor’s emergence is not a shock. He was the third running back drafted, No. 41 overall, in the second round.

Taylor is the only Football Bowl Subdivision back ever to rush for 1,900 yards or better three straight seasons. He totaled 6,194 yards for Wisconsin on 926 carries, an average of 22.6 a game.

Taylor got 20-plus carries only once in the first nine games, as the Colts spread out the backfield workload. He had 30 carries against Jacksonville and has had 16 or better five of the last six games.

“At Wisconsin you’re used to 20 carries a bunch of games in a row and here, you’re surrounded by elite talent so there are multiple guys that can make plays and you’re not getting the ball almost every down," Taylor said. “You’re able to kind of preserve your body.”

The Colts’ blueprint to an upset Saturday will require them to prevent the Bills from getting a sizable lead so they can keep feeding Taylor and running the clock.

Said Colts coach Frank Reich: “Do we want to keep Jonathan rolling? Do we want to have a very strong run game? It would be nice to run for 250 yards again. That would certainly be the goal, but those 200-yard games, those just kind of happen. You get a couple long runs and so on and so forth. We’re going in with the same mentality that we always go in with. We’re going to mix it up. We certainly want to get the run game going, but we have a quarterback who can put the ball all over the field on a dime and can be dangerous in that regard so we need to try and keep them off balance.”

The Bills rank 17th in rushing yards allowed per game at 120 and 26th in yards per rush allowed at 4.62.

“We’ve just got to play disciplined ball,” said defensive end Mario Addison. “Read our keys. Stay in our gaps.”

Three matchups to watch when the Buffalo Bills take on the Indianapolis Colts in Saturday’s wild-card game:

DeForest Buckner vs. Bills’ guards. Look for the Bills to try to use a lot of double-team blocks on Buckner, whose massive length is hard for any guard to handle. The 6-foot-7 Buckner has an 82-inch wingspan, and his hands (11 3/4 inches) are the largest ever measured at the NFL Scouting Combine. The Bills’ Ike Boettger actually has good size for a guard, at 6-6, with an 80 3/4-inch wingspan and 9 3/4 inch hands. Buckner has great power moves with his long arms, but he’s also light enough on his feet to get quick penetration.

Bills' WRs vs. Xavier Rhodes and Rock Ya-Sin. Rhodes made three Pro Bowls for the Vikings as a teammate of Stefon Diggs. After two subpar years, the Vikings cut him in March and the Colts signed him to a one-year contract. He has rejuvenated his career. But he’s a bit of a boom or bust player. He stays on the right side of the defense. It will be interesting to see him matched on Diggs. The Colts will be without Rock Ya-Sin, who has been in the concussion protocol. Indy has one of the best slot corners in the NFL in Kenny Moore, who’s also a pretty good blitzer. Rhodes and Ya-Sin have combined for 12 penalties, nine the second half of the season. The top four corners have combined for 20 penalties.

You have to go way back for last Buffalo-Colts playoff meeting

Here's a capsule look at Saturday's wild-card games.

Leslie Frazier vs. Philip Rivers. It’s hard to imagine the Bills completely shutting down the Colts’ run game. The question is: How much pressure can Frazier manufacture on the immobile Rivers when the Bills get the Colts in obvious passing situations. The Colts have one of the top two guards in the NFL in Quenton Nelson and one of the top centers in Ryan Kelly. Pressure up the middle won’t be easy, but it’s the way to impact Rivers. Look for the Bills to show a lot of A-gap pressure (on either side of the center). In the win over the Titans, Tennessee rushed four and sat back in zones all day. That’s not the way to go. Rivers was 29 of 39, and 27 of his completions were within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. Rivers has been sacked at the third lowest rate in the NFL. Sacking isn’t key. Making him feel heat is.

Wide receiver Stefon Diggs was the only Buffalo Bills player named first-team All-Pro, while four of his teammates received second-team honors, the Associated Press announced Friday.

It's the first time that Diggs, who received 48 (third-highest) of a possible 50 votes from the media selection panel, has been named All-Pro in his NFL career. He spent the previous five seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, from whom the Bills acquired Diggs in a trade last March.

Quarterback Josh Allen (two votes), receiver Cole Beasley (one), cornerback Tre'Davious White (six) and returner Andre Roberts (seven) were second-team selections. Roberts also received a vote for special teamer.

Safety Jordan Poyer received three votes, center Mitch Morse received one, Daryl Williams received one for right tackle, and Tyler Matakevich received one for special teamer.

Diggs is the first player in Bills history to lead the NFL in receptions (127) and receiving yards (1,535). Both totals are franchise records and career bests. Diggs also tied a club single-season record with seven 100-yard receiving games.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald were the only players to receive 50 votes, while Green Bay Packers receiver Davante Adams received 49.

Results of the Associated Press 2020 NFL All-Pro balloting selected by a national panel of 50 media members:

OFFENSE

Quarterback

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay, 46; Josh Allen, Buffalo, 2; Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City, 2.

Running Back

Derrick Henry, Tennessee, 47; Alvin Kamara, New Orleans, 3.

Tight End

Travis Kelce, Kansas City, 50.

Wide Receiver

Davante Adams, Green Bay, 49; Stefon Diggs, Buffalo, 48; Tyreek Hill, Kansas City, 24; DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona, 21; Justin Jefferson, Minnesota, 5; Calvin Ridley, Atlanta, 1; DK Metcalf, Seattle, 1; Cole Beasley, Buffalo, 1.

Left Tackle

David Bakhtiari, Green Bay, 26; Garett Bolles, Denver, 13; Trent Williams, San Francisco, 7; Terron Armstead, New Orleans, 2; Laremy Tunsil, Houston, 1; Eric Fisher, Kansas City, 1.

Right Tackle

Jack Conklin, Cleveland, 18; Ryan Ramczyk, New Orleans, 11; Tristan Wirfs, Tampa Bay, 10; Orlando Brown Jr., Baltimore, 5; Braden Smith, Indianapolis, 5; Daryl Williams, Buffalo, 1.

Left Guard

Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis, 24; Joel Bitonio, Cleveland, 16; Ali Marpet, Tampa Bay, 7; Elgton Jenkins, Green Bay, 2; Rodger Saffold, Tennessee, 1.

Right Guard

Brandon Scherff, Washington, 23 1-2; Wyatt Teller, Cleveland, 10; David DeCastro, Pittsburgh, 8 1-2; Zack Martin, Dallas, 3; Chris Lindstrom, Atlanta, 3; Nate Davis, Tennessee, 2.

Center

Corey Linsley, Green Bay, 18; Ryan Kelly, Indianapolis, 8; Frank Ragnow, Detroit, 8; Rodney Hudson, Las Vegas, 5; Maurkice Pouncey, Pittsburgh, 4; Jason Kelce, Philadelphia, 2; Ben Jones, Tennessee, 2; JC Tretter, Cleveland, 1; Mitch Morse, Buffalo, 1; Erik McCoy, New Orleans, 1.

DEFENSE

Edge Rushers

T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh, 47; Myles Garrett, Cleveland, 36; Khalil Mack, Chicago, 6; Za’Darius Smith, Green Bay, 4; Trey Hendrickson, New Orleans, 3; Haason Reddick, Arizona, 2; Brandon Graham, Philadelphia, 1; Cam Jordan, New Orleans, 1.

Interior Linemen

Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams, 50; DeForest Buckner, Indianapolis, 25; Chris Jones, Kansas City, 10; Cam Heyward, Pittsburgh, 8; Grady Jarrett, Atlanta, 2; Leonard Williams, New York Giants, 2; Ndamukong Suh, Tampa Bay, 1; Quinnen Williams, New York Jets, 1; Stephon Tuitt, Pittsburgh, 1.

Linebackers

Fred Warner, San Francisco, 39; Bobby Wagner, Seattle, 35; Darius Leonard, Indianapolis, 18; Devin White, Tampa Bay, 16; Demario Davis, New Orleans, 14; Lavonte David, Tampa Bay, 10; Roquan Smith, Chicago, 10; Eric Kendricks, Minnesota, 3; Blake Martinez, New York Giants, 2; Myles Jack, Jacksonville, 1; Zach Cunningham, Houston, 1; Deion Jones, Atlanta, 1.

Cornerbacks

Xavien Howard, Miami, 47; Jalen Ramsey, Los Angeles Rams, 25; Jaire Alexander, Green Bay, 18; Tre’Davious White, Buffalo, 6; Marlon Humphrey, Baltimore, 2; James Bradberry, New York Giants, 1; J.C. Jackson, New England, 1.

Safeties

Tyrann Mathieu, Kansas City, 19; Minkah Fitzpatrick, Pittsburgh, 18; Budda Baker, Arizona, 18; Jamal Adams, Seattle, 14; Jessie Bates III, Cincinnati, 8; Justin Simmons, Denver, 6; Adrian Amos, Green Bay, 6; John Johnson III, Los Angeles Rams, 4; Marcus Maye, New York Jets, 4; Jordan Poyer, Buffalo, 3.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Placekicker

Jason Sanders, Miami, 23; Justin Tucker, Baltimore, 11; Younghoe Koo, Atlanta, 10; Jason Myers, Seattle, 4; Graham Gano, New York Giants, 1; Mason Crosby, Green Bay, 1.

Punter

Jake Bailey, New England, 26; Jack Fox, Detroit, 12; Michael Dickson, Seattle, 9; Corey Bojorquez, Buffalo, 2; Tress Way, Washington, 1.

Kick Returner

Cordarrelle Patterson, Chicago, 43; Andre Roberts, Buffalo, 7.

Punt Returner

Gunner Olszewski, New England, 28; Jakeem Grant, Miami, 11; Andre Roberts, Buffalo, 6; Ray-Ray McCloud, Pittsburgh, 3; Hunter Renfrow, Las Vegas, 1; Nyheim Hines, Indianapolis, 1.

Special Teamer

George Odum, Indianapolis, 28; Matthew Slater, New England, 7; Zeke Turner, Arizona, 4; Nick Bellore, Seattle 4; Justin Bethel, New England, 2; Dennis Gardeck, Arizona, 1; Gunner Olszewski, New England, 1; Andre Roberts, Buffalo, 1; Cordarrelle Patterson, Chicago, 1; Tyler Matakevich, Buffalo, 1.

Long Snapper

Morgan Cox, Baltimore, 27; Luke Rhodes, Indianapolis, 8; Tyler Ott, Seattle, 7; Jon Weeks, Houston, 2; L.P. Ladouceur, Dallas, 2; Rick Lovato, Philadelphia, 1; Charley Hughlett, Cleveland, 1; Nick Sundberg, Washington, 1; J.J. Jansen, Carolina, 1

Wide receivers Cole Beasley and Stefon Diggs are listed as questionable for the Buffalo Bills' AFC wild-card playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts Saturday at Bills Stadium.

Beasley has a knee injury, suffered against New England on Dec. 28, that kept him out of last Sunday's regular-season-finale against the Miami Dolphins. After not practicing Tuesday or Wednesday, he 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.

On Wednesday, Diggs, the NFL's leader in receptions and receiving yards, told reporters he was confident that he would play Saturday. 

"I’m cool. No major issues," Diggs said. 

"I appreciate where he’s coming from," coach Sean McDermott told reporters before practice when asked about Diggs' assurance. "At the end of the day, I’m always concerned when guys are in the training room, no matter who it is."

Wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie, who was limited Tuesday and Wednesday with an ankle injury, was a full participant Thursday and does not have an injury designation for the game. 

According to Colts coach Frank Reich, cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (concussion) and offensive tackle Will Holden (ankle) have been ruled out for the game. Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (ankle) was limited Thursday and is listed as questionable, but is expected to play. Running back Jonathan Taylor (shoulder) was limited again but does not have an injury designation.

Quarterback Philip Rivers, who has been dealing with turf toe, was a full participant and does not have an injury designation for the game. 

He’s 39, which is on the higher end of the age scale for an NFL player. He has shown signs of lost arm strength. His mobility, never a strength, has steadily become a glaring liability.

That’s Philip Rivers.

That’s the quarterback the Buffalo Bills will face in Saturday’s AFC wild-card playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts.

There are older starters in the league. Tom Brady is 43. Drew Brees turns 42 on Jan. 15. They, too, are in the wild-card round this weekend.

Rivers doesn’t have the body of work of either of his veteran counterparts, but he has been good enough to last 16 seasons. He has generated strong numbers in his career and did his part to help the Colts to an 11-5 finish.

But Rivers’ shortcomings as a passer and a mover should allow the Bills’ defense to play a key role in allowing Buffalo to advance to the divisional round for the first time in six wild-card appearances since 1996.

Josh Allen, who at 24 is bigger and stronger and many times nimbler than Rivers, is the primary reason the Bills have as good a chance as ever to reach and win the Super Bowl.

On Saturday, though, he likely will get a big assist from a defense that should provide an additional path to victory by pressuring Rivers into mistakes in the form of interceptions, incompletions and/or fumbles.

Suffice it to say members of the Bills’ front four are looking forward to the opportunity to grab a piece of the spotlight Allen and the rest of the offense have dominated for most of the season.

“I love going against a non-mobile quarterback,” defensive end Mario Addison told reporters Wednesday. “With guys like that, who like to stand in the pocket, smooth guys like me and Jerry (Hughes), we get to make the moves that we want to make.”

Addison is right. This is a battle between those smooth moves of the Bills’ pass-rushers and the rough, stiff motion of Rivers.

It shouldn’t be a contest.

To his credit, Rivers does get rid of the ball quickly. That had plenty to do with his being sacked a relatively low 19 times on the way to becoming the NFL’s 11th-ranked passer, five spots below Allen. Rivers completed 68% of his throws for 4,169 yards and 24 touchdowns, while throwing 11 interceptions.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, the top pass-rushing team in the NFL with an average of 3.5 sacks per game, dumped Rivers a season-high five times in their Dec. 27 win against the Colts. The Bills are tied for 14th in the league with an average of 2.4 sacks per game.

An obvious way the Colts can help keep Rivers upright and minimize his duress in the pocket is to employ a run-oriented attack. The Colts have the NFL’s eighth-ranked rusher in rookie Jonathan Taylor, who has run for 1,169 yards and 11 touchdowns.

However, Rivers recognizes that approach has its limits.

“We can’t go out there and say we’re just going to hand it off and be very careful and we’ll win, because we are playing too good of a team; you can’t not play free and use the playmakers we have,” he told reporters. “But it’s going to come down to fundamentals, technique and situational football and taking care of the football. In the games where the teams that I’ve been on where I and we have done that, then it’s usually worked out pretty good.

“When we haven’t, you end up falling up short.”

Rivers grew up in Alabama, spent the first 15 years of his career in Southern California with the Chargers and played his home games this season in a dome. It’s fair to think he might have problems thriving in the mid-30s temperatures forecast for Saturday.

Asked if there is anything he does specifically to prepare for the cold, Rivers said, “No. I do think you kind of just know it going in that it may not be perfectly comfortable. I’m sure we will do some practices outside this week, but, no. Throw on a long-sleeved shirt and go play. That’s about it.”

Look for defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier and coach Sean McDermott to concoct a variety of pressure packages that involve linebackers and defensive backs.

“For us, we’ve just got to keep going up there, we’ve got to keep swinging and just try our best to get after him and disrupt his afternoon,” Hughes said.

“Don’t let him fool you,” Addison said. “He runs their offense. He can always check plays and do what he (does to avoid hits and keep the chains moving)."

The Bills understand that Rivers’ best weapon against them is his experience.

“He’s extremely smart, sees it all,” McDermott said.

“We know, going against Philip, it’s like playing against an offensive coordinator out there,” Hughes said. “He might not be as mobile as some of these younger quarterbacks, but he’s still able to orchestrate the offense, put guys in position so he can be successful. You see that a lot on film where he’s putting guys in position, he’s getting the ball out quick.”

As safety Jordan Poyer pointed out to reporters, Rivers has “seen every single defense you can imagine.” Studying video, the Bills’ defenders are seeing Rivers do frequent checking at the line to get the offense into the right play.

“It’s hard to fool a guy like Philip Rivers and so we're just going to do our very best to give him as many different looks as we can,” Poyer said. "And sometimes just lining up and saying, ‘Hey, this is what we’re in, you've got to beat us.’ It’s definitely a little cat-and-mouse game that goes on out there with Philip Rivers. Just coming out and being able to execute at a high level, that's what we’re going to have to do.”

McDermott has made a point of driving home the message the Bills have nothing but the highest respect for Rivers.

“Absolutely,” the coach said. “He’s as good as there is, I believe, out there. He’s shown that. He’s gotten his team to the playoffs. He’s got weapons around him and a good front in front of him. … You look at the quarterbacks in the playoffs and these teams didn't get there on their own.

“It’s a quarterback-driven league and I think Philip continues to play at a very, very high level.”

The Bills’ defense should be able to change that Saturday.

Accurate passing can’t be coached. Either you have it or you don’t. And if you weren’t an accurate passer in college, you aren’t going to become one in the NFL.

How often have we heard that since the runup to the 2018 NFL draft?

Josh Allen’s detractors put it at the top of the reasons that he wasn’t worthy of the seventh overall choice the Buffalo Bills used to select him. It was spoken with such authority and conviction, as if it were gospel handed down from the football gods.

There’s just one problem. In the case of Allen, it has proved false.

A 13-3 Bills season highlighted by the team’s first AFC East championship in 25 years, its most victories in a season since 1991 and a No. 2 playoff seed doesn’t happen without the dynamic play of Allen. He has set single-season franchise records for passing yards (4,544), touchdown passes (37), completions (396), 300-yard passing games (eight) and total yards (4,987, including 12 receiving).

But those achievements wouldn’t be possible without the most defining stat of Allen’s rise to elite status: His career-high completion percentage of 69.2, which ranks fourth in the NFL.

Allen’s adjusted completion percentage, which takes into account spikes, throwaways and throws impacted by hits, rose from 71.2% in 2019 to 79.2%, according to Pro Football Focus.

Coming three seasons after a career at Wyoming, where he completed 56.2% of his throws, it makes a solid argument that a quarterback can, in fact, become significantly more accurate as a pro.

“I have seen a real improvement in his accuracy,” Troy Aikman, Hall of Fame quarterback and lead NFL game analyst for Fox Sports, told The Buffalo News by phone. “And it’s a real credit to his work ethic. I mean, he has clearly worked really hard at it. … My years as a player and now as a broadcaster, he is one of the few that I can think of that has shown noticeable improvement in that area.”

Aikman readily acknowledges he was an Allen detractor in 2018. While he’s willing to make an exception for Allen, Aikman unapologetically subscribes to the logic that inaccurate passers in college tend to stay that way in the NFL. Aikman’s completion percentage in college was 63.3, helped greatly by his transfer from Oklahoma and its Wishbone offense, and he had a completion percentage of 61.5 in a Hall of Fame career.

“I was accurate as a passer and I just I feel you either have an ability to put a ball where you want to or you don't,” Aikman said. “And that was a real concern, I guess, of Josh coming out. Heck, I saw him miss 10-yard throws. And not even close. And you'd say, ‘Wow!’ When I was at his pro day, I was standing right behind him and I happened to be next to Mike Shula (when he was offensive coordinator of the New York Giants). He threw a ball, it had to be 85 yards in the air. I've never seen a ball travel like that. He overthrew the receiver and it was the darndest thing I've ever seen.

“When people start talking about strong arms and this and that, I saw Brett Favre launch one about 78 yards one time. I’ve never seen anyone with an arm like Josh Allen's. Now, where does that get you? Well, not very far. I mean, it helps you with a Hail Mary if you're on your own 20-yard line, but other than that ...

“I’m asked a lot, ‘Hey, what do you think the most important quality is for a quarterback?' I have always said it’s accuracy, because you can have all of the other things – great leadership, great toughness, arm strength, smart – and it just doesn't matter. If you can't throw a football where you want to throw it, then what good are you?”

After throwing for 417 yards and four touchdowns – with three passes of 46 or more yards and seven completions in eight attempts of 20-plus yards – in a 31-28 victory at Miami on Sept. 20, Allen was asked if all the talk about his lack of long-ball accuracy could be put to rest.

"I'm asking you," said Allen, who was among the worst in the league in 2019 in 20-plus-yard throws with a 30.9% completion rate, per Pro Football Focus.

He would provide an answer to that question as he put together an MVP-caliber season. That deep-ball figure has mushroomed to 47.9% this year on almost the same number of attempts, and Allen's improvement hasn't just come on longer throws. 

“It seems like Josh is a little bit more composed and comfortable in stepping up in the pocket," said Broncos safety Justin Simmons before Allen completed 70% of his passes for 359 yards in a December win against Denver. “He's making accurate throws all across the field."

'Worked his butt off'

When Allen’s completion percentage dipped from 56.2% in college to 52.8% in his rookie year, a chorus of "I told you so" rang out. It didn’t get all that much quieter when the number climbed to a modest 58.8% in 2019.

After completing only 52.2% of his passes in a forgettable performance in the Bills’ wild-card playoff loss at Houston, Allen and his coaches knew there was plenty of work to be done. Even in an offseason when the pandemic wiped out practices at team facilities, he managed to invest enough time on his own, including his annual sessions in Southern California with personal quarterback coach Jordan Palmer, to sufficiently address his throwing mechanics.

One component of his work with Palmer was having his mechanics digitally mapped, a process that allowed Allen to better understand how throwing motion correlates to accuracy and power. As he explained early last month while appearing on "The Pat McAfee Show," the mapping showed “what was firing … (it is supposed to be) my hips, then my torso, then your elbow and your hand firing. But my hand and elbow were firing near before my hips were. I wasn’t really incorporating any part of my legs in my motion.”

“Being able to add my hips and make that as consistent as possible and try to slow everything else down up top and use my hand as the leverage for the speed and the accuracy has changed a lot of things,” Allen said. “The accuracy has gone up, but it’s actually added some mph to my throwing power, too. It’s been a pretty cool process. … It was like a wake-up call. It was like, ‘OK, maybe I should try to incorporate a few clubs into my bag and try to hit that 60 degrees.’ It’s funny that I use golf as that metaphor because I’ve actually learned a lot of my throwing from my swing in golf.”

Additionally, in focusing on deep-ball accuracy, Palmer put Allen and his other clients through drills that had them throwing to receivers at the top of a hill or stadium bleachers. They had to get the ball to rotate and drop down, despite the target being 15 to 20 yards above them.

“What it does is it exaggerates the shoulder tilt and your spine tilting back,” Palmer told The News in January. “And then we bring them down the stands. You do that over a period of a month or so and it's kind of like you develop both sides of the spectrum, both extremes. Too high and not high enough.”

Passing from the bottom of an incline “kind of forces you to throw the ball with arc over the top and drop it in instead of trying to drive it,” Bills quarterbacks coach Ken Dorsey told The News. “It just forces you to get elevation on the throw, and it gives you a little bit more margin of error when you do that.”

Allen also followed the guidance he received via video calls with Dorsey and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. Their instruction continued in-person once the NFL allowed training camps to open.

Aikman and others who know what it takes to excel as a quarterback admire the amount of time and effort Allen invested to improve his passing skills.

“I think he worked his butt off,” former NFL quarterback and CBS game analyst Rich Gannon told The News. “The feet are a big thing. I know he's talked a lot about being in balance in the throws, not overstriding. He’s worked a lot on that. I think he's worked on his release mechanics. I think he's done a lot of technical work and fundamental work on that.

“I just think the fact that he’s taken it to another level where, in the offseason he's going out to California, spending his own money to work on some of those core fundamentals and techniques, all of that shows. He’s worked on core strength. I think he's also worked a lot on a whole routine to get himself warmed up before he throws every day and cool down, taking care of his arm, which guys didn't do 15 years ago.

“I think a lot of the credit has to go to Brian Daboll and the coaching staff; they’ve done a really good job with him. But I think a lot of credit goes to the kid. I had a conversation with him in one of our production meetings and believe me, he is well aware, as are all quarterbacks, what the talk on the street is about him. He’s heard the criticism.”

The addition of Stefon Diggs has done wonders to boost Allen’s production in all areas. Besides Diggs’ ability to separate from defenders, his presence has helped allow other receivers to have more room to operate. And when they have more room, Allen has a greater chance of getting them the ball consistently.

The Bills have thrown more passes this season, with Allen's percentage of deep attempts decreasing as the intermediate passing game has opened up. Cole Beasley, who generally operates on underneath routes, is having a career year with personal bests in targets (107), receptions (82) and yards (967).

In passes that travel to 10 to 20 yards, Allen has upped his completion percentage from 61.7% to 64.2%, moving from 58 of 94 last year to 79 of 123 this year. 

“Everyone knows he has the arm," the Broncos' Simmons said, "not to mention the additional weapon they got with Diggs, he’s an elite receiver.”

Allen’s game experience has also paid large dividends.

“When he walked to the line of scrimmage against the Ravens that first game of his rookie year, there was a million things coming at him,” Gannon said. “And it all happened so fast. Now, all of a sudden, he's seeing the corner's heels at 10 yards on one side; the other guy's at eight. He's seeing the safety, who's usually three yards outside the numbers and now and he's down in the box area. He starts seeing the Will linebacker who's bossed a little bit (sliding to the strong side).

“Not only that, but he's starting to see things on the offensive side of the ball. Cole Beasley's split is supposed to be three yards from the tackle; now he's five yards. Little tips and reminders. Now you're an air traffic controller. He's still not quite there yet, but, man, he's made big progress. I think he's the most improved player in the league this year. And that's saying a lot because, in my opinion, he was trending in the right direction last year.”

'Understanding everything'

Gannon calls himself a “great example” of a QB who elevated his completion percentage during the course of his career. He went from 33.3 in 1987, as a rookie with the Minnesota Vikings, to 59.6 by his fifth season. Gannon improved to 63.6 in 1995, his first year with the Kansas City Chiefs, and hit a career-high 67.6 in 2002 with the Oakland Raiders, winning NFL MVP honors and leading his team to the Super Bowl.

He believes the reason for his improvement applies to Allen and all quarterbacks.

“One is a better understanding of everything, and it starts with protections,” Gannon said. “When you start understanding the protections, you start understanding the strength of the protection, the weakness, where you're vulnerable, who's hot, who's not, where you have to change the protection, where you have to speed up the drop, all those type of things help you. The second thing is understanding coverages and fronts. If it's an under front, and the safety's in a strike position, there's a good chance there's going to be some kind of blitz. Now I've got some answers in my toolbox for that. I can audible the protection, I can sight-adjust, I can hand-signal the receiver, I can do all these different things.

“I think he's got a better understanding of the why. Why is Daboll calling this particular play in this situation in the game, the down and distance and score? Because he's expecting blitz or he's expecting two-deep coverage or he's expecting man-to-man. All those things begin to factor into your ability to be more accurate, because you're more decisive, you have better anticipation.

“You watched him early in his career, he has such a strong arm, but he had to see the guy clearly coming out of the break, he had to see the guy clearly have some separation. Now you watch him, and he's throwing the ball before these guys are out of the break a lot of times because he trusts the receivers. He understands the importance of timing and rhythm in the passing game. His feet have gotten better in the pocket. You watch him, whether he's in the gun or he's working under the center, he's become a much better play-action passer.”

It’s fair to say that at least some of Allen’s accuracy issues have been circumstantial. He grew up in Firebaugh, Calif., which is hardly a hotbed for quarterbacks. Allen wasn’t building up his resume for college recruiters by attending prestigious passing camps. He wasn’t on anyone’s recruiting hot list.

As a member of the Firebaugh junior varsity team in 2011, Allen had a completion percentage of 59.5. It was 50.8% and 57.4% in his two seasons on the varsity.

“It was really just him and his high school coach probably working on it,” Dorsey said. “Then he goes to junior college for a couple years (Reedley, where his completion percentage dipped to 49). And then he goes to Wyoming for a couple years. So, it's not like he was in one place for like four or five years with the same coaching staff in college, to where they could really home in on things or anything like that.”

There are other examples, though not many, of top-level NFL quarterbacks improving completion percentage from the beginning of their careers.

Steve Young went from 52.2% in 1985, his first year with the San Francisco 49ers when he made five starts while backing up fellow Hall of Famer Joe Montana, to 69.6% in 1989 when he made three starts to 66.7% in 1992 when he went 12-2 as a starter.

The Saints’ Drew Brees jumped from 57.6% in 2003, his third NFL season with the San Diego Chargers, to 65.5% a year later, his next-to-last season with the Chargers.

The common thread is an exceptional work ethic.

“I think, number one, it starts with the individual and the type of guy you're dealing with,” Dorsey said. “Is he willing to put in extra time? Is he willing to basically sacrifice a lot of stuff to really focus on his job, his profession? And Josh is really willing to do that in the offseason and in-season, whether it's drill work, whether it's extra throwing, whether it's watching tape. I think the most important thing is you've got a guy who is hungry to improve and eager to learn and work on his craft. A part of that is just really focusing on the mechanics, building a great base of fundamentals.”

Strong base

Allen likes to see his throwing motion through the lens of golf.

For Dorsey, the closer sporting comparison is boxing.

“I equate it a lot with a boxer,” he said. “If a boxer is standing straight up and he's not moving his feet, he's going to get knocked out. The fight isn't going to last very long. Whereas, if he's playing with a great base and has a solid lower body, generally he's going to give himself a chance. I think it's the same thing with quarterback play. We focus a lot on the lower body and the base mechanics, because very rarely do you play in an NFL football game where you just drop back and you could just sit in the pocket all day and you're throwing seven-on-seven. You're going to have to slide and adjust, you're going to have to move in the pocket and kind of stress yourself and then you have to get back into a throwing position or have to throw a little off-balance.

“When you watch the most successful guys around the league, they have very good lower-body mechanics in their base and that's where you generate a lot of power from and that's where you generate a lot of accuracy from. But we try, as best we can, to replicate that through drill work."

It starts with a good, strong base with good knee-bend and foot movement. "Not letting your feet go dead is the main thing," the coach said.

After that, it's about keeping the shoulders level, with the front shoulder (the left in the case of a right-handed thrower like Allen) tight to the body to prevent it from rising.

“When you throw an intermediate or short ball, if your front shoulder’s raised, in order to throw it accurately, you've got to bring it back down to level so the ball doesn't sail on you. Obviously, that's something he worked on as well," Dorsey said. “Naturally, there’s going to be some throws where it elevates because you're putting arc on the ball and throwing it over the top. So sometimes there are those throws where you elevate the shoulder, but for the most part, you want good level and staying tight.”

Allen came to recognize how vital good footwork was to his game when he began training with Palmer before the 2018 draft.

"I had a problem with a long front step and that was causing my elbow to drop, and it was throwing off the entire sequence within the hip and the shoulder and the arm coming through," Allen told The News during his rookie training camp. "So when I keep that steady and I can take a small front stride and get (the left foot) down, my lead step, as fast as possible, the ball comes out quicker, it comes out cleaner, my throwing motion is less violent and that equals more accurate balls."

Step one of the Palmer method is having his clients jump as high as possible multiple times, land and look down.

"And I'll say, 'OK, that is your base. We're going to operate within a couple inches inside or outside of that base,'" Palmer said. "From there, I got to the root of the problem: his feet. He's overstriding. And I go, 'Well, why are you overstriding? Because your base is too narrow. You're putting yourself in a position where you have to overstride. So let's not fix the overstride, let's fix the base.'"

Among the tactics Palmer employed was having Allen wear a resistance band around his ankles while he went through drills. The purpose was twofold: 1. It helped strengthen Allen's base; 2. It reminded him of the proper distance to maintain between his feet.

That’s the mechanical part of Allen's growth and development.

There’s a psychological part, as well, and it hasn’t been lost on Allen’s teammates.

“It’s hard when the keys to the franchise are given to you. That can be daunting, both mentally and physically,” center Mitch Morse told reporters after the Bills’ 56-26 victory against the Dolphins Sunday. “Josh has just been such a poised competitor this year. He really picked us up when we weren’t feeling great and kind of marched us forward.

“When a quarterback walks into the huddle and you can feel his confidence even when things aren’t going right, that permeates to the rest of the guys and he does an exceptional job of that and the great quarterbacks do, so we’re very fortunate to have him.”

As the Bills enter the postseason, they know they have a quarterback who is playing the best football of his life. Nowhere is that more evident than with his elevated accuracy.

It hasn’t happened by accident.

“Obviously, we’re very happy with the direction we’re in and the strides that Josh has made,” Dorsey said. “And a lot of that, and I can’t reiterate enough, is just the work that he’s put into it.”

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.

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.

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.

The Bills are the NFL's hot iron right now, having swept their AFC East foes for the first time in franchise history – while also setting a team record with 501 points this season.

Quarterback Josh Allen has come into his own, completing more than 69% of his passes for 4,544 yards, 37 passing TDs and 10 INTs, good for a 107.2 passer rating (behind only Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes).

Buffalo is 9-1 straight up and 7-2-1 against the spread in its last 10 home playoff games. To top it off, home teams entering the playoffs riding exactly a six-game win streak are 7-0 straight up and 6-0-1 against the spread since 1999 in their first contest. After throttling Miami last week, how can they not continue, you ask?

For openers, the Bills are 0-6 straight up in their last six playoff games dating to 1996, not to mention 1-10 against the spread in the playoffs when coming off an against the spread win of seven or more points.

The Colts enter 10-6 straight up and 11-5 against the spread in the postseason versus foes coming off a spread win of eight or more points, including 6-2 against the spread as an underdog.

Meanwhile, quarterback Philip Rivers is 6-2 against the spread as a playoff underdog, and 5-1 straight up and 4-2 against the spread in his career against the Bills.

Playoff road underdogs coming off a win-no-cover in its last game are 21-9-3 against the spread since 1994, including 18-4-2 against the spread when taking more than three points, including 9-1-1 against the spread versus opponents with a winning percentage of .750 or more. Remember, every scorching force cools off after reaching its apex.         

Prediction: Bills over Colts by 3.

Marc Lawrence previews the NFL from a Vegas perspective. You can follow him online at Playbook.com or @MarcLawrence.

The Bills were 11-5 against the spread in the regular season, tied with Miami for the best mark in the league. The Colts were 8-8 against the spread.

Here is a rundown of where the betting public stands Saturday morning for Saturday's AFC wild-card game at Bills Stadium, via the Action Network's Darren Rovell.

From DraftKings, 87% of the money is on the Bills.

At William Hill and FanDuel, the percentage is 86%.

At 888sport, the NFL's official betting partner in England and Ireland, 91% of the money is on the Bills. 

The outlier seems to be BetOnline.ag, with 52% of the money on the Colts at a line of Bills plus-6. Some of that might be based on where bets can be taken, with not every state allowing wagering. BetOnline, because it's not based in the U.S., takes wagers worldwide.

For what it's worth, the betting public backed all four favorites in the wild-card round last year, and all four underdogs in 2019.