AFC Wild Card Preview and Prediction: Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts

The playoffs kick off on Saturday with a matchup of teams that were expected to chasing Super Bowls this season as the Bills host the Colts. Let’s take a look at some of the keys in this matchup?

How do you beat the Bills?

The easy answer here, you run, you run, and you run well. The Bills gave up over 200 rushing yards twice – losing both games – and were hit by Tennessee for 139.

Indianapolis has rushed for over 200 yards in two of the last four games with the ground attack rolling over the second half of the season. The Colts possess one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, and Jonathon Taylor, after a slow start, has played well during the last half of the 2020 season. If the Colts can control the game on the ground it will make life much easier for Quarterback Phillip Rivers.

The ground game can keep the Bills red-hot offense off the field. The only problem here for the Colts will be turnovers as Rivers and Taylor have a tendency to be mistake prone. Any turnover in this game for the Colts could be a season killer.

How do you beat the Colts?

There’s an easy answer here too. Throw the ball on a Colts defense that doesn’t defend the pass very well. Stefon Diggs may just be the best wide receiver in football at this moment, and Josh Allen has been on fire. The Bills Offensive Line has been solid, and this is an offense that can beat you on the ground or through the air.

Prediction

This game should be Allen’s coming-out party as I do not see the Colts being able to consistently stop the Bills offense. On the other side of the ball, I’ll look for a couple of costly interceptions to be thrown by Rivers. Expect the Bills to jump out quick and then the Colts to stage a comeback until a fourth-quarter interception ends their chances.

Bills 31  Colts 21