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Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts: The good, the bad and the ugly

By Paul Taylor

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Breaking down the Buffalo Bills impressive 27-14 victory over the Indianapolis Colts

I’m going to guess there are a lot of happy Buffalo Bills fans this morning, albeit with horrific hangovers. However, you deserve to celebrate, when your team has just started the season in dominating fashion.

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The Bills entered the game as 2.5-point underdogs, and with most experts picking the Colts to win. (For example, Kurt Warner was the only analyst on the NFL Network panel, who thought Buffalo would defeat Indianapolis.)

In fairness, I’ll confess that I was also convinced the Colts would win. Not that I didn’t think the game would be close, but I ultimately believed Andrew Luck had too many weapons to be slowed down.

Boy, was I wrong – not that I have any problem with that whatsoever. In any event, lets break down the Bills impressive 27-14 victory over the Colts.

Three stars

1) Tyrod Taylor:

It’s fair to say Taylor’s performance was as impressive as it was surprising. Yes, the coaching staff repeatedly told everyone how bright he was, and we were all aware of his superior athletic ability, but no one expected this.

The 26-year old looked more like a seasoned pro, rather than someone starting his first NFL regular season game*. Heck, he completed seven of eight passes, for 112 yards and one touchdown pass, by the end of the first quarter.

(* Yes, I realise Matt Cassel officially got the start, after Rex Ryan deciding to screw with everyone one last time about the quarterback situation. However, regardless of how the rule book presents it, Taylor was the starter.)

Taylor slowed down in the second half, but by then, the Bills had built up a healthy 24-0 lead. Ultimately, he played a smart game, didn’t throw any picks, and showed the running abilities that will frustrate defenses, including this 31-yard scramble:

2) Nigel Bradham

The Bills defense as a whole was sensational against the Colts. However, Bradham is worthy of special mention.

A lot of media analysts suspected the linebacker would thrive in Rex Ryan’s defense, and that was certainly the case on Sunday. Bradham was all over the field, leading the team in tackles, while adding a sack, two QB hits and one tackle for a loss.

The 2015 season represents a contract year for the 26-year old. If he keeps playing like this, he can expect an extension offer sooner rather than later.

3) Ronald Darby and Percy Harvin

Okay, so I’m cheating a little bit here, but they’re both worthy of being mentioned. Each player went into the Colt game with doubts surrounding them, and both answered the call.

Everyone knew Luck was going to target Darby, something which the rookie cornerback acknowledged himself. However, he came through with flying colors, including his key interception and two other pass defenses.

As for Harvin, analysts and fans alike wondered if he could ever return to the form of his early years in Minnesota. On the evidence of this game, the answer would have to be yes, as he led the Bills in catches and yards.

Tough day at the office

1) LeSean McCoy:

There is no denying McCoy had a tough game, finishing with just 41 yards on 17 carries. In his defense though, this was his first action since returning from a hamstring injury.

Sep 13, 2015; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Indianapolis Colts defensive end

Kendall Langford

(90) tackles Buffalo Bills running back

LeSean McCoy

(25) behind the line of scrimmage during the first quarter at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

On top of that, it was the Colts gameplan to concentrate on stopping McCoy, as the focal point of the Buffalo attack. In that respect it worked, but in the process they opened up other areas of the Bills offense.

Make no mistake about it, the 2013 NFL rushing leader will eventually get going. Until then, I’m sure he’s happy to act as a decoy (McCoy the decoy?), if it allows other players on the team to make their mark.

2) Bills offensive line

Some people may well question adding the Buffalo o-line in this section. The Bills outgained the Colts, Taylor wasn’t sacked and the running game still ended up with nearly 150 yards.

However, Eric Woods and company did struggle with their collective run blocking at times during the game. In that respect, it’s fair to call the offensive line the biggest concern on the team right now.

Ultimately though, like McCoy, they just need time to warm up. Anytime you add new starters, in this case Richie Incognito and John Miller, it takes a while for a unit to gel together.

3) Andrew Luck:

In theory, this section is meant to concentrate on Bills players, but Luck is worthy of inclusion. The 2012 first overall draft pick certainly had a tough time at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

There were times when the game had a similar vibe to last season’s win over the Green Bay Packers. As with Aaron Rodgers, Luck definitely looked discombobulated out there.

Luck was harried throughout the game, and ended up throwing two interceptions, while completing just 53 percent of his passes. It’s also worth noting that this is only the fourth time in his NFL career, that he has been shut out in the first half.

Play of the game:

Truth be told, there were various highlights to thrill the Bills and their fans during the game. For example, who didn’t enjoy Karlos Williams‘ first professional carry in an NFL regular season game:

However, there was only ever going to be one winner. Let’s all give a huge round of applause, as we turn things over to Taylor and Harvin:

Turning point of the game:

There wasn’t really a turning point per se, because the Bills never trailed in this one. However, Darby’s interception was a big moment in the game.

The Bills defense had already forced the Colts to punt twice, but there were still concerns about how much longer they could stifle Luck and the offense. Darbys’ pick led to the Bills first scoring drive of the game, and they never looked back.

What we learned:

Obviously it’s early, but it sure looks like Taylor is capable of playing in the NFL. More to the point, he seems to have that X-factor, which could prove scary for other teams, especially when you consider all of the playmakers at his disposal.

What we also learned is that the Bills defense is still pretty damn good, even without Marcell Dareus and Leodis McKelvin. (Corbin Bryant was fantastic in replacement for the suspended Dareus.) Their absence proved that Buffalo has strength in depth, with Aaron Williams claim that they can be the number one defense in the NFL looking more realistic by the minute.

Finally, we also found out that maybe Ryan was indeed overreacting to Dan Carpenter‘s struggles during preseason. Keep in mind the kicker was recovering from a hamstring injury, but he sure looked back to normal against the Colts, drilling two important field goals, to help keep Indianapolis at arms length.

What needs to be answered:

Okay, so the first part of the Taylor puzzle has been answered – we now know the guy can play in this league. The next challenge is to see if he can produce consistently, starting next Sunday against a certain Super Bowl champion team.

We touched on this earlier, but we also still need to see if the Bills offensive line is improved from last season’s poor collective performance. As mentioned, it will take a while for the unit to gel, but at least they don’t have to face Vince Wilfork next week.

Talking of next week, here’s one question that will definitely be answered – can the Bill beat the Patriots? I’ve already gone on record as saying they aren’t going to win in New England, so it’s important to defeat Tom Brady and company at home, and prove they are for real.

Quote of the day:

“I’ll start thinking about the Patriots after I have a couple of beers.”

Head coach Rex Ryan, when asked about facing the New England Patriots next weekend.

Next: Bills vs Colts: Knee-jerk reaction to an impressive win

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