Bills 30, Colts 20: Turnovers were the main dish being served in Week 10

Six total turnovers, plus one by each team that they retained were the story of the day in Indianapolis

The Buffalo Bills claim that everybody eats on their team, and as they beat the Indianapolis Colts by a score of 30-20 in Week 10, the offense invited the defensive backs to the table. The dish being served: turnovers.

All of Buffalo’s offensive weaknesses as they were playing without both Keon Coleman and Amari Cooper showed on their first drive. In a statement, quarterback Josh Allen threw to Curtis Samuel for 14 yards on the first play from scrimmage, but they couldn’t move the chains a second time, and Sam Martin was called in. The Bills punter hit a booming 48-yard kick to set the Indianapolis Colts up at their own 10 yard line.

Joe Flacco who has been starting in place of the benched Anthony Richardson completed his first pass … to Bills’ cornerback Taron Johnson. Johnson, read the Colts’ quarterback’s eyes perfectly, made a leaping grab, showed some hip fakes, got a block from safety Rasul Douglas, and got the third pick-six of his career.

Bills 7, Colts 0

With the Colts getting a do-over on offense and Flacco decided that a repeat performance was the way to go. This time his pass found the hands of Austin Johnson. While the big guy wasn’t able to ramble 50 yards for a touchdown, it was his second interception in three weeks.

Once again, Allen’s lack of weapons was evident as he looked like he was trying to make big things happen when he didn’t need to. There were some good moments in Buffalo’s second offensive drive – running back James Cook bouncing off of defenders to get loose and run for 19 yards, Kincaid hauling in a 13 yard pass – but ultimately, the drive stalled again. At least this time it was well within field goal range for last week’s AFC Special Teams Player of the Week and Tyler Bass added 3 more points to the scoreboard.

Bills 10, Colts 0

The second quarter started with the Colts’ quarterback settling down. Or at least realizing that the Bills’ run defense is severely lacking and giving the ball to Jonathan Taylor. Taylor took the task and ran with it for 103 yards in the 1st half.

The Bills are known for the bend-but-don’t-break defense and that’s exactly what they did. After Indianapolis receiver broke up another near interception by Terrel Bernard, the Colts settled for a field goal to close the gap on the scoreboard.

Bills 10, Colts 3

But Buffalo’s offense was misfiring and facing a 4th and 3 McDermott opted not to send Bass in for a 47 yard kick and Josh Allen missed his target. It was the first time this season that the Bills failed to convert a fourth down attempt.

As the second quarter started, the Colts were just running the ball at Buffalo who was not adjusting. On a third and seven inside the 10, Rasul Douglas was called for a questionable illegal use of hands to give Indianapolis new life at the three yard line. That’s all Flacco needed to even the score.

Bills 10, Colts 10

And then it was Allen’s turn to throw to guys wearing the wrong color jersey. ON the first ply from scrimmage, the Bills quarterback threw his 3rd pick of the season. After playing the first 7 games of 2024 without throwing an interception, Allen now has one (or more) in each of the last three weeks.

Again, the Bills defense went into bend-don’t-break mode and kept the damage to a minimum as they forced the Colts to settle for three off the turnover.

Bills 10, Colts 13

After a near miss on the kickoff (rookie Brandon Codrington fumbled, but a combination of Cam Lewis and Alec Anderson secured the ball at the bottom of a pile that took officials nearly five minutes to untangle), Josh Allen took things into his own hands – or feet.

The Bills’ quarterback ended the drive with a thirteen-yard run to the end zone. A run that ties him with O.J. Simpson for second on the Bills’ all-time rushing touchdown list. Spencer Brown was called for taunting on the play, making Bass’s extra point a little harder, but the Bills’ kicker has recovered all of his confidence and didn’t flinch.

Bills 17, Colts 13

Re-energized and not wanting to give Indianapolis the double-dip opportunity, the Buffalo defense buckled down and forced the Colts to punt the ball giving Josh Allen the ball and 1:10 left on the clock.

A smart play by Mack Hollins, who made a sliding catch of a 44-yard pass, to get up and run out of bounds stopping the clock, saved the Bills a timeout. One they needed to ultimately bring Bass back out – again. This time it was for 47 yards, and Bass was not missing on Sunday, padding the Bills lead as the clock expired.

Bills 20, Colts 13

Not only did the Colts not get the double dip, they didn’t get the single one either. The Bills forced the Colts to punt after just 5 plays in the third quarter. But the Colts returned the favor and after five minutes of third quarter play, nothing had changed.

But then the turnovers returned. Greg Rousseau sacked Joe Flacco and in the process stripped the ball from his hands. Damar Hamlin, who lost the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year award to Flacco, recovered the fumble.

But Josh Allen gave it right back 7 seconds later as his first-down pass intended for Curtis Samuel was picked off.

The Bills defense didn’t appreciate that unanswered 13 points they gave up in the first half, and buckled down. The Colts, feeling like they desperately needed something to happen went for a fourth and two. Quinton Jefferson, who just returned to Buffalo this week as Beane signed him to the roster on Wednesday, sacked Flacco for a 10 yard loss.

The Bills offense thanked the defense by moving the ball 60 yards to set Bass up for a 28-yard field goal.

Bills 23, Colts 10

But the dish served most at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday was turnovers. And this time it was safety Taylor Rapp taking a pass away from Alec Pierce and handing the ball back to Josh Allen.

A drive that didn’t look like the Bills would get away from their own endzone was saved by a 21-yard run on 2nd and 19. The run was followed by a 30 yard run after catch for Khalil Shakir and then Ty Johnson powering for 17 yards after catching a pass sent his way as Allen was being manhandled by the Colts’ defense. Allen tried for a second rushing touchdown on a third and three, but was tripped up after seven yards. It was Cook who finished the drive on an end around run from the two for the score.

Bills 30, Colts 13

The Bills went into prevent defense, but didn’t prevent anything. They allowed the Colts’ Alec Pierce to catch his fourth touchdown of the season as Indianapolis scored a harmless touchdown with just two seconds left.

In a game where there was plenty to eat – 4 turnovers, 4 sacks, for the defense and 280 yards passing (86 yards for Mack Hollins, 58 for Shakir, and 40 for Knox to lead) and 135 yards on the ground (50 of which went to Allen), plus three field goals – the Bills will go home satisfied.

Final Score: Bills 30, Colts 20