Bills vs Colts: 5 keys to victory in NFL Week 10

Here are five keys for the Buffalo Bills to keep their winning ways going in their Week 10 AFC matchup with the Indianapolis Colts.

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The Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts could potentially see each other in the playoffs, with the Bills currently holding the No. 2 seed in the AFC and the Colts sitting just outside the playoff picture. That matchup would be a repeat of Week 10 when Buffalo travels west for Indy this Sunday at 1:00 PM. Here are five keys to Buffalo extending its winning streak to five games in the Hoosier State.

Push the Pocket

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The Colts are 29th in ESPN's pass block win rate metric, winning on just 51% of pass attempts. That was with 2023 Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly in the lineup. He was placed on injured reserve this week. With 37-year-old Joe Flacco under center, the Bills getting a rush up the middle could get him off his spot and be an advantageous game plan for Buffalo.

Related: Bills vs. Colts: 5 storylines to watch in NFL Week 10

Tame Taylor

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It's been nearly three years since the Bills played against Jonathan Taylor, and I think he just scored again. The last time Buffalo played the All-Pro back, he went for five total touchdowns and over 200 yards of offense. He's been productive in what has been an injury-impacted 2024 campaign for Taylor, rushing 105 times for 502 yards and five touchdowns. Buffalo is okay with giving up yards in the ground game, but you can't let him become Derrick Henry 2.0.

Protect the Ball

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The Bills enter Week 10 tied for second in the NFL in fewest giveaways at just four. Buffalo is better than Indianapolis on paper, which is why it's a four-point favorite on the road. One thing that could counter that is giving the ball away., something the Colts have been very good at. They are tied with the Bills for the fourth most takeaways at 15. Don't let that stat turn in Indy's favor.

Buck DeForest

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DeForest Buckner missed five games for the Colts this year, and the front took a hit during that time. You can think of his being back like an ace joining a pitching staff: your No. 1 becomes a 2, and No. 2 becomes a 3, etc. They all play better when they aren't the focus of the opposing front. The Bills need to figure out how they are going to handle him. In his three complete games this year, he has 3.5 sacks and seven quarterback hits. The biggest key is identifying where he is lined up pre-snap. This season, he has played 62 snaps at left defensive tackle, 28 at right defensive tackle, and 26 times at each of the defensive end spots.

Related: Bills QB Josh Allen tells Pat McAfee he's not done running through defenders

Allen's Legs

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This one may be more of a gut-feeling thing than one backed by science. Josh Allen hasn't had one of his Superman takeover-type games this year. Yes, he had two rushing touchdowns in Week 1 vs. Arizona, but it was on nine carries for 39 yards. I'm talking 10-plus rushes for 100-plus yards and at least one touchdown. The last time the Colts faced a prolific dual-threat quarterback was Lamar Jackson last year, and they allowed him to rush for two touchdowns on 14 carries for 101 yards. If the aforementioned Buckner and company get too far upfield and open up rush lanes, Allen could have a day.

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