Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Bills continued their winning ways on Sunday in Indianapolis, beating the Colts, 30-20, to earn a fifth-straight victory to move to 8-2 on the 2024 season. It's the first time the Bills have started a season 8-2 since the 1993 season, the last time Buffalo reached the Super Bowl.
With the Bills without two of their top wide receivers, the offense did struggle, at times, to move the ball effectively. However, the unit was still able to capitalize on a number of chances to help lift the Bills to another victory in the conference.
Josh Allen did struggle against a solid Colts defense, tossing two more interceptions in the winning effort. Despite that, he still completed 22-of-37 passing attempts for 280 yards, and also rushed for 50 yards and a touchdown. Allen's rushing touchdown in the second quarter moved him into a tie for second on the franchise all-time list with Pro Football Hall-of-Famer O.J. Simpson.
Where the Bills were able to shine on Sunday was on defense, as the unit caused four turnovers of the Colts offense, and it began right from the first defensive snap of the game.
Cornerback Taron Johnson recorded a pick-six on the opening play on defense for the Bills, and later recorded a sack, becoming the first Bills defensive back to score a defensive touchdown and a sack in the same game.
Also contributing defensively in the Bills win included defensive tackle Austin Johnson with an interception, safety Taylor Rapp with a pick, and Greg Rousseau with a strip-sack of Colts quarterback Joe Flacco.
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Following a fifth-straight win, the Bills will now gear up to face an all too familiar foe in the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday afternoon at Highmark Stadium.
The defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs come to Orchard Park this week as the only remaining undefeated team in the NFL at 9-0.
This after narrowly escaping defeat this past week at Arrowhead Stadium against the Denver Broncos. It was thanks to a last-second blocked field goal that helped propel Kansas City to a 16-14 win over the visiting Broncos.
Close wins have been a theme for the Chiefs this season, as they have won seven of their nine games by one score or less.
Meanwhile, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has had an uncharacteristic season so far, throwing only 12 touchdowns to nine interceptions.
Despite some struggles on offense, the Kansas City defense is still as formidable as ever, having not surrendered more than 25 points in a game this year. The defense is also top-five in the league in total yards allowed this season.
They will certainly be tested in Week 11, as the Bills enter Sunday's contest averaging the second-most points per-game in the league (29.0), despite ranking outside of the top-10 in overall yards per-game.
With the Bills continuing to stack wins and inch their way closer to a fifth-straight AFC East title, Howard Simon continues to remain high on the team heading into, arguably, their toughest challenge to date this season.
Despite Kansas City's success in the standings, Howard sees the Bills ruining the Chiefs' perfect season by earning a win at home before the bye week.
The wins don't stop there following the bye.
Howard foresees the Bills earning big wins over the likes of the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams, before falling to the powerhouse Detroit Lions in Week 15.
As he has for much of the season, Howard also picked the Bills to sweep the AFC East, finishing the job in Weeks 16-18 with wins over the New England Patriots (twice) and New York Jets.
When all is said and done, it's a franchise-best 14-3 finish for the Bills, a fifth-straight division title, and potentially a shot at the No. 1 seed in the AFC come January.
Be sure to follow along on X, formerly known as Twitter, for the latest picks from Howard by using the hashtag #HowardPicksTheBills. You can also track all of Howard's picks throughout the season with Brayton Wilson's picks tracker on X: @BraytonJWilson.
You can listen to, as well as watch the latest edition of "Howard Picks the Bills" below:
