1999 · Week 1 · Division

Final

Bills

Buffalo

QB Doug Flutie

14·31

Colts

Indianapolis

QB Peyton Manning

RCA Dome · dome · astroturf

Closing spread

BUF -3

Total

45.5

Model margin

+0.6est.

IND perspective

Push chance

7.3%est.

the line sits on a key number

Win probability

  • Colts
  • Bills

How each play moved the game.

Colts winsBills wins

Matchup

Where the edges are

Season-long league percentiles for both sides, mirrored. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge.

Billsedge mapColts
  • -0.010EPA / play+0.072
  • 40.3%Success rate41.4%
  • +0.116EPA / dropback+0.193
  • -0.195EPA / rush-0.106
  • 7.9%Explosive rate9.5%
  • 41.4%Third-down rate39.4%
  • 56.2%Red-zone TD rate52.1%
  • 1.59Points / drive1.88
  • 2.5%Turnover rate2.8%
  • -0.138EPA / play allowed-0.036

Bar length is league percentile, already oriented so longer is better. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge; rows within ~12 points are washed as even.

The rivalry

IND lead 10–6 since 1999

Meetings average 42.9 points. IND are 9-6-1 ATS in the series.

Previous meetings
SeasonMatchupScoreWinner
2024 · W10BUF @ IND3020BUF
2021 · W11IND @ BUF4115IND
2020 · playoffsIND @ BUF2427BUF
2018 · W7BUF @ IND537IND
2017 · W14IND @ BUF713BUF
2015 · W1IND @ BUF1427BUF
2012 · W12BUF @ IND1320IND
2009 · W17IND @ BUF730BUF

Box score

Individual performances

Bills

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Doug Flutie22/4230012

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Doug Flutie4246.00
Antowain Smith671.20

Colts

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Peyton Manning21/3328422

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Edgerrin James261124.31
Peyton Manning3-3-1.00

Receiving

PlayerRecTgtYdsTD
E.G. Green581240
Marvin Harrison8131212
Ken Dilger22190
Edgerrin James44140
Jerome Pathon2560

Where this game is likely to land

  • Model
  • Smooth (normal)
  • Betting line

Probability of each final margin. Football scoring clusters — the spikes at 3 and 7 are real, and a smooth model misses them.

line -32.6%4.3%2.9%7.3%7.4%3.0%4.5%2.8%

Positive margins favour Colts; negative favour Bills.

Half-point at risk

7.28%

outcomes that flip if the line moves 0.5

Model home win

50.7%

Expected total

43.9est.

Model

Where the number comes from

Each component is additive, in points of expected margin.

  • Team ratings (opponent-adjusted EPA)-1.97
  • Home-field advantage+2.56
  • Quarterback adjustment0.00
  • Rest differential0.00
  • Expected margin+0.60