Task Enterprises presentsNFL Intelligence

1999 · Week 17 · Division

Final

Colts

Indianapolis

QB Peyton Manning

6·31

Bills

Buffalo

QB Rob Johnson

Ralph Wilson Stadium · outdoors · astroturf · 54°F · wind 21mph

Closing spread

IND -1.5

Total

42

Model margin

+4.5est.

BUF perspective

Push chance

None

half-point line — cannot push

Win probability

  • Bills
  • Colts

How each play moved the game.

Bills winsColts wins

Matchup

Where the edges are

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

Coltsedge mapBills
  • +0.072EPA / play-0.010
  • 41.4%Success rate40.3%
  • +0.193EPA / dropback+0.116
  • -0.106EPA / rush-0.195
  • 9.5%Explosive rate7.9%
  • 39.4%Third-down rate41.4%
  • 52.1%Red-zone TD rate56.2%
  • 1.88Points / drive1.59
  • 2.8%Turnover rate2.5%
  • -0.036EPA / play allowed-0.138

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. BUF are 6-9-1 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

Colts

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Peyton Manning18/2916300
Steve Walsh3/81901

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Edgerrin James18502.80
Keith Elias1-6-6.00

Bills

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Rob Johnson24/3228720

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Rob Johnson7365.10
Antowain Smith33110.31
Lennox Gordon351.70

Receiving

PlayerRecTgtYdsTD
Eric Moulds8111100
Kevin R. Williams23530
Peerless Price22311
Jay Riemersma23280
Andre Reed56230
Sheldon Jackson23220
Bobby Collins2381

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 -1.53.6%6.5%7.5%3.2%4.9%3.2%2.9%

Positive margins favour Bills; negative favour Colts.

Half-point at risk

2.01%

outcomes that flip if the line moves 0.5

Model home win

61.2%

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 adjustment+0.02
  • Rest differential0.00
  • Expected margin+4.55