Task Enterprises presentsNFL Intelligence

2001 · Week 2 · Division

Final

Bills

Buffalo

QB Rob Johnson

26·42

Colts

Indianapolis

QB Peyton Manning

RCA Dome · dome · astroturf

Closing spread

IND -10

Total

44.5

Model margin

+5.8est.

IND perspective

Push chance

3.3%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
  • -0.062EPA / play+0.005
  • 39.3%Success rate45.6%
  • -0.032EPA / dropback+0.055
  • -0.115EPA / rush-0.069
  • 7.5%Explosive rate10.6%
  • 34.4%Third-down rate41.4%
  • 45.4%Red-zone TD rate66.3%
  • 1.05Points / drive1.62
  • 3.0%Turnover rate3.4%
  • +0.039EPA / play allowed+0.059

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
Rob Johnson24/3725711

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Rob Johnson56312.60
Travis Henry12393.31
Peerless Price12828.00
Shawn Bryson111.00

Receiving

PlayerRecTgtYdsTD
Peerless Price25561
Jeremy McDaniel45480
Jay Riemersma57360
Travis Henry33360
Eric Moulds25140
Sammy Morris11110
Avion Black0200

Colts

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Peyton Manning23/2942142

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Edgerrin James231114.81
Peyton Manning7263.71

Receiving

PlayerRecTgtYdsTD
Jerome Pathon991681
Marvin Harrison7121463
Ken Dilger23510
Edgerrin James44480
Marcus Pollard1180

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 +106.2%7.4%3.2%5.0%3.3%3.1%

Positive margins favour Colts; negative favour Bills.

Half-point at risk

3.31%

outcomes that flip if the line moves 0.5

Model home win

64.3%

Expected total

46.5est.

Model

Where the number comes from

Each component is additive, in points of expected margin.

  • Team ratings (opponent-adjusted EPA)+0.25
  • Home-field advantage+2.56
  • Quarterback adjustment+2.95
  • Rest differential0.00
  • Expected margin+5.76