Buffalo Bills overcome Indianapolis Colts – Preseason Week 1 game thread
Buffalo Bills logo
Orchard Park, N.Y. (WHEC) – The Buffalo Bills’ 2022 preseason is officially underway! Refresh our game thread throughout for updates and live tweets from Jackson Roberts and Mat Mlodzinski.
The Buffalo Bills will receive the opening kickoff.
Buffalo’s first drive ends in zero points after a Case Keenum pass attempt goes incomplete on fourth down.
On the drive:
C. Keenum: 3-5, 32 passing yards
Z. Moss: 3 carries, 37 yards
K. Shakir: 2 receptions, 30 yards
Colts take a 3-0 lead
Although the Bills defense stopped Indy on their first drive, the Colts got the ball back after a Case Keenum interception.
Indianapolis started with good field position, but a combined tackle by Jaquan Johnson and Andre Smith forced the Colts into a fourth down. Rodrigo Blankenship connected from 24 yards.
Defensive TD puts Bills on top, 7-3
Both offenses have been struggling after Buffalo’s first possession.
This time the Bills turned defense into offense.
Boogie Basham sacked Colts QB Nick Foles which forced a fumble and Terrell Bernard was there to scoop it up and take it 69 yards for a touchdown.
Jaquan Johnson picks Nick Foles… and Keenum gives it back
On the second Colts offensive play after Bernard’s TD return, safety Jaquan Johnson picked off Foles and returned it 32 yards to the Colts’ 15-yard line.
But, on the very next play, Keenum threw his second pick of the game looking for Isaiah Hodgins. That made it the fourth turnover of the first half for the Bills.
Colts re-take the lead before halftime, 10-7
Kaiir Elam’s going to make some rookie mistakes, and this was one of them.
The first-round pick out of Florida got tied up during 2nd & 10 and it allowed Ty’Son Williams to get free for an easy TD catch.
Elam went to the tent to get checked out for a possible injury. He’s being evaluated for a head injury.
Colts open up second half with a touchdown; lead 16-7
The Colts got the ball to start the second half and broke down the Buffalo defense.
Indianapolis took a long 12-play drive for 75 yards, ending in a 11-yard TD catch by Jelani Woods. Jake Verity missed the extra point.
Bills answer back with a field goal
Buffalo was able to calm things down with a 10- play, 60-yard drive that ended in a field goal from Tyler Bass from 48 yards out.
Colts extend the lead to 24-10
Sam Ehlinger came in as the third Colts QB and has looked good, going 10-for-11 on passing attempts to this point.
He fired in touchdown pass to Michael Jacobson. The Colts followed that up with a two-point conversion to take a two touchdown lead.
Bills fire back with a touchdown, trail 24-16
Raheem Blackshear hasn’t been a much talked about name in the Bills backfield, but he chugged along for a one-yard score to pull the Bills within a score.
Matt Barkley was intercepted on a two-point conversion try.
Bills tie things up at 24
After a three-and-out by the Colts offense, Buffalo responded with another long drive.
Barkley went 3-for-3 on the drive and Blackshear finished it off in the endzone. Buffalo converted on the 2-point conversion.
Bills win 27-24!
The Buffalo defense stepped up to force another three-and-out.
Barkley and the Bills offense managed the clock well and it set up Tyler Bass for a game-winning 46-yard field goal.