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Bills bully Colts to win 27-14

Posted at 7:45 PM, Sep 13, 2015
and last updated 2015-09-13 19:45:26-04

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) -- Andrew Luck didn't mince words after Rex Ryan's Buffalo Bills defense opened the season by putting the clamps on the Indianapolis Colts' high-powered offense.

"That's a heck of a front four and they beat us pretty badly," Luck said.

The Bills kept the Colts off the scoreboard until the final minute of the third quarter, and Indianapolis turned the ball over three times - including two interceptions by Luck - in a 27-14 loss on Sunday.

"They threw everything but the kitchen sink at us," said Colts coach Chuck Pagano. "We knew it was coming."

And yet they couldn't stop it, as the Bills began unveiling the bully Ryan vowed to build when he took over in January after Doug Marrone stepped down.

Karlos Williams and Boobie Dixon each rushed for touchdowns as part of a ground-and-pound attack that combined for 147 yards. And Luck was out-played by Tyrod Taylor, who went 14 of 19 for 195 yards, in making his NFL debut at quarterback.

Getting off to a bad start is nothing new for Indianapolis, which is off to an 0-1 start for the fifth time in six years.

The trouble this time around is questions are already being raised over Pagano's job security a year after leading Indianapolis to the AFC Championship game, which it lost to eventual Super Bowl champ, New England.

For the second time this week, Pagano faced questions about entering the final year of his contract, and whether there's a rift between him and general manager Ryan Grigson.

"It's out there all the time," Pagano said. "We're all on one-day contracts."

Colts owner Jim Irsay said suggestions of there being any discontent "couldn't be further from the truth".

What isn't up for debate is that the Colts' retooled offense still needs refinement.

Luck finished 26 of 49 for 243 yards and two touchdowns. Both scores - Donte Moncrief's 2-yard catch and Dwayne Allen's 6-yard score - came in the second half after the Colts fell behind 24-0.

Newly-acquired running back Frank Gore had eight carries for 31 yards, and two catches for 0 yards. Newly acquired veteran receiver Andre Johnson managed just four catches for 24 yards - and had Luck's 2-point conversion throw go through his hands.

"We hate to lose, especially the first one," Gore said. "We hurt ourselves with the penalties but we did move the ball."

Luck was intercepted by rookie Ronald Darby late in the first quarter, and then by safety Aaron Williams in the final two minutes of the game.

Darby's interception led to the Bills' opening score, a 51-yard pass from Taylor to Percy Harvin. The second interception came in the final two minutes when safety Aaron Williams grabbed a Mario Butler-tipped pass to end any chance of a Colts comeback.

It didn't help that the Colts finished the game minus top receiver T.Y. Hilton, who finished with seven catches for 88 yards but left late in the third quarter to have tests on an injured knee. The X-rays came back negative, but Irsay said Hilton would still "miss some time".

The Indianapolis defense struggled, too, with sloppy tackling helping Buffalo pick up six-plus plays of 20 or more yards including rookie Karlos Williams' 26-yard touchdown run to put the Bills up 17-0 at halftime.

"I missed that tackle," said Colts safety Mike Adams. "That can't happen. It was just the self-inflicted wounds on us."