Can the Buffalo Bills add to their win total against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 11?

In an effort to get more insight on the Texans,Bills Wire chatted with Colts Wire managing editor Kevin Hickey in this week’s behind enemy lines feature:

Q: What’s the one thing about Jonathan Taylor that stands out the most?

KH: There are a lot of elite traits that Taylor possesses. The one that stands out the most might be how quickly he gets to his top speed and how fast that top speed is for a player his size. The guy is 226 pounds of pure muscle but truly does have 4.39 to leave a defense in the dust. He’s much more confident hitting the hole aggressively this year and his ability to vary speeds at different levels is insane. He almost always makes the first defender miss while his vision has improved tenfold from his rookie season. He’s combining elite physical traits with the mindset of a veteran which is why he’s so special.

Where is the Colts’ O-line at right now? An injury bug was there recently and PFF’s numbers on their performance is mixed.

KH: It has been a bit mixed. Injuries certainly didn’t help during training camp and the beginning of the season. They’ve come along over the last month or so. While they aren’t the elite top-three unit we expected them to be during the preseason, they’ve been fine enough. The biggest issue right now is left tackle Eric Fisher. He’s clearly not comfortable coming back from his torn Achilles and has struggled with bend and speed around the arc. He’s gotten better but he’s the weakest link right now. Meanwhile, right tackle Braden Smith seems to be sustaining every injury possible after being so durable during the first three years of his career. The Colts run their offense through the offensive line and it’s been a fine unit over the last month or so. But they haven’t been tested often like they will be Sunday.

What’s been the issue with the Colts’ pass defense?

KH: It all has to do with the pass rush. When the pass rush is going, this defense really does have what it takes to be a top-10 unit. But as we’ve seen far too often this season, this unit is easy to pick apart when the pass rush isn’t getting home. Given how heavy the zone scheme is, the Colts prefer to rush four and drop seven. It’s worked in the last few weeks thanks to the emergence of rookie Kwity Paye. But when DeForest Buckner is the only pass rusher to account for, the secondary simply opens up when they have to cover for more than four seconds.

Who is an under the radar name on the Colts that Bills fans should know?

KH: Paye is one that Bills fans probably know from the draft. He’s coming along in both phases of the game. He has 17 pressures over the last two games and finally recorded his first sack in Week 10. Defensive tackle Grover Stewart is a one-technique who moves like a defensive end. He’s a huge reason why the defense is so stout against the run. You’ll see a lot of third-year cornerback Rock Ya-Sin on Sunday. He’s been very boom/bust in his career but this season has been very kind to his development. He’ll be a key player in trying to contain Stefon Diggs and Emmanuel Sanders.

What’s your prediction and final score for this one?

KH: While I believe the Bills to be a volatile team—as it seems the case is for many teams this season—I think they come out with a win. The game will probably be closer than the spread suggests but this defense is too boom/bust to rely on and Carson Wentz has been erratic when pressured constantly. The Colts have yet to beat a team with a record above .500 so until they prove they can do that, it’s hard to count them in for an upset like this. I say Bills over Colts 24-21.