We might not see a greater gulf in quarterback talent in any game this season than when the Indianapolis Colts visit the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Tyrod Taylor will start for Buffalo after winning an ugly quarterback battle. Indianapolis will be starting a fourth-year Andrew Luck, who is expected to fulfill the next step of his development, round into an MVP-caliber player and take the Colts along with him into the stratosphere.
That talent gap sticks out even more considering how good this matchup is at every other position. The Bills' defense is potentially one of the league's best, especially with Rex Ryan at the helm. Buffalo traded middle linebacker Kiko Alonso to the Philadelphia Eagles, but whatever deficiencies it has at the second level are alleviated by an immensely talented defensive line and solid defensive backfield.
Taylor's supporting cast on offense, meanwhile, is young and electric. New additions LeSean McCoy and Percy Harvin are capable of going the distance every time they touch the ball. They join a receiving corps of Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods and Marquise Goodwin that might be the most athletic in the league.
The Colts counter the Bills' explosiveness with dependable pieces. Offseason additions like veteran wide receiver Andre Johnson, running back Frank Gore and linebacker Trent Cole give them experienced players desperate to win a championship late in their careers.
Indianapolis has some concerns along both the offensive and defensive lines, which could be its potential undoing in this matchup. The offensive line, in particular, will have its hands full with Mario Williams, Jerry Hughes and Kyle Williams. Indianapolis didn't make many changes up front this offseason -- the addition of offensive guard Todd Herremans was the only significant move. The Colts are banking that simple continuity will be enough to protect Luck and spark a moribund running game.
That's a big assumption. The offensive line struggled mightily to protect Luck during preseason, and the running game averaged just 3.9 yards per carry in 2014. Gore, even at 32, should be a vast improvement over Trent Richardson and a broken Ahmad Bradshaw, but even a great rushing attack could struggle to find room against Buffalo.
Taylor is the most unknown entity in this game. He has thrown just 35 passes in four seasons as a backup to Joe Flacco in Baltimore, and beat out only the uninspiring duo of Matt Cassel and EJ Manuel to take the starting position. The unknown can be exciting, even if it's not exactly what Bills fans were hoping for after watching seven different starting quarterbacks over the last eight seasons.
Indianapolis expects to be winning games well into January, and certainly expects to handle Buffalo. The team's Super Bowl ambitions are the reason why so many accomplished veterans left their long-time homes to go to Indy. Beat the Colts, and the Bills may also be able to anticipate great things this season, as well.
How to Watch
When: 1 p.m. ET
Where: Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, N.Y.
TV: CBS
Announcers: Spero Dedes, Solomon Wilcots
Online: NFL Game Pass