Game story
In Week 14 of the 2017 NFL season on 2017-12-10, the Buffalo Bills took care of business against the Indianapolis Colts, pulling away with a 13–7 final that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.
The highest-scoring period was Q2 with 7 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
J. Brissett (Indianapolis Colts) paced the passing game, with -3.33 total EPA, and -6.5% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, J. Webb (Buffalo Bills) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +4.10 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (+55.6% win probability) landed in overtime when Indianapolis Colts changed the game: (2:35) 2-R.Sanchez punts 34 yards to BUF 35, Center-46-L.Rhodes, downed by IND-44-A.Morrison.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q2 | Q4 | OT | — | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis Colts | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Buffalo Bills | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 J. Webb · Buffalo Bills · Rushing · +4.10 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.82 EPA/play
- 2 T. Hilton · Indianapolis Colts · Receiving · +3.24 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.81 EPA/play
- 3 D. Thompson · Buffalo Bills · Receiving · +2.41 total EPA · 1 snaps · +2.41 EPA/play
- 4 M. Mack · Indianapolis Colts · Receiving · +1.46 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.49 EPA/play
- 5 N. O'Leary · Buffalo Bills · Receiving · +0.70 total EPA · 1 snaps · +0.70 EPA/play
- 6 J. Brissett · Indianapolis Colts · Rushing · +0.65 total EPA · 1 snaps · +0.65 EPA/play
- 7 L. McCoy · Buffalo Bills · Rushing · +0.53 total EPA · 32 snaps · +0.02 EPA/play
- 8 N. Peterman · Buffalo Bills · Passing · +0.31 total EPA · 10 snaps · +0.03 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
J. Webb — BUF · Rushing
J. Webb posted the highest total EPA (+4.10) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Buffalo Bills's efficiency. Across 5 counted snaps, they averaged +0.82 EPA per play.
The signature play (+4.47 EPA) came from Buffalo Bills: (1:39) 25-L.McCoy up the middle for 21 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Buffalo Bills — K. Benjamin (N. Peterman pass)
- Indianapolis Colts — J. Doyle (J. Brissett pass)
- Buffalo Bills — L. McCoy
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The second quarter: Buffalo Bills won the period 7–0. Buffalo Bills found the end zone from the IND 8 (Q2 30:31) — (:31) 2-N.Peterman pass short right to 13-K.Benjamin for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Caught near sideline, 5 yds. into end zone.; Buffalo Bills added 1 points from the IND 15 (Q2 30:27) — 4-S.Hauschka extra point is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-6-C.Schmidt..
The fourth quarter: Indianapolis Colts won the period 7–0. Indianapolis Colts found the end zone from the BUF 3 (Q4 1:20) — (1:20) (Shotgun) 7-J.Brissett pass short right to 84-J.Doyle for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Caught near sideline at BUF 2.; Indianapolis Colts added 1 points from the BUF 25 (Q4 1:16) — 4-A.Vinatieri extra point is GOOD, Center-46-L.Rhodes, Holder-2-R.Sanchez..
Overtime: Buffalo Bills won the period 6–0. Buffalo Bills found the end zone from the IND 21 (OT 1:39) — (1:39) 25-L.McCoy up the middle for 21 yards, TOUCHDOWN..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Indianapolis Colts (OT 2:35) — (2:35) 2-R.Sanchez punts 34 yards to BUF 35, Center-46-L.Rhodes, downed by IND-44-A.Morrison.
- Buffalo Bills (Q4 1:01) — (1:01) (Shotgun) 14-J.Webb pass short right intended for 85-C.Clay INTERCEPTED by 41-M.Farley at BUF 37. 41-M.Farley pushed ob at BUF 28 for 9 yards (25-L.McCoy).
- Buffalo Bills (OT 1:39) — (1:39) 25-L.McCoy up the middle for 21 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Buffalo Bills (OT 2:00) — (2:00) (Shotgun) 14-J.Webb pass deep right to 10-D.Thompson to IND 27 for 34 yards (42-K.Moore II). Caught in flat at IND 26. Penalty on IND-42-K.Moore II, Defensive Pass Interference, declined.
- Indianapolis Colts (Q4 0:06) — (:06) 4-A.Vinatieri 43 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Left, Center-46-L.Rhodes, Holder-2-R.Sanchez.
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Buffalo Bills (OT 1:39) — (1:39) 25-L.McCoy up the middle for 21 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Indianapolis Colts (Q1 47:25) — (2:25) 4-A.Vinatieri 33 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Right, Center-46-L.Rhodes, Holder-2-R.Sanchez.
- Indianapolis Colts (Q4 14:51) — (14:51) 7-J.Brissett pass incomplete short right to 80-C.Rogers (23-M.Hyde). Receiver and coverage along sideline at BUF 15.
- Buffalo Bills (Q4 1:01) — (1:01) (Shotgun) 14-J.Webb pass short right intended for 85-C.Clay INTERCEPTED by 41-M.Farley at BUF 37. 41-M.Farley pushed ob at BUF 28 for 9 yards (25-L.McCoy).
Quarterback report card
J.Brissett led all passers in efficiency for Indianapolis Colts, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- J.Brissett (Indianapolis Colts) · 26 dropbacks · 42.3% completion · -6.5% CPOE · -0.13 EPA/play · -3.33 total EPA
- N.Peterman (Buffalo Bills) · 10 dropbacks · 40.0% completion · -12.4% CPOE · +0.03 EPA/play · +0.31 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Indianapolis Colts | Buffalo Bills |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.194 | -0.147 |
| Offensive success rate | 30.2% | 31.2% |
| Pass EPA/play | -0.128 | -0.270 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.147 | -0.139 |
| Defensive EPA/play | +0.147 | +0.194 |
| Defensive success rate | 68.8% | 69.8% |
By the numbers
Both offenses finished within striking distance on EPA per play (Indianapolis Colts -0.19, Buffalo Bills -0.15) — a true toss-up on the analytics sheet.
- Buffalo Bills: 13 drives, -11.73 total EPA, 2 scoring drives
- Indianapolis Colts: 12 drives, -16.72 total EPA, 1 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Buffalo Bills leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
- J. Webb (Buffalo Bills) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- J. Brissett (IND) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
- N. Peterman (BUF) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Buffalo Bills TD (+6) — Q2 30:31 · IND 8 · Score 0-6
(:31) 2-N.Peterman pass short right to 13-K.Benjamin for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Caught near sideline, 5 yds. into end zone. - Buffalo Bills XP (+1) — Q2 30:27 · IND 15 · Score 0-7
4-S.Hauschka extra point is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-6-C.Schmidt. - Indianapolis Colts TD (+6) — Q4 1:20 · BUF 3 · Score 6-7
(1:20) (Shotgun) 7-J.Brissett pass short right to 84-J.Doyle for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Caught near sideline at BUF 2. - Indianapolis Colts XP (+1) — Q4 1:16 · BUF 25 · Score 7-7
4-A.Vinatieri extra point is GOOD, Center-46-L.Rhodes, Holder-2-R.Sanchez. - Buffalo Bills TD (+6) — OT 1:39 · IND 21 · Score 7-13
(1:39) 25-L.McCoy up the middle for 21 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Indianapolis Colts vs Buffalo Bills?
The Buffalo Bills beat the Indianapolis Colts 13-7 in Week 14, 2017 on 2017-12-10.
What was the final score of Indianapolis Colts vs Buffalo Bills?
The final score was Indianapolis Colts 7, Buffalo Bills 13 (IND 7-13 BUF) in Week 14, 2017 on 2017-12-10.
What was the score by quarter in Indianapolis Colts vs Buffalo Bills?
Q2: Indianapolis Colts 0, Buffalo Bills 7; Q4: Indianapolis Colts 7, Buffalo Bills 0; Q5: Indianapolis Colts 0, Buffalo Bills 6; Final: Indianapolis Colts 7, Buffalo Bills 13.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Indianapolis Colts vs Buffalo Bills?
Buffalo Bills touchdown — K. Benjamin (N. Peterman pass) (Q2 30:31) Indianapolis Colts touchdown — J. Doyle (J. Brissett pass) (Q4 1:20) Buffalo Bills touchdown — L. McCoy (OT 1:39) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Indianapolis Colts vs Buffalo Bills?
J. Brissett (Indianapolis Colts), 42.3% completion, -6.5% CPOE, -0.13 EPA per dropback, -3.33 total passing EPA. N. Peterman (Buffalo Bills), 40.0% completion, -12.4% CPOE, +0.03 EPA per dropback, +0.31 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Indianapolis Colts vs Buffalo Bills?
J. Webb (Buffalo Bills) led the game in total EPA with +4.10 on rushing plays. across 5 snaps. The top single-play swing was (+4.47 EPA): (1:39) 25-L.McCoy up the middle for 21 yards, TOUCHDOWN.. The biggest win-probability swing was +55.6%.
Was Indianapolis Colts vs Buffalo Bills a close game?
Yes — the margin was 6 points. Buffalo Bills won 13-7 in a game that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.
Season records after this game
Indianapolis Colts
Entered 3-9 Now 3-10 L
Buffalo Bills
Entered 6-6 Now 7-6 W
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