The Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts clash Saturday in a NFL Week 1 preseason game at Highmark Stadium. Let’s preview this game and give out a pick and prediction.

Indianapolis Colts Betting Preview

The Indianapolis Colts are coming off a 4-win season and now begin the Shane Steichen era. The Colts have made the playoffs just twice in the last 8 years, so it’s really only up from here. The Colts have one of the most intriguing quarterback battles this year between rookie Anthony Richardson and the veteran Gardner Minshew. Richardson is a bit raw, but he’s freakishly athletics and gifted, and he could be special with the right grooming. Minshew is with his third different team, and he’s been good in spot duty as he has 44 career touchdown passes and over 6,600 yards. Another area to watch for the Colts is cornerback, as they weren’t very deep at the position to begin with, and that was before Isaiah Rodgers Sr. was released due to a gambling issue. Darius Rush and Dallis Flowers will be the two guys fighting for key playing time, along with Kenny Moore and the newly drafted JuJu Brents. The Colts will be an interesting team to watch in these preseason efforts.

Buffalo Bills Betting Preview

The Buffalo Bills were the betting favorites to win the Super Bowl last year, but they fizzled out in the playoffs despite 13 wins. Needless to say, Sean McDermott and company have some showing and proving to do. The good news is the Bills are one of the more set teams in the league with limited question marks. The one glaring concern is at linebacker, with Tremaine Edmunds leaving for the Chicago Bears. Tyrel Dodson is competing with two rookies in Baylon Spector and Terrel Bernard for the starting job. Dodson is the favorite to land the job, given he has 5 career starts and 69 tackles under his belt. The Bills also have an open competition at running back between James Cook and Damien Harris. As good as Josh Allen is, he shouldn’t nearly be the Bill’s leading rusher, and that was the case last season. Somebody in Buffalo has to take over the lead RB role and lighten the load for the star quarterback. Still, the Bills are in a great spot roster wise entering preseason action.

Trends 

The Colts are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 road games and 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall. The Bills are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games and 1-4 ATS in their last 5 vs. AFC. The over is 5-1 in Colts last 6 games overall. The over is 4-1 in Bills last 5 games overall. The home team is 5-2 ATS in their last 7 meetings.

Randy’s Pick

I understand why the Colts are big favorites, as they have two capable quarterbacks in Richardson and Minshew, and the competition should lead to results. The Bills likely won’t play Allen, which means you’re going to get a big bowl of Kyle Allen and Matt Barkley. With that said, it’s preseason where weird things happen and teams often aren’t even playing to win, they’re playing to fill out the roster and settle camp battles. Once we get past 3 points, I start to lean toward the dog. We’re getting 5.5 points with a home team. Clear edge at quarterback or not, I have to grab the points with the Bills. I almost never lay big chalk in preseason games.