Bills Are Routed by the Colts

The Indianapolis Colts ran roughshod over winless Buffalo, 49-17, Sunday, leaving Bills’ new Coach Hank Bullough wondering why he ever took the job.

“I had no idea it would be like this,” Bullough said of his NFL head coaching debut. “If I knew it was going to be this bad, we wouldn’t have shown up. I’d rather take a fine than a game like this.”

It was the 11th consecutive loss on the road for the Bills, 0-5 this season.

“The Colts have a good running game,” Bullough said. “We made it look as good as it will ever be.”

The Colts pounded the Bills for 281 rushing yards and added another 183 passing. The 49 points were the most by the Colts since Dec. 12, 1976, in a 58-20 victory over Buffalo.

“It was a horrible performance,” said Bullough, who succeeded Kay Stephenson, who was fired earlier in the week. “The only way for us to go is up.

“We’re not good but we’re going to get better,” Bullough said. “Mental attitude is 90% of it. Talent is the other 10%.”

Fullback Randy McMillan, returning after a two-week absence with an ankle injury, rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns. And the Indianapolis offensive line blocked impressively, allowing big gains by the Colt runners and preventing a sack on quarterback Mike Pagel for the third game in a row.

“The way the line was blocking today, anybody could run,” McMillan said. “You just had to get the ball, and you had five yards.

“We’re aggressive, hungry and we’re tired of losing. That (margin of victory) was very important for us. Last year, we would look up at the scoreboard and would be on the other end of that 49 points and we’d be feeling bad. This is the greatest day we’ve had in a long time.”

Albert Bentley, who came to the Colts this season from the USFL, also rushed for 100 yards, marking just the third time in Colts’ history that two runners have gained 100 or more yards in the same game.

The Colts (2-3) also got pass interceptions by veteran Barry Krauss and rookie Duane Bickett of USC that set up two second-quarter touchdown runs by George Wonsley. Rookie Anthony Young scored in the third period on a 28-yard return of a Buffalo fumble.

The Indianapolis defense held Buffalo to 68 yards rushing.