Colts are counting on QB Joe Flacco to snap 2-game losing streak when Bills come to town

Buffalo (7-2) at Indianapolis (4-5)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS

BetMGM NFL odds: Bills by 4.

Against the spread: Bills 5-4, Colts 7-2.

Series record: Bills lead 38-33-1.

Last meeting: Colts beat Bills 41-15 in Buffalo on Nov. 21, 2021.

Last week: Bills beat Dolphins 30-27, Colts lost to Vikings 21-13.

Bills offense: overall (15), rush (17), pass (16), scoring (4).

Bills defense: overall (17), rush (15), pass (16), scoring (8).

Colts offense: overall (22T), rush (16), pass (22), scoring (22).

Colts defense: overall (29), rush (31), pass (26), scoring (12).

Turnover differential: Bills plus-11, Colts plus-2.

RB James Cook. With rookie receiver Keon Coleman ruled out and veteran receiver Amari Cooper's status uncertain, Cook could carry a heavier workload. The third-year player leads Buffalo with 496 yards rushing and seven TDs. He also has one TD catch. Cook had 10 carries for 44 yards last week, but Indy's defense has allowed 120 or more yards rushing seven times this season.

QB Joe Flacco. The 39-year-old quarterback struggled against Minnesota’s defense last week but expects to rebound Sunday. Flacco’s experience — and a return to Indy’s home field — should help. But he also knows he must perform better to keep the Colts on the field and give them a chance to win.

Bills defensive front vs. Colts offensive line. Buffalo DT Ed Oliver is disruptive against most offensive linemen, but this week could prove especially problematic for the Colts after they placed Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly on injured reserve. Indy will be starting a rookie center, Tanor Bortolini, and an undrafted rookie guard, Dalton Tucker, though getting back LT Bernhard Raimann (concussion protocol) would help Indy. If the Bills spend significant time in Indy’s backfield, the offense could sputter again.

Coleman could miss multiple weeks with a wrist injury, coach Sean McDermott said, in ruling out the rookie from playing this weekend. Cooper (wrist) is listed as questionable after missing one game. WR Curtis Samuel doesn't carry an injury designation and expected to play after being limited in practice with a pectoral injury. CB Christian Benford (wrist) is set to return after missing the Miami game. The Bills placed LB Baylon Spector on IR on Saturday after the backup hurt his ankle in practice. ... The absence of Kelly certainly hurts, but it appears Raimann will return after he was cleared to practice Wednesday. Indy had only two players miss Wednesday's practice, LB Zaire Franklin (ankle) and WR Michael Pittman Jr. (back). Both have continued to play, though.

Indy has won two of the past three against Buffalo, losing the lone playoff game between these former AFC East foes in January 2021. ... The Colts have won the only two previous matchups at Lucas Oil Stadium. ... Buffalo has not topped the 27-point mark against the Colts since January 2010. ... The first game in this series ended in a 17-17 tie in 1970.

Buffalo has won four straight since losing back-to-back road games. The Bills are 3-2 outside of Orchard Park this season. ... The Bills are 7-2 or better for the 10th time in franchise history and is seeking its first 8-2 start since 1993. ... Buffalo’s magic number to clinch a fifth straight AFC East title is five — a combination of Bills wins and losses by the New York Jets (3-6) ... QB Josh Allen has thrown interceptions in consecutive games after starting this season without a pick in his first seven. He’s also lost two fumbles. Allen is 3-1 this season when committing a turnover. ... Allen also has 184 TD passes, second on the franchise list. Hall of Famer Jim Kelly holds the record (237). ... WR Khalil Shakir has caught 42 of 45 passes thrown his way. The 93.3% completion rate is the highest in the NFL between a QB and receiver since 1991, with a minimum of 25 attempts. ... Ray Davis’ 63-yard touchdown catch against Miami was the longest by a Bills RB since C.J. Spiller scored on a 66-yarder in a 2012 season-ending 28-9 win over the New York Jets. ... Buffalo is 3-1 this season and 7-1 in its past eight in one-score outings. ... Buffalo has forced a takeaway in each of its nine games, matching the longest single-season stretch since 2004. ... Indy has lost two straight since winning four of five. ... The Colts have won three straight home games since losing their season opener 29-27 to Houston. ... Flacco is 2-2 in his four appearances with Indy this season and needs 33 completions to pass Hall of Famer John Elway (4,123) for No. 12 in NFL history. ... RB Jonathan Taylor needs 91 yards rushing to pass Hall of Famer Lenny Moore (5,174) for No. 5 on the Colts' career list. ... Pittman Jr. has eight catches for 128 yards and one score since suffering the injury that was expected to keep him out multiple weeks. ... Franklin leads the NFL with 95 tackles and needs one game with 10 or more tackles to break Shaquille Leonard's franchise record (27). ... DT DeForest Buckner needs two sacks to pass Chad Bratzke (37) for No. 5 on the Colts' career list. ... P Rigoberto Sanchez has the third-best gross punting average (45.1 yards) this season.

Cook. While Allen would seem a likely choice, the uncertainty of which receivers will be available makes Cook the safer play against one of the NFL's poorest run defenses.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (1) is tackled by Minnesota Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy Jr., left, and safety Camryn Bynum (24) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen questions a call during the first half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Joe Flacco (15) throws a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, right, hands off to running back Ty Johnson (26) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (3) is tackled by Buffalo Bills linebacker Dorian Williams, right, during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Gene Puskar)

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) is tackled by Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Calais Campbell (93) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Gene Puskar)

Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (86) dives for a first down during the second half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Gene Puskar)

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The person inside the Tesla Cybertruck that burst into flames outside President-elect Donald Trump’s Las Vegas hotel suffered a gunshot to the head before the explosion, officials said Thursday.

Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill said at a news conference that a handgun was found at the feet of the man who's been identified as Matthew Livelsberger. Officials believe the shot was self-inflicted.

Livelsberger served in the Green Berets, highly trained special forces who work to counter terrorism abroad and train partners, the Army said in a statement. He had served in the Army since 2006, rising through the ranks with a long career of overseas assignments, deploying twice to Afghanistan and serving in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia and Congo, the Army said.

He was awarded two Bronze Stars, including one with a valor device for courage under fire, a combat infantry badge and an Army Commendation Medal with valor. Livelsberger was on approved leave when he died, according to the statement.

The FBI said Thursday in a post on X that it was “conducting law enforcement activity” at a home in Colorado Springs related to Wednesday's explosion but provided no other details.

The explosion of the truck, packed with firework mortars and camp fuel canisters, came hours after 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar rammed a truck into a crowd in New Orleans’ famed French Quarter early on New Year’s Day, killing at least 15 people before being shot to death by police. That crash was being investigated as a terrorist attack. The FBI said Thursday that they believe Jabbar acted alone, reversing its position from a day earlier that he likely worked with others.

Both Livelsberger and Jabbar spent time at the base formerly known as Fort Bragg, a massive Army base in North Carolina that is home to multiple Army special operations units. However, one of the officials who spoke to the AP said there is no overlap in their assignments at the base, now called Fort Liberty.

Chris Raia, FBI deputy assistant director, said Thursday that officials have found ‘no definitive link’ between the New Orleans attack and the truck explosion in Las Vegas.

Seven people nearby suffered minor injuries when the Tesla truck exploded. Video showed a tumble of charred fireworks mortars, canisters and other explosive devices crowded into the back of the pickup. The truck bed walls were still intact because the blast shot straight up rather than to the sides.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said Wednesday afternoon on X that “we have now confirmed that the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself."

"All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion,” Musk wrote.

Musk has recently become a member of Trump’s inner circle. Neither Trump nor Musk was in Las Vegas early Wednesday. Both had attended Trump’s New Year’s Eve party at his South Florida estate.

Authorities know who rented the truck with the Turo app in Colorado, Kevin McMahill, the elected sheriff of Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, said Wednesday. He did not release the person’s ID, however.

Copp, Richer and Long contributed from Washington.

Investigators enter a townhouse in northeastern Colorado Springs, Colo., Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, as the investigation connected to the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside President-elect Donald Trump's Las Vegas hotel continues. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP)

Investigators stand outside a townhouse complex in northeastern Colorado Springs, Colo., Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, as the investigation connected to the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside President-elect Donald Trump's Las Vegas hotel continues. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP)

Police block the area after a vehicle caught fire and exploded outside the lobby of President-elect Donald Trump's hotel Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)

Police block the area after a vehicle caught fire and exploded outside the lobby of President-elect Donald Trump's hotel Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)

Police block the area after a vehicle caught fire and exploded outside the lobby of President-elect Donald Trump's hotel Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)

Police block the area after a vehicle caught fire and exploded outside the lobby of President-elect Donald Trump's hotel Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)