ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Rex Ryan took exception with Colts owner Jim Irsay's suggestion that the reason Indianapolis sat out Andrew Luck was because the Buffalo Bills coach doesn't let up in the preseason.
"Take a look at the tapes and see how many times we blitzed, so," Ryan said, before pausing to collect his thoughts.
"I can tell you one thing, (Colts coach) Chuck Pagano's a good friend of mine, a legitimate good friend of mine. I have way more respect for him than I do others."
Ryan's comment was clearly directed at Irsay following Buffalo's preseason-opening 19-18 loss to the Colts on Saturday night.
Two hours before the game, Irsay announced on his Twitter account that the Colts would wait until next week for Luck to make his first preseason start.
.... Yes,there is some truth on this dark,rainy night; that my good friend Rex...has never heard of the word.... PRESEASON?!!!
— Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay) August 13, 2016
Pagano said it was his decision to sit Luck against Buffalo. And Pagano didn't waver when reminded he was prepared to have Luck play a week earlier against Green Bay in the Hall of Fame game before it was canceled because of an unplayable field.
"It's one of the benefits that you get when you're the head coach," Pagano said with a smile. "You get to decide who plays and who doesn't play."
Colts Fans; it's a long Pre-Season and 2 Home Games are coming in the next 2 Weeks..Look for #12 to make 1st Start then instead of tonight.
— Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay) August 13, 2016
Minus Luck, backups Scott Tolzien and Stephen Morris teamed up to pull out the victory.
Tolzien, an offseason free-agent addition, shook off a slow start to produce two scoring drives in the first half. And then Morris, who was signed off Philadelphia's practice squad in December, secured the win with a 57-yard touchdown pass to Chester Rogers with 10:42 remaining.
The game wasn't without its late dramatics. Bills rookie third-stringer Cardale Jones nearly pulled out a comeback victory in the final seconds.
Jones, who led Ohio State to the 2015 national championship, threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Jarrett Boykin as time expired.
But Jones failed to pull out the win by throwing an incompletion while attempting a 2-point conversion.
