Cincinnati @ Indianapolis preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 19, 2014 ) Cincinnati 0, Indianapolis 27

The Cincinnati Bengals are in the postseason for the fourth consecutive season but seek their first playoff victory in 24 years when they visit the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. To end a drought dating to the 1990 season, the fifth-seeded Bengals need to find a way to avenge a 27-0 drubbing at No. 4 seed Indianapolis on Oct. 19. Star wide receiver A.J. Green missed that matchup against the Colts and has been ruled out Sunday due to a concussion.

Indianapolis is in the postseason for the third straight season since using the No. 1 overall pick to draft Andrew Luck, who authored the second-largest playoff comeback in league history in last year's 45-44 victory over Kansas City. "Suppressing Andrew Luck is going to be kind of hard," Cincinnati safety Reggie Nelson said. "He always starts off kind of slow and the scary thing is, he can always get his team going." The Colts have won six of their last eight, but the two losses came in lopsided fashion to a pair of playoff teams in Dallas and New England.

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Colts -3. O/U: 49

ABOUT THE BENGALS (10-5-1): Much has been made of the big-game failures of quarterback Andy Dalton, who is 0-3 with one touchdown and six interceptions in the postseason. Dalton has 19 scoring passes versus 17 picks this season, including a pair against Pittsburgh in last week's showdown for the AFC North title, which is among the reasons Cincinnati will lean heavily on rookie running back Jeremy Hill - especially with Green sidelined. The 240-pound Hill was a bit player in the first meeting between the teams but took over the starting job two weeks later and rushed for 100 yards five times in the last nine games, including four of at least 147 yards. The Bengals tied for the AFC lead with 20 interceptions but ranked last in the NFL with 20 sacks.

ABOUT THE COLTS (11-5): Luck threw for 344 yards and a pair of TDs against Cincinnati in October, which came during a stretch of eight straight 300-yard games en route to career-best totals of 4,761 yards and an NFL-leading 40 scoring passes. Postseason standout T.Y. Hilton and veteran Reggie Wayne each were hobbled late in the season but expect to be ready to go while tight ends Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen must be monitored after hauling in eight TD receptions apiece. The Colts amassed a season-high 171 yards on the ground in the first meeting, but Ahmad Bradshaw is done for the season and Trent Richardson has all but disappeared, leaving Daniel "Boom" Herron as the lead back. Indy allowed at least 30 points in all five of its losses - including 42 apiece to the Patriots and Cowboys.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Hilton has 393 receiving yards in three playoff games - only Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald (419) had more in his first three.

2. Bengals TE Jermaine Gresham has a scoring catch in three straight games but did not practice again Thursday due to a balky back.

3. Cincinnati has lost its last seven games at Indianapolis.

PREDICTION: Colts 30, Bengals 20