Buffalo (13-5) at Denver (14-3)
Saturday, 4:30 p.m. EST, CBS.
BetMGM NFL Odds: Broncos by 1 1/2.
Against the spread: Bills 9-8-1; Broncos 7-9-1.
Series record: Bills lead 22-17-1.
Last meeting: Bills beat Broncos 31-7 in wild-card round on Jan. 12, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y.
Last week: Bills beat Jacksonville 27-24; Broncos had first-round bye as AFC No. 1 seed.
Bills offense: overall (4), rush (1), pass (15), scoring (4t).
Bills defense: overall (7), rush (28), pass (1), scoring (12).
Broncos offense: overall (10), rush (16), pass (11), scoring (14).
Broncos defense: overall (2), rush (2), pass (7), scoring (2).
Turnover differential: Bills plus-1; Broncos minus-3.
Bills player to watch
Josh Allen. The Bills quarterback has been strong in the postseason, and last week won his first playoff game when trailing in the fourth quarter. Allen has an 8-6 postseason record and has thrown for 26 TDs, scored another nine TDs rushing, and also has one receiving TD versus just four interceptions and two lost fumbles. He’s 7-3 in the playoffs when not committing a giveaway and he hasn’t turned over the ball in six straight postseason outings since an interception in a 27-10 loss to Cincinnati in the 2022 divisional round.
Broncos player to watch
QB Bo Nix tied Russell Wilson’s NFL record with 24 victories in his first two seasons but he’s 0-1 in the playoffs as he aims to join fellow 2024 draftees Drake Maye and Caleb Williams, who earned their first playoff wins over wild-card weekend. Nix also has the third-most TD passes (54) ever by a QB in his first two seasons. And he’s the fourth QB with 25-plus TD throws in his first two seasons and the fourth QB in history with 700-plus completions in his first two NFL seasons.
Key matchup
NFL rushing leader James Cook versus Denver’s run defense that ranked second in the league. After the Bills ran all over the Broncos for 210 yards in the playoffs last year, including 120 from Cook, Denver bolstered its defense in free agency by luring S Talanoa Hufanga and ILB Dre Greenlaw from the San Francisco 49ers. Hufanga was a second-team All-Pro in his first season in Denver and although Greenlaw has dealt with injuries all season, he’s back for the playoffs. DL Zach Allen led the league in QB hits (47) for the second straight season and is the only defensive lineman other than J.J. Watt to have 40 or more QB hits in back-to-back seasons.
Key injuries
Bills: Coach Sean McDermott ruled out S Jordan Poyer (hamstring) and CB Maxwell Hairston (ankle). … WRs Gabe Davis and Tyrell Shavers landed on IR this week because of knee injuries. … WR Curtis Samuel (elbow), DT Ed Oliver (left bicep) and S Damar Hamlin (pectoral) are considered questionable as they’ve resumed practicing while still on the injured reserve list. … LB Terrel Bernard’s status is uncertain because of a calf injury. … There’s little question of QB Josh Allen’s status, despite injuries to his right foot, a finger on his throwing hand and left knee.
Broncos: ILB Dre Greenlaw returns from a pulled hamstring he sustained Dec. 21 in the closing minutes against the Jacksonville Jaguars. … DL John Franklin-Myers (hip) has been a full-go at practice this week. … TE Lucas Krull (foot) and LB Drew Sanders (ankle) have been practicing in hopes of returning after long layoffs.
Series notes
The Bills have won both of their previous playoff games against the Broncos. Buffalo defeated Denver 10-7 in the 1991 AFC championship game and 31-7 in a wild-card game last year. Both of those games were played in Buffalo.
Stats and stuff
The Bills set a franchise record by qualifying for the playoffs for a seventh straight season. In beating Jacksonville, Buffalo became one of just four NFL teams to win a playoff round in at least six consecutive postseasons, joining Dallas (1991-96), New England (2011-18) and Kansas City (2018-24). … Buffalo seeks to advance to consecutive AFC championship games for the first time since a four-year run spanning the 1990-93 seasons. … Buffalo defeated Baltimore 27-25 in last year’s divisional round and is 2-3 in the divisional round under coach Sean McDermott. … McDermott has an 8-7 playoff record in nine seasons in Buffalo and is three wins short of matching the team coaching record set by Hall of Famer Marv Levy (11-8). … Including playoffs, Allen’s record is 47-10 when he doesn’t commit a turnover, and he is 10-0 this season. He’s 49-35 in games he has a giveaway, including 3-5 this season. … RB James Cook, the NFL’s rushing leader this season, was limited to 46 yards rushing last weekend. Buffalo is 5-3 when Cook is held under 100 yards rushing, and 8-2 when he tops 100 this season. … Last weekend, 11-year LB Shaq Thompson had has first interception in five career playoff outings, and second-year S Cole Bishop had his first interception in four career playoff games. … Buffalo allowed 24 TDs rushing, the second-highest total in team history, but has not allowed one in its past three outings. … The Bills improved to 6-2 when allowing 150-plus yards this season after allowing 154 to Jacksonville. … This is Denver’s first home playoff game since the AFC championship following the 2015 season when they beat New England 20-18 to advance to Super Bowl 50, where they defeated the Carolina Panthers for their third Lombardi Trophy. … Sean Payton is trying to become the first head coach to lead two teams to Super Bowl titles. He won a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints following the 2009 season. … Six Broncos earned Associated Press All-Pro honors this season: DL Zach Allen, LT Garett Bolles, RG Quinn Meinerz and special teams ace Devon Key were all first-teamers. CB Patrick Surtain II and S Talanoa Hufanga were second-team selections. … The Broncos led the league with 68 sacks, ranked second in total defense (278.2 yards per game) and rushing defense (91.1 yards per game). They ranked third in scoring defense at 18.3 points per game and their 94 pass breakups also was No. 3 in the NFL. … The Broncos allowed a league-low 23 sacks, tied with the Los Angeles Rams and the plus-45 sack differential is the highest in a season in NFL history, surpassing the 1977 New England Patriots at plus-44.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
The Associated Press
