Bills 30-33 Broncos, Nix leads Broncos to AFC Title game, summary: score, stats, highlights | NFL Divisional Round
The No. 1 seed Denver Broncos defeated the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round as they look to continue their path to Super Bowl LX.
Show key events only
Broncos defeat Bills in Divisional Round!
Broncos outlast Bills in overtime thriller to reach AFC Title game
The Denver Broncos punched their ticket to the AFC Championship Game with a dramatic 33–30 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills at Mile High, surviving a game that was back and forth from start to finish.
Denver set the tone early by forcing turnovers, stripping both Josh Allen and James Cook to take advantage of Buffalo mistakes and build a halftime edge. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix looked poised on the big stage, throwing three touchdown passes and consistently answering whenever Buffalo threatened to seize momentum.
The Bills refused to go quietly though. Allen shook off the early mistakes and carried Buffalo back into the game with his arm and legs, throwing for three touchdowns and repeatedly extending plays under pressure. Buffalo clawed back throughout the second half, finally tying the game late on a clutch 50-yard Matt Prater field goal as time expired to force overtime. Despite a battered roster and thin wide receiver group, the Bills showed their resilience and toughness, keeping the game alive when it appeared Denver had control.
Overtime proved to be the difference. Buffalo's opening possession stalled after an interception by Ja'Quan McMillian, giving the Broncos the ball and the opportunity they needed. Denver leaned on its defense and short passing game, navigating penalties and pressure to move into scoring range before Will Lutz calmly drilled a 23-yard walk-off field goal.
In a matchup defined by turnovers, momentum swings, and quarterback grit, the Broncos made the final, decisive play, ending Buffalo's season and sending Denver one step closer to a Super Bowl appearance.
Next week, the Broncos will host either the New England Patriots or Houston Texans in the AFC Championship game.
The DENVER BRONCOS win in overtime with Lutz's 23-yard field goal sealing the victory! They will go on to host the winner of the Patriots-Texans game. Josh Allen and the Bills go home.
BRONCOS FIELD GOAL!!!!!!!
Bills take final timeout
Bills' White called for Unsportsmanlike Conduct as he's throwing a fit about the previous interference.
6 yards, 1st and goal from the 5
Nix takes a knee - 2nd and goal
Nix pass to Mims was incomplete, but Bills' White is called for Pass Interference - 30 YARDS - puts Broncos at 1st and goal at the Bills 8
Bishop tackles Nix for a loss of 2 - 2nd and 12
TWO fouls on Bills
Pass Interference on Bills' Johnson (17 yards, automatic 1st down) and Roughing the Passer on Bosa, declined
Sets up Broncos for 1st and 10 at the Bills 36
Bills take second timeout
Nix pass incomplete to Humphrey, tipped by Benford - 2nd and 10
Nix pass to Harvey is CAUGHT and he bursts away for 24yards! 1st down at the Broncos 47
Nix to Mims for 3 yards - 2nd and 7
The McMillan INT in OT
Indeed, the officials rule it an INTERCEPTION. The Broncos take over at their own 20 - 1st and 10
Allen pass intended for Cooks was INTERCEPTED??? by McMillan?? It looked like a fight between Cooks and McMillan, but looking like Cooks never had possession....
Allen pass incomplete to Hardman - 3rd and 10
Cook stopped by Roach for a loss of a yard - 2nd and 10
Allen pass to Davis complete for 9 yards - 1st down
Allen escapes a sack, gets the ball to Coook for no gain - 3rd and 7
Broncos take first timeout
Cook takes it 3 yards - 2nd and 7
Allen gets away, makes the pass to Kincaid for 13 yards - 1st down
Allen scrambles for 4 yards - 3rd and 5
Next score wins the game...
Cook gains just a yard - 2nd and 9
Crawshaw punts to the Bills 7, out of bounds
Nix pass to Sutton is incomplete - 4th and 11 and Broncos are forced to punt
Nix pass complete to Mims, but Johnson tackles him for a loss - 3rdand 11
Nix pass complete to Sutton, but he can't hang on - 2nd and 10
Nix pass complete to Sutton for 11 yards - 2nd and 10
Wishnowsky kicks to the Broncos 3 and Mims took it 25 yards
A refresher of how the OT rules work in this scenario.
END FOURTH QUARTER
The game will now get sent into overtime as the Broncos and Bills are tied 30-30 at the end of regulation.
Wishnowsky kicks to the Broncos 6 and McLaughlin returns it to the 16
The Bills managed to tie up the game with just 5 seconds left with a 50-yard field goal by Prater. Now, it's likely to get sent into OT.
BILLS FIELD GOAL!
Broncos take second timeout
Bills will attempt the field goal from 50 yards to tie the game and send it into overtime...
Allen pass incomplete to Knox - 4th and 10
Allen's pass tipped - incomplete, 3rd and 10
Allen pass incomplete to Cooks - 2nd and 10
Allen passed to Shakir for 3 yards and then a lateral to Davis for 24 yards - 1st down at the Broncos 32
Allen pass deep to Coleman was incomplete - 2nd and 10
Neutral Zone Infraction on Broncos' Cooper - 5 yards
Allen pass deep to Cooks looked caught but he didn't have both feet in so it was ruled incomplete - 3rd and1
Allen under pressure gets the ball to Kincaid and he picks up 9 - 2nd and 1
Lutz kicks to Buffalo 5 and Hardman returns it 22 yards
The Broncos take the lead back yet again with a 26-yard bullet pass from Nix to Mims in the end zone. Lutz's PAT was good, Bills trail by 3 with 55 seconds left in the game.
Nix made the pass to Mims in the end zone for 26yards, but he was grabbing his back as he lie on the ground after.
BRONCOS TOUCHDOWN!
Broncos take first timeout
Nix scrambles for 6 and the 1st down
Nix to Sutton complete for 6 yards - 3rd and 4
Nix pass incomplete - 2nd and 10
TWO-MINUTE WARNING
That takes us to the 2-minute warning in the game. The Broncos trail the Bills 27-23, but have the ball at the Bills 38 on 1st down.
Broncos' Forsyth was injured on the play
Nix pass CAUGHT by Sutton for 25 yards! 1st down at the Billw 38
Nix pass to Adkins was good for a yard but followed by a pass to Mims that lost them 2 yards after a tackle from Bishop - 3rd and 11
Nix pass complete to Sutton for 11 yards - 1st down
Wishnowsky kicksto Broncos 5 and McLaughlin took it 22 yards to the 27
The BIlls extended their lead over the Broncos with a 31-yard field goal by Prater with 4:11 left in the game.
BILLS FIELD GOAL!
Allen's pass rolled into Shakir's hands on the ground and he ran it into the end zone, but it didn't count as a touchdown because the pass was ruled incomplete.
4th and 8
Allen pass to Samuel caught and he's tackled by Hufanga after 2 yards - 3rd and 8
Cook gets nowhere, stuffed by Uwazurike and Singleton - 2nd and 10
Allen scrambles for 9 yards - 1st down
Broncos' Locke was injured during the play
Allen FUMBLES again, recovered by Bills' Brown - ruled down at the 23 - 3rd and 10
Allen gets it to Davis, but he's tackled by Strnad for no gain - 2nd and 10
Allen picks up 3 for the 1st down
Cook runs it again for 3 - 3rd and 1
Cook gains 6 - 2nd and 4
Allen pass to Knox complete and he runs for 13yards - 1st down
Cook bursts through for 12 yards and another 1st down
Allen pass complete to Kincaid for 15 yards - 1st down
Crawshaw punts to the end zone - Touchback to Bills 20
Nix pass tipped by Epenesa, incomplete - 4th and 7
Harvey gains 3 - 3rd and 7
Nix pass to Harvey caught, but he gets nowhere - 2nd and 10
Wishnowsky kicks to Broncos 5 and Badie returns it to the 32
Kincaid with the haul!
Allen made the 14-yard pass to Kincaid in the end zone for the touchdown and Prater's PAT was good to out the Bills ahead with 13:24 left in the game, coming back from a 13-point deficit.
BILLS TOUCHDOWN!
Allen pass incomplete - 3rd and 8
Cook picks up 2 - 2nd and 8 at the 14
Allen's pass to Shakir is caught and he BURSTS through for 46yards! 1st down at the Broncos 16
Allen pass incomplete to Knox - 2nd and 10
END THIRD QUARTER
That takes us to the end of the 3rd quarter. The Broncos are up by 6 points in what's been a battle of the defenses. The Bills have the ball at their own 38 on 1st and 10 as they try to pull back ahead again.
Cook runs to the outside to pick up a big gain of 13 yards - 1st down at the Bills 38
Allen takes it up 2 for the 1st down
Cook gains another 2 - 3rd and 1
Cook Picks up 7 - 2nd and 3
Crawshaw punts to the Bills 15 and Shakir makes the fair catch
Nix pass incomplete to Badie - 4th and 9 and Broncos couldn't capitalize on the turnover that time
Nix under pressure throws incomplete - 3rd and 9
Harvey stopped after just a yard on the next play - 2nd and 9
Nix pass to Mims is caught and he takes off for 14yards! 1st down at the Bills 41
McLaughlin gains 2 - 3rd and 8
Nix pass incomplete - 2nd and 10
Allen intercepted by Locke
Nix intercepted by Walker
Broncos and Bills trade interceptions!
Allen pass INTERCEPTED by Locke and he takes it 30 yards back to the Broncos 38, where Denver will take back over yet again
Bills take over at the 36
Allen pass to Shakir is caught, but he's tackled for a loss of 4 - 2nd and 14
Nix pass INTERCEPTED by Walker! He takes it 3 yards to the Broncos 36
Harvey gains 5 - 3rd and 5
Nix pass incomplete to Trautmann - 2nd and 10
Wishnowsky kicks to the end zone - Touchback to the Broncos 35
Allen passed to Coleman10 yards in the end zone to give them a much-needed score, Prater made them with PAT, and with6:49 left in the 3rd quarter.
BILLS TOUCHDOWN!
Allen pass caught by Shakir for 9 yards - 2nd and 1
Cook takes it 11 yards - 1st down
Allen pass complete to Knox for 7 yards, knocked down hard by Hufanga - 2nd and 3
Allen takes it 2 yards - 1st down
Allen pass to Kincaid caught for 7 yards - 3rd and 1
Cook gains 2 - 2nd and 8
Allen pass caught by Kincaid and he takes off for 25yards - 1st down
Allen pass incomplete - 2nd and 10
Lutz kicks to the Bills 2 and Davis returns it to the 27
Fumbles...fumbles everywhere.
The Broncos defense came up with another takeaway to start the second half. And while they didn't make it into the end zone, Will Lutz's 33-yard field goal made it in and the Broncos extend their lead with11:35 to play in the 3rd quarter.
Delay of Game on Broncos - 5 yards
McLaughlin gets nowhere, tackled by Walker - 4th and 3
Harvey gains a yard, tackled by Johnson - 3rd and 3
Nix pass to Harvey for 6 yards - 2nd and 4 at the Bills 11
2 Bills fumbles in 3 snaps
Allen SACKED by Bonitto for a loss of 11 yards and Bonitto forces a FUMBLE too, RECOVERED by BRONCOS' Roach at the Bills 17
Cook tackled by Bonitto and Locke - no gain, 2nd and 10
And we are back!
Lutz kicked to the Bills 2 and Davis took it 23 yards
Humphrey TD!
ouch...
Just after getting a touchdown on the board, the Denver defense forced another turnover, giving the Broncos another chance to score ahead of the half. They got to field-goal range and Lutz made the 50-yard try. The Broncos were able to get a 10-point lead with 22 seconds left in the first half. Now, the half is over and the Bills will get the ball on offense to start the second half and try to catch back up again.
BRONCOS FIELD GOAL!
ANOTHER BRONCOS TAKEAWAY!
Allen scrambled 13 yards but then FUMBLED, forced by Bonitto and Broncos' KeyRECOVEREDit and took it to the Bills 32 (3 yards) to give Broncos yet another chance to score before the half.
Lutz kicks to the Bills 3 and Davis returns it to the 30
Just before halftime, the Broncos took over the lead. Nix made the 29-yard pass to Humphrey in the end zone for the score and Lutz's PAT was good to put Denver ahead with 22 seconds in the first half.
BRONCOS TOUCHDOWN!
Nix under pressure by Oliver, throws the ball away - 2nd and 10
Broncos take final timeout
Nix pass caught by Mims for 15 yards - 1st down
Bills take final timeout
Bills' Lewis was injured on the play
Nix pass broken up by Lewis, nearly picked - incomplete, 3rd and 10
Bills take second timeout
Broncos take second timeout
Nix pass caught by Harvey for 10 yards - 2nd and 10
Badie picks up 8 yards
Holding on Broncos' Forsyth, though, puts them back 10 yards - 1st and 20 at the 46
Nix scrambles for another 6 - 1st down at the Bills 44
Nix pass caught by Badie for 7 yards - 3rd and 3
Nix pass incomplete - 2nd and 10
Nix pass caught by Mims for 6 yards - 1st down
TWO-MINUTE WARNING
With just 2 minutes remaining in the first half, the Broncos have the ball on their own 37-yard line at 3rd and 3. They are tied 10-10 with the Bills.
Nix pass complete to Engram for 7 yards - 3rd and 3
Nix pass incomplete to Sutton - 2nd and 10
Wishnowsky kicks to the Broncos 2 and McLaughlin returns it to the 30
The Bills even the score with 2:13 to go in a crazy first half with a 33-yard field goal made by Matt Prater.
BILLS FIELD GOAL!
Allen pass to Coleman in the end zone was dropped, but the Bills were called for Holding anyway (Torrence) - declined, 4th and 9
Allen SACKED by Roach for a loss of a yard - 3rd and 9
Cook stopped by Greenlaw and Uwazurike after just 2 yards - 2nd and 8
Allen to Cooks caught for 15yards - 1st down at the 15
Allen pass to Shakir caught for 7 - 3rd and 10
Allen SACKED by Shakir for a loss of 7 yards - 2nd and 17
Allen pass caught by Knox for 12 yards - 1st down at the 30
Allen's pass to Cook CAUGHT for 24yards! 1st down at the Broncos 42
Cook tackled by Roach after a gain of 5 - 2nd and 5
Allen pushes forward for 3 yards - 1st down
Cook gains 9 - 3rd and 1
Allen pass incomplete to Cooks - 2nd and 10
Lutz kicked to the Bills 0 and Davis returned it to the 33
Bills' Van Demark was called for Illegal Block Above the Waist, 10 yards
Broncos OT Frank Crum with the TD!
Cook fumble recovered by Denver...
A costly fumble by Bills' James Cook led to a Broncos score. Nix made the 7-yard touchdown pass to Crum and Lutz's PAT was good to put the Broncos in the lead with 9:33 left to play in the first half.
BRONCOS TOUCHDOWN!
Nix scrambles and slides 11 yards - 3rd and 1 at the Bills 7
Thompson makes the tackle on Harvey for a 2-yard loss - 2nd and 12
Nix pass CAUGHT by Mims for 27 yards! 1st down at the Bills 16
Nix scrambles, tackled by White after a yard - 2nd and 9
Harvey takes it for another big gain, 12 yards - 1st down at the Bills 44
Nix pass knocked down by Epenesa, incomplete to McLaughlin - 2nd and 6
McLaughlin takes off for 13yards - 1st down at the Broncos 44
Bills' McGovern was injured during the play
Cook took the ball but FUMBLED thanks to Singleton knocking it out and Broncos' Hufanga RECOVERED it at the Broncos' own 31!
Allen takes off, using those legs he's known for, gains 26yards! 1st down at the Broncos 32
Cook gains 5 - 2nd and 5
Crawshaw punts to the Bills 37 and Hardman makes the fair catch
Nix has back-to-back incompletions, and the Broncos go 3 and out.
Bills on the board!
Yikes
END FIRST QUARTER
Nix took the ball 5 yards, but FUMBLED and then recovered it at the 12 and paseed it to Trautman, though it fell incomplete. After a loss of 5 yards, the Broncos will have the ball at 2nd and 15 at the Denver 20.
Wishnowsky kicks to landing zone to end zone - Touchback to Broncos 20
Allen made the pass to Hardman in the end zone for the 4-yards touchdown. Prater's PAT was good and the Bills are in the lead with 5 seconds left in the first quarter.
BILLS TOUCHDOWN!
Cook is taken down IMMEDIATELY by Tillman for a loss of 3 yards - 2nd and goal from the 4
Allen takes the ball a yard - 1st and goal at the 1
Allen rushes the ball but he's tackled short of the end zone, gaining 5 - 4th and 1 at the 2
Allen pass to Shakir caught for just 2 yards - 3rd and 6
Cook takes it, gains 2 yards - 2nd and 8
Allen takes it 2 yards for the 1st down
Allen pass to WR BrandinCooks caught for 5 yards - 3rd and 1
Cook gets the ball again, gains 4, tackled by Hufanga - 2nd and 6
Allen pass caught by Shakir for 11 yards - 1st down at the Broncos 22
Broncos' Surtain was injured after helping make the tackle on Cook
Cook gets it again, takes it up another 10 - 1st down
It's loud in here...
Bills take first timeout
JAMES COOK gets it first and he breaks through for a 24-yard burst! 1st down at the Broncos 43
Here come the Bills...
Lutz. kicked to the Bills 5 and Davis returned it 28 yards to the 33.
Allen and the Bills' offense take the field.
After 14 plays 7 and a half minutes, the Broncos made several first downs and got within 10 yards of the Buffalo end zone, but a drop by WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey in the end zone cost them a touchdown. Instead, kicker Will Lutz made the 28-yard field goal to put Denver up earlt.
BRONCOS FIELD GOAL!
Nix pass incomplete to Engram - 4th and 6
Nix pass to Humphrey in the end zone was DROPPED! Incomplete - 3rd and 6
Nix ran but was tackled by Thompson for a loss of a yard - 2nd and 6
Broncos fumble saved by Bills penalty
McLaughlin took the ball and went running, but FUMBLED the ball and it was recovered by the BILLS (Lewis), but...
there was a flag on the play...
on the BILLS - Ogunjobi, Offsides
5 yards, Broncos 1st and 5 at the 9
Nix took it again and broke through with ease for 4 yards - 1st down at the Bills 14
4th and inches
Virtual measurements are showing 2 inches short!
The play is being reviewed to see if Nix got enough for the first down...
Nix with the QB sneak...
Nix keeps it again, runs it 3 yards - 3rd and 1 again
Nix pass short to Harvey was tipped, but still caught for 6 yards - 2nd and 4
Nix keeps the ball and rushes for 5 yards - 1st down at the Bills 27
Nix pass caught by Humphrey, but he's tackled by Bishop for just 4 yards - 3rd and 1
Broncos' Bryant comes off the field with what looks to be a minor injury
Nix---> Bryant again for a gain of 5 - 2nd and 5
Nix pass to Bryant is caught for 15yards on the ground - 1st down
McLaughlin broke a tackle from Bosa for a gain of 6 yards 0 2nd and 6
Nix takes the ball on the first drive, running it 12yards for the 1st down
Mims and Williams both walked off the field, but headed to the medical tent.
Uh-oh, we've got an injury right away.
Wishnowsky kicked the ball to the Broncos 1 and Mims returned it to theh 25. Bills' Williams made the tackle, but was injured on the play and Mims looked a little shaken as well after a helmet-to-helmet
GAME TIME!
The Bills have won the toss and elected to defer. Denver starts on the offense in the Divisional Round...
And we are OFF!
Denver's playoff fate is possibly less about quarterback hype and more about one solid statistic that keeps flipping games in their favor.
If they win...
If the Broncos win...
they will host the winner of the Texans-Patriots game in Denver.
If the Bills win,
they will travel to either Houston or New England to face the winner of the Texans-Patriots game.
Another postseason victory for the Buffalo Bills put them in elite company, and if they follow in that company's same path, they're in it for the long haul.
Buffalo Bills quarterback JoshAllen has spoken out about the viral photo of his wife,Hailee Steinfeld, rooting for his Divisional Round opponent.
Tonight's quarterbacks have very different contracts. Here's a look at each one as we head into today's Divisional Round matchup.
Two years removed from the Peyton Manning era, the Denver Broncos, with the fifth pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, had the chance to take quarterback Josh Allen. Instead, they chose to go with a defensive pick with edge rusher Bradley Chubb.
Bills-Broncos Injury Report/Inactived
Broncos Injury Report
Denver enters the Divisional Round in solid shape, with a few key reinforcements returning at the right time. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw is back after missing Weeks 17 and 18, giving the Broncos a major boost in the middle of the defense. Defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers is also active after sitting out Week 18, strengthening a front that already leads the NFL in sacks. Overall, Denver avoided major late-week setbacks with their bye week, and will have most of their core contributors available against Buffalo.
Broncos INACTIVES
QB Sam Ehlinger
CB Reese Taylor
CB Karene Reid
LB Que Robinson
WR Elijah Moore
TE Caleb Lohner
DE Sai'Vion Jones
Bills Injury Report
Buffalo’s injury situation is far messier, especially at wide receiver. Gabe Davis, Tyrell Shavers, and Josh Palmer are all on injured reserve, leaving the Bills thin at the position. There is some good news, though: DT Ed Oliver was activated off IR in a surprise return and will play on a snap count, while WR Curtis Samuel is also active after missing time. To help patch the remaining holes, Buffalo elevated WR Mecole Hardman Jr. and RB Frank Gore Jr. from the practice squad, showing how banged up the roster is heading into this one.
Bills INACTIVES
LB Terrel Bernard
S Jordan Poyer
RB Ty Johnson
CB Maxwell Hairston
OL Tylan Grable
DT Phidarian Mathis
TE Keleki Latu
A look back at last year’s Wild Card
Buffalo's 31-7 win over Denver in last year's Wild Card round looks lopsided on paper, but the game was far closer than it seemed early on. The Broncos struck first and were a missed field goal away from tying it before halftime. The turning point came in the third quarter, when Buffalo completely flipped the script, holding the ball for 10 minutes, forcing two punts, and cashing in a chaotic fourth-and-1 with a Josh Allen miracle throw to Ty Johnson. From there, Denver was chasing the game, and Buffalo’s run-heavy approach buried them.
The Bills ran for 210 yards and dominated possession, with James Cook leading the way and Bo Nix eventually slowed down after a fast start. Denver tried to steal momentum, even calling a fake punt, but once Buffalo got control, the game moved quickly out of reach.
Today’s setting is different, and Denver is a much improved team, but the blueprint from that night is still clear. If Buffalo controls the run and tempo, the game tilts fast. If Denver avoids falling behind early, this rematch looks far more even.
Bitter ex?
Broncos wideout Elijah Moore took a subtle shot at his former team this week, saying the Bills “don't really throw it to the receivers anyway” considering Buffalo’s injury issues at the position. Bitter or not, the numbers mostly back it up.
The Bills spread production through tight ends, running backs, and Josh Allen’s legs as much as any team in the league. With Buffalo’s WR room thin again, Denver will be betting that trend continues, and that the Bills’ wideouts won’t make Moore regret the comment.
The Nix-Franklin connection
Broncos QB Bo Nix and wide receiver Troy Franklin already have years of chemistry built in. The two starred together at Oregon, where Franklin became an All-American catching passes from Nix, and that connection has followed them to Denver after both were drafted in 2024.
Franklin has taken a noticeable step forward in his second NFL season, and when Denver needs a downfield shot, Nix often looks to the receiver he's trusted since their Ducks days.
As we head into the Divisional Round this weekend, the teams who advance to the Super Bowl may reveal themselves early with this hidden stat.
Every Divisional matchup this weekend features a version of the same contrast- a confident home quarterback with just one playoff start under their belt, facing an opponent who has already lived through postseason chaos.
For this game:
- Josh Allen - 8th NFL season, 13 playoff starts
- Bo Nix - 2nd NFL season, 1 playoff start
Broncos quarterback Bo Nix is playing his second full NFL season at home, backed by a crowd desperate to believe. Across from him stands Bills QB Josh Allen, now deep into his prime and fully comfortable in hostile environments and high-pressure finishes.
What are the odds?
This one is about as close to a coin flip as it gets. The line has swung since opening, with Buffalo initially listed as a 1.5-point road favorite before flipping to Denver -1.5 as kickoff approaches. Home field at Mile High and Denver's No. 1 seed status are clearly baked into that move.
Interestingly, national opinion is split. Sports Illustrated’s prediction panel leans slightly toward Buffalo, with four of six experts picking the Bills outright, even though several of them picked against Buffalo just a week ago in Jacksonville.
Stat-wise, there’s nuance too. Denver won more games, but Buffalo finished the regular season with a better point differential. All of it points to a tight game where the margin likely comes down to late execution, rather than a clear mismatch on paper.
At the helm of the Broncos since 2023, Payton is chasing the second Super Bowl title in his 20-year career as an NFL head coach.
Denver's defense has a clear formula for slowing Buffalo’s star QB, and history suggests it could decide the Divisional Round matchup.
Beyond talk of matchups and game plans, a growing group of fans is publicly pushing broadcasters to return to full national anthem coverage on live playoff broadcasts, arguing it should not be sidelined in favor of extra analysis or commercials.
Read more about why fans are calling on networks to play the full anthem and which local country artist is performing this afternoon!
Bills player watch: James Cook
Bills running back James Cook could be the swing factor in this game. When he's around 100 yards, the Bills usually win. When he's closer to 75, they usually don’t.
With Buffalo’s receiver room beat up, expect the Bills to lean heavily on Cook, not just to move the chains, but to keep Josh Allen upright against a Denver defense that lives in the backfield. If the Broncos can limit Cook’s explosive runs and meet him near the line, they give themselves a real edge.
Speaking of Allen...
The Bills quarterback has a chance to make playoff history tonight, and it's a good chance he will.
In the postseason, Josh Allen currently has nine career rushing touchdowns, having added two in the Bills' Wild Card win over Jacksonville last weekend. The current all-time NFL postseason record is 10, held by Philadelphia Eagles quarterback JalenHurts, who was eliminated from the playoffs last week.
So if Allen gets one rushing TD tonight, he'll tie Hurts for the record. With two, he'll beat Hurts and break the record. And considering how much Buffalo relies on Allen's legs to carry them, the odds are good he'll break Hurts' record, at least until next season.
Josh Allen injury update
Despite dealing with a foot issue, a knee problem, and a right finger injury, Bills quarterback Josh Allen practiced most of the week and carries no real doubt heading into the Divisional Round, although he never really did.
The hits have added up, and the film from last week showed Allen clearly playing through some discomfort, but Buffalo never signaled concern about his availability. Allen's toughness was on full display in the Wild Card win over Jacksonville, when he accounted for three total touchdowns and sealed the game with a late rushing score.
Speaking earlier this week, Allen brushed aside any worry, saying he's feeling better now than he has in recent weeks. While the injuries are worth monitoring during the game, the expectation is that Buffalo’s offense will still run through its quarterback, mobility and all.
Matchup Spotlight: Broncos defense vs Bills offense
This matchup pits Denver's fast, physical defense against one of the NFL's most explosive offenses.
It really comes down to whether Denver can keep Josh Allen from making big plays. The Broncos can live with short throws and long drives. What they can’t afford is Josh Allen escaping pressure and making something out of nothing. That’s the tightrope Denver’s defense is walking tonight.
For the Bills, the challenge is staying on schedule - running the ball well and avoiding the negative plays that let the Broncos’ defense feed off the crowd and the moment. If Buffalo keeps it clean, they’ll move the ball. If not, Denver can flip the game quickly.
Denver Broncos: Road to the Divisional Round
The Denver Broncos enjoyed a breakout 2025 regular season, racing to a 14-3 record and clinching the AFC's No. 1 seed for the first time in years.
Denver’s success was anchored by an elite defense, one that led the league in sacks with 68 and produced timely stops all season. Oh, and a knack for notching wins in close games.
Quarterback Bo Nix has been at the center of Denver’s turnaround. In just his second NFL season, Nix has carved out franchise-level milestones and tied an NFL record for most wins by a quarterback through his first two seasons. His poise and consistency helped fuel Denver’s balanced attack and allowed the Broncos to secure a first-round bye on the strength of their regular-season dominance.
Buffalo Bills: Road to the Divisional Round
The Buffalo Bills capped a strong 2025 season with a 13–5 record and punched their ticket to the playoffs as a Wild Card team at No. 6 in the AFC.
Buffalo's year was built on an explosive offense led by reigning MVP Josh Allen, who piled up big numbers both through the air and on the ground while keeping the unit consistently dangerous in clutch moments. The Bills finished near the top of the league in scoring and balanced their attack with a stout ground game from James Cook.
In the Wild Card round, the Bills earned a dramatic 27–24 road win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, marking their first road playoff victory since 1992. Allen delivered a late go-ahead touchdown and the defense clinched the game with a timely interception, showcasing Buffalo's resilience. With that win, the Bills continue their streak of advancing to the Divisional Round, now setting their sights on a rematch with Denver.
Hello and welcome to Empower Field at Mile High! We are getting ready for kickoff between the No. 1 AFC seed Denver Broncos and the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round.
It's a rematch of last season's Wild Card game when the Bills defeated the Broncos 31-7. This time around, the Bills are on the road and the Broncos are the top seed. We will be here to bring you all the live updates, scores, highlights, and commentary up to the final whistle. Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. ET. Let's go!
Complete your personal details to comment