Wild Card Weekend continues
Wild Card Weekend continues today when the Buffalo Bills host the Denver Broncos. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 pm EST.
The 13-4 Buffalo Bills are AFC East champions and the #2 seed in the AFC playoffs. The Bills come into this game off a loss to the lowly New England Patriots. However, the Bills had nothing riding on that game and rested Josh Allen and many of their other starters. Prior to that loss the Bills won 10 of their prior 11 games. Bills quarterback Josh Allen had an MVP quality season and was recently named 2nd team All Pro. Allen led a Bills team that many felt was starting to decline heading into this season to the second best record in the AFC. The Bills are the only team in the NFL to beat the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs this year. The key to the Bills’ dominance this year lies in turnovers. The Bills were #1 in offensive turnovers in the NFL and #3 in defensive turnovers, leading to an absurd +24 turnover differential, best in the NFL. Incredibly, the Bills never had a game this season in which they lost the turnover battle. That’s a great way to win a lot of football games.
The 10-7 Denver Broncos come into this game struggling, losers of two of their last four games. Their vaunted defense fell apart late in the season, giving up 30+ points in three out of four games prior to their season ending 38 – 0 blowout victory over the Kansas City Chiefs’ backups. The Broncos rely on a defense that puts a ton of pressure on opposing quarterbacks, leading the NFL in sacks this season with 62. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix leads the team on offense. Nix has been much better than advertised this season under the tutelage of head coach Sean Payton.
The Bills have home field advantage today. They are undefeated at home this year, with an 8-0 record. The Broncos are 4-5 on the road this season. The Bills are 2-3 against playoff teams this season, while the Broncos are 2-5, with one of those victories their season ending win over the Chiefs’ backups.