Bills overwhelm Broncos in second half, transfer on to showdown with Baltimore

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Denver Broncos bought on the board rapidly of their AFC wild-card matchup versus the Buffalo Bills. Denver scored within the first three minutes with a deep go from rookie quarterback Bo Nix to broad receiver Troy Franklin.

The Broncos by no means scored once more, because the Bills went on to take a commanding 31-7 win. Quarterback Josh Allen led the rout, going just one drive with out scoring.

Allen went 20-of-26 for 272 yards and two touchdowns, along with eight carries for 46 yards. In the ultimate three quarters, he accomplished 14 of 17 passes (82%) for 227 yards and the 2 touchdowns.

Allen handed Jim Kelly’s mark for essentially the most postseason passing touchdowns in Bills historical past (23).

James Cook had 23 carries for 120 yards and one landing. The Bills rushed for greater than 200 yards in a playoff recreation for the fifth time in franchise historical past and the primary because the 1995 wild-card recreation vs. the Miami Dolphins.

The Bills are the primary workforce to report no less than 250 passing yards and 200 speeding yards in a playoff recreation because the 2012 San Francisco 49ers, who pulled it off in opposition to the Green Bay Packers within the NFC divisional playoffs.

On the opposite facet, the Broncos’ speeding assault was restricted to 79 yards, with quarterback Bo Nix ending as Denver’s main rusher (43 yards). His receivers dropped three passes, their most in a recreation this season.

Here are crucial issues to know from Sunday for each groups:

Eye-popping stat: Allen’s landing go to working again Ty Johnson — on fourth-and-1 within the third quarter — had a completion chance of 15.6%, essentially the most unlikely landing go of Allen’s profession (common season or postseason) and of any participant previously 5 postseasons.

Promising pattern: Third-down protection. Getting off the sphere has been a difficulty for the Bills, however in opposition to the Broncos, the unit restricted Denver’s lengthy drives. The Broncos transformed 2 of 9 (22.2%) third-down makes an attempt regardless of the Bills coming into the sport permitting opponents to transform 43.8%, fourth worst within the NFL, and the Broncos changing 39.6% (thirteenth).

The Broncos went three-and-out drives on three drives. The Bills used the working recreation taking day off the clock and it performed a giant half in Buffalo establishing and maintaining the lead.

Surprising efficiency: WR Curtis Samuel. He was the Bills’ greatest free-agent signing at receiver, however he remained buried on the depth chart for a lot of the season. Samuel put collectively his greatest recreation in his playoff debut, catching all three of his targets for 68 yards, together with a 55-yard landing catch. — Alaina Getzenberg

Next recreation: vs. Baltimore Ravens (Saturday or Sunday)

The postseason wait is perhaps over for the Broncos, however there’s loads of work to be carried out of their quest to return to the AFC’s elite.

The Broncos have been scrappy and caught round for some time on Sunday, however the Bills confirmed their postseason pedigree and received the wild-card matchup going away. The Broncos’ first playoff recreation in eight seasons began nicely, as Nix’s 43-yard touchdown pass to Franklin on the primary drive gave Denver a fast 7-0 lead.

But the Bills steadily wore down the Broncos with Allen, a strong run recreation and a protection that pissed off the Broncos after the opening rating. Aside from Franklin’s rating, Denver’s offense had one different play on offense for greater than 20 yards. The Broncos additionally by no means bought the run recreation going.

Describe the sport in two phrases: An schooling. Broncos coach Sean Payton routinely says when your workforce is nice sufficient, exterior issues (climate, recreation strain and loud highway environments) do not imply as a lot. The Broncos had their moments Sunday. They saved Josh Allen beneath 100 yards passing deep into the third quarter and scored on their first possession of the sport with a 43-yard downfield shot from Nix to Franklin. But the Bills are a better-constructed workforce with an MVP candidate at quarterback. Without forcing turnovers and maintaining drives alive on third-down conversions, Denver did not have sufficient to drag the upset.

Troubling pattern: If the Broncos hope to have extra success in what Payton calls the “greater video games” going ahead, they’ll have to determine the way to cease the alpha quarterbacks within the AFC. With Sunday’s loss, Denver is 0-6 this season when going through Allen, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert (twice). Breaking by way of in opposition to the convention’s greatest signal-callers would be the key to the Broncos really being a playoff contender.

Biggest gap in recreation plan: The Broncos settled down on protection as the sport wore on, however their first-quarter struggles defending the run raised eyebrows. The Bills had 100 yards speeding within the first quarter and transformed 10 first downs on run performs within the first half, repeatedly pounding away on the center of Denver’s protection. Buffalo had seven runs of no less than seven yards on their first landing drive, together with back-to-back runs of 11 and 16 yards.

QB breakdown: There are simpler locations for a rookie quarterback to make his postseason debut than Buffalo, however Nix did not flip the ball over till late within the fourth quarter and was sacked twice. But there have been moments when his accuracy wavered. After throwing for 62 yards on his first two completions of the day he completed with 82 yards the remainder of the best way. Nix had a smattering of moments when he tried to pressure the ball right into a spot the place it had no place to suit. — Jeff Legwold