The Divisional Round matchup between the Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills will be decided in the trenches.
The Denver Broncos are hosting the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round of the playoffs in what should be a much better contest than las year’s playoff matchup.
Last season, the Bills dominated the Broncos and sent them home after a 31-7 thrashing in Buffalo in the Wild Card Round. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix couldn’t generate much offense against a solid Bills defense, completing 13 of 22 passes for just 144 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 43 yards on four carries.
Bills QB Josh Allen was much better, completing 20 of 26 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns as well as 46 rushing yards on eight carries.
Perhaps the biggest factor in the matchup last season was Bills running back James Cook III, who rushed 23 times for 120 yards and a score. He will be a key player in this game, too, as Buffalo’s rushing attack is the best in the National Football League (159.6 yards per game).
Allen and Cook may be the best quarterback/running back duo in the NFL, and the Broncos defense will have to slow them down in order to stay in the game. Denver’s defense is one of the best in the league, and they are especially good against the run. The Broncos hold opposing rushers to 91.1 yards per game (second-best in NFL) and also led the league in sacks (68).
But while the Bills have the best rushing attack, their defense is susceptible to giving up big runs as well.
Rookie running back RJ Harvey stepped in as the Broncos’ lead back after veteran J.K. Dobbins went down with an ankle injury in Week 10 and has arguably been the best rookie in the league. Dobbins is trying to be ready for a late postseason push, but time may be running out. It’s going to be up to Harvey to generate explosive plays on the ground against a Bills team that ranks fifth-worst in yards per game (136.2).
This game will be won in the trenches, and the other deciding factor could be Denver’s bye week. The Broncos earned the first-round bye and got to rest while the Bills played a narrow game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Bills could be in a rhythm or they could be gassed, while the Broncos could be energized by the rest or rusty because they didn’t play last week.
Many of the Bills, including Allen, are dealing with nagging injuries that could be important in this game, though Allen is as tough as they get. His injuries didn’t affect him too much last week; he completed 28 of 35 passes for 273 yards and a touchdown as well as 11 carries for 33 yards and two scores.