Three Things We Learned From the Bills Thrashing the Broncos
Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
The Buffalo Bills did exactly what a No. 2 seed should do in the first round of the playoffs: they dominated the Denver Broncos. The Bills fell behind on the first drive of the game before cruising for the final 57 minutes to a 31-7 victory. Let’s look at the top three things we learned from Buffalo dismantling Sean Payton and Company.
The Bills Are A Playoff-Style Team
The way the Buffalo Bills approached the game was almost actively disrespectful to Denver. It was clear, based on their game plan, that Buffalo believed they were the more physical team, and they proved exactly that on the field. The offensive line was dominating from the first whistle. In the first quarter, down 7-3, James Cook looked bottled up after a couple of yards, but the Pro Bowl snub kept his feet moving, and Dion Dawkins helped pull him forward for another 10+ yards.
James Cook and friends pick up many yards after contact 💪
📺: #DENvsBUF on CBS/Paramount+
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/elgUnQcaLw— NFL (@NFL) January 12, 2025
It wasn’t just the offense that showed their physicality; the defense also manhandled Denver all game long, especially on the line of scrimmage. Bo Nix ended up leading the Broncos in rushing with 43 yards on four carries. Javonte Williams, who took 21 carries for 78 yards in last season’s upset over Buffalo, finished with just 29 rushing yards on the day.
The run defense was impressive, but that is going to be tested this next weekend against the Baltimore Ravens, Lamar Jackson, and Derrick Henry. But the Bills know they can blow even playoff teams out of the water with their sheer muscle, and they’ll need to play with that same confidence to try and stymie the elite Ravens’ run game.
Buffalo Can Get Offenses Off the Field
The run defense reversed a concerning trend on Wild Card Weekend, and so did the Bills’ third-down performance. Throughout the regular season, the Bills only stopped opponents on 42.9% of third downs, ranking just 25th in the NFL and 13th among the 14-team playoff field.
The first third down for the Broncos on Sunday was successful, and it looked like it could be another long game for Buffalo. But after that, the Bills tightened things up, and only one of Denver’s next eight third-down attempts were successful.
“When they possess the ball, we can’t,” Broncos tight end Adam Trautman told reporters. “And then when we fall behind, we’ve got to get away from certain things that we’d like to maybe in the plan. I mean, that’s really one of the main reasons they beat us like they did, is because they just possessed the ball.”
As Trautman pointed out, the Bills kept the ball out of the Broncos’ hands, and their efficiency at getting Denver to fourth down was a huge reason. The Bills ended the game with over 41 minutes of possession, while the Broncos had the ball for just 18 minutes and 17 seconds. It was only one week, but if the Bills want to finally win their first Super Bowl, getting off the field will be key. This was a massive first step.
The Balanced Offense Works In the Playoffs
The story of the Bills’ regular season has been about their new-found balanced approach to offense. While pundits doubted the Bills could maintain that success into the playoffs, Josh Allen and a host of weapons proved them wrong.
Cook led the way on the ground with 123 yards on 23 carries, but Allen added eight runs for 48 yards and Ty Johnson contributed 44 yards on nine carries of his own. Allen’s passing attack continued to spread things around the same way he did in Weeks 1 through 18. Khalil Shakir led the team in catches (six for 61 yards), while Curtis Samuel 68 yards (three receptions) paced the wide receiver room. It didn’t stop there though. Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, Amari Cooper, and Johnson all finished with multiple catches, with Mack Hollins and Keon Coleman giving Allen eight pass-catchers on Sunday.
Everyone knows this week’s game isn’t going to be a walk in the park, but this game should still give Buffalo momentum going into the Divisional Round. But momentum can be fleeting, and that could quickly go away with a slow start against Baltimore, which was the only real negative on Sunday. That said, once Payton ran out of scripted plays, the Buffalo defense was a masterclass. Hopefully, it’s the same story on Sunday at Highmark Stadium against Jackson and the Ravens.
Up Next