Mile High Report
For the first time in a decade, an NFL playoff game is set for Mile High.
The Denver Broncos welcome Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills to town for the AFC Divisional Playoffs. And the Broncos will look to dish out a little revenge on Saturday. It was Allen and the Bills who eliminated Denver from the playoffs last season.
But the tables have turned, and the Broncos will play this game at home after a bye in the Wild Card round. Mile High will be rocking with Denver looking to flip the script on last season’s outcome with a trip to the AFC Championship Game at stake.
The Broncos come into the game as a slight +1.5-point underdog at FanDuel Sportsbook. It’s the first time in nine years the No. 1 seed has been the underdog in the divisional playoffs. The total sits at over/under 46.5 points for Saturday’s AFC playoff game.
Buffalo: Fourth in total offense (376.3 yards per game), first in rushing offense (159.6 YPG), 15th in passing offense (216.6 YPG), tied for fourth in scoring offense (28.3 points per game).
Denver: Tenth in total offense (342.6 yards per game), 16th in rushing offense (118.7 YPG), 11th in passing offense (223.9 YPG), 14th in scoring offense (23.6 points per game).
Buffalo: Seventh in total defense (293.1 yards per game), 28th in rushing defense (136.2 YPG), first in passing defense (156.9 YPG), 12th in scoring defense (21.5 points per game).
Denver: Second in total defense (278.2 yards per game), second in rushing defense (91.1 YPG), seventh in passing defense (187.2 YPG), third in scoring defense (18.3 points per game).
Here are the MHR staff’s keys to Saturday’s game.
This is as about as cliche as you can get for a key to the game (there’s one more obvious right below), but it’s absolutely true. For the Broncos to advance to the AFC Championship Game, they need to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. That means consistently opening up running lanes for the backs and giving Bo Nix time on offense. On defense, it means shutting down James Cook and Allen in the running game while getting consistent pressure with exotic looks on Allen in the passing and not breaking pocket containment. If Denver wins the line of scrimmage on Saturday, it wins the game. — Ian St. Clair
This past weekend, every team that scored more than its opponents advanced into the next round. In fact, the Broncos achieved this 14 times this year, and in all 14 instances, they won their game. As the saying goes, “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” So, the Broncos just need to score more points than Allen and the Bills, and they will advance to the AFC Championship Game. — Scotty Payne
Coinciding with Ian’s...
