Sportsnaut
A spot in the AFC Championship Game was at stake on Saturday afternoon, with the Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos squaring off in a rematch of last year’s playoff game. The stakes were much higher in this Divisional Round clash and we got a great matchup.
Let’s dive winto the winners and losers from the Bills vs Broncos matchup in the Divisional Round, with Denver winning it in overtime to clinch hosting the AFC Championship Game.
Early in the second quarter, Buffalo led 7-3 and was in position to take a larger lead with the ball at the Denver 32-yard line. That changed because of Alex Singleton. He flew in on a carry by James Cook and decleated the All-Pro running back. The hit popped the ball loose, and safety Talanoa Hufanga recovered it.
Eight plays later, the Broncos offense scored the go-ahead touchdown. Singleton’s hit appeared to flip the momentum and set the tone on an afternoon when the Denver defense generated five takeaways, turning them into 16 points. It all started with Singleton’s massive hit.
Conservative decision-making from a head coach in an elimination game is baffling. The Denver defense opened the second half with a strip-sack fumble recovery that set the Broncos up inside the red zone. Leading 20-10, Denver faced a fourth-and-3 from the 10-yard line. It presented Sean Payton with an opportunity to put the ball in Bo Nix’s hands and go for it, as a conversion could have led to another touchdown and a 27-10 lead.
Instead, Payton settled for a field goal. His play-calling in the second half felt suspect as the offense collapsed, allowing Buffalo to overcome the 13-point deficit. For a head coach who loves to find ways to motivate his team, this level of conservatism against the club that knocked Denver out of the playoffs last season is baffling. Fortunately, Nix and Denver’s defense saved the day.
Sometimes, it is about how you rebound from a single play. The James Cook fumble took points off the board for Buffalo in the first half, but it was a lone blip in an otherwise strong performance. The All-Pro running back turned 21 carries into 114 rushing yards, consistently fighting for 4-plus yards on nearly every carry. While Cook did not find the end zone, Saturday marked his sixth game this season with 130-plus scrimmage yards. He has proven to be worth every penny of that $48 million contract.
Two of the biggest plays in this game were partially the result of blown coverages by Bills’ defensive backs who were forced into extended action due to injury. Darnell Savage and Dane Jackson were both burnt deep downfield, allowing big plays that set up critical scores by Denver. It was apparent on Saturday how much this unit missed Damar Hamlin, Taylor Rapp and Maxwell Hairston Jr....
