The Buffalo Bills controlled the game in a 31-7 win over the Denver Broncos in their AFC playoff first-round matchup, holding a 23:26 time-of-possession advantage and running 30 more plays while outgaining the Broncos by 247 yards. Quarterback Josh Allen completed 20-of-26 passes for 272 yards, throwing two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran eight times for 46 yards, including five key third- or fourth-down conversions, as Buffalo went 8-for-15 on third downs and perfect on two fourth-down attempts.
One of those fourth-down conversions resulted in a 24-yard touchdown pass to running back Ty Johnson, giving Buffalo a 21-7 lead late in the third quarter. Early in the fourth, Allen hit wide receiver Curtis Samuel with a 55-yard touchdown pass, sealing the win.
The game saw a strong presence from Alabama-related players on both teams. Broncos cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine (Spanish Fort) made a special teams tackle, while Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper (Alabama) had two receptions for 8 yards. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (Auburn) completed 13-of-22 passes for 144 yards and a touchdown, leading Denver to an early 7-0 lead with a 43-yard TD pass to Troy Franklin.
Despite the loss, Denver, at 10-7, made their first playoff appearance since 2015. Buffalo advances to the Divisional Round, where they’ll face the Baltimore Ravens, after finishing the regular season with a 13-4 record. The AFC Divisional matchups are still to be scheduled.
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