Good versus good.
That’s the anticipated matchup when the Denver Broncos defense clashes with Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills’ potent offense. For fans wondering, “Where Do The Buffalo Bills Play?”, their home turf is the iconic Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, a place where they consistently showcase their offensive firepower. This game, however, is a battleground where Denver aims to challenge that home dominance.
Among quarterbacks with at least 10 career playoff starts, Allen stands out as a postseason phenomenon, leading in yards per game, touchdowns per game, and touchdown-to-interception ratio. Even after losing Stefon Diggs, his primary receiving target, before the season, the Buffalo offense maintained its momentum. This season, the Bills’ scoring offense ranked second in the league, achieving the second-highest number of 30-point games in NFL history, only surpassed by the 2013 Broncos.
Buffalo boasts a balanced offensive scheme, becoming the first team in NFL history to record 30 passing touchdowns and 30 rushing touchdowns in a single season. An impressive thirteen different players caught a receiving touchdown—tying an NFL record—and eight Bills players had multiple receiving touchdowns. Their receiving corps includes talented players like Khalil Shakir, who topped the team with 76 receptions for 821 yards, alongside Amari Cooper and Keon Coleman. Tight ends Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid also contribute significantly to their aerial attack. On the ground, running back James Cook was a force, scoring 16 rushing touchdowns, which tied for the league lead. Notably, the Bills’ running backs collectively led the NFL in receiving touchdowns and yards per reception.
Adding to their offensive prowess, the Buffalo offense is exceptionally good at minimizing negative plays. They allowed a mere 14 sacks this season, making them the only team in the Super Bowl era to allow fewer than one sack and one giveaway per game. Playing at home, at Highmark Stadium, often amplifies their offensive rhythm and minimizes mistakes.
However, the Denver defense arrives undeterred. The Broncos led the NFL in sacks, equipped with a formidable pass rush unit featuring Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, and Zach Allen, ready to test Allen and the Bills’ offensive line. On the defensive back end, first-team All-Pro cornerback Pat Surtain II presents a significant challenge to Allen’s passing game. Facing the Bills at their home stadium is always a tough task, but Denver believes they have the defensive tools to compete.
“Relentlessness,” stated defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers. “That’s what it’s going to take to win this game from a defensive line standpoint, but also from a team standpoint… It’s making sure you understand that [Allen’s] going to scramble, he’s going to make his plays. But just making sure that every play, he has to earn.”
The Broncos’ defense has consistently risen to challenges throughout 2024, especially against playoff-bound teams. Against these teams, Denver’s defense conceded the fewest yards per game and recorded the most sacks per game, while also ranking second in scoring defense. Interestingly, when facing Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph, Allen’s passer rating drops to 71.0, ranking 27th among 28 quarterbacks with at least two starts against a Joseph-led defense. Whether this trend continues when the Broncos visit where the Buffalo Bills play their home games remains a key question.
While the Bills are likely to execute their plays, the Denver defense has the potential to steer the Broncos towards victory if they can pressure Allen effectively and prevent his signature explosive plays at Highmark Stadium.
CAN DENVER WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE AT HIGHMARK STADIUM?
In their “Monday Night Football” victory over the Broncos in Buffalo last season, a 24-22 win, Denver forced four turnovers and achieved a plus-three turnover margin. To curtail the Bills’ high-octane offense, replicating a similar turnover performance might be crucial for the Broncos, especially when playing at the Buffalo Bills’ home.
Denver’s defense has proven to be opportunistic, finishing the regular season tied for seventh in takeaways. The Broncos hold a 9-3 record this season when they manage to force a turnover. However, securing turnovers against Buffalo is a daunting task. The Bills have only turned the ball over eight times this season, tying for the fewest in a season since the stat began being tracked in 1933. As a team, Buffalo’s plus-24 turnover margin is the best in the league since the 2012 New England Patriots. Protecting the ball is a hallmark of Bills games played where they play their home games.
Conversely, the Broncos have also found success when winning the turnover battle. Denver hasn’t lost the turnover margin since Week 9 against the Ravens, and they are 7-2 this season when they hold a takeaway margin advantage.
“Well, you’re in the playoffs now,” Joseph commented on Thursday. “The ball is everything. Obviously, their keys to victory have been taking care of the football, playing great defense, and running the football. It’s a challenge, but we have to hunt the ball. If [Allen] makes a mistake, we have to make our plays.” Playing at the home of the Buffalo Bills adds another layer of pressure, making ball security even more paramount.
In the postseason, a single turnover can dramatically alter the game’s trajectory. In this clash of strengths at Highmark Stadium, the Broncos could tip the scales in their favor by finding ways to generate a couple of turnovers against a Bills team that rarely gives the ball away at home.
