ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 12: Bo Nix #10 of the Denver Broncos takes the field prior to playing the Buffalo Bills during the AFC Wild Card Playoffs at Highmark Stadium on January 12, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)Photo: Elsa / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images
The Denver Broncos fell to the Buffalo Bills 31-7. Below is the recap and postgame interviews:
Bills won the toss and deferred to the 2nd half.
Bo Nix and the Broncos offense started with the ball from their own 30 yard line. They started with the ground game but were facing 3rd and 8 and Bo Nix hit Courtland Sutton for 19 yards over the middle to quickly get into Denver territory. Two plays later, Bo Nix hit rookie WR Troy Franklin for a 43 yard touchdown to give the Broncos an early 7-0 lead with 12:36 remaining in the 1st quarter!
The Bills offense moved efficiently down the field with balance between the pass and run. James Cook had a 16 yard run around the right edge to get Buffalo into Denver territory. The Bills offense moved all the way down to Denver 8 yard line but Josh Allen threw two incompletions to end the drive. Tyler Bass converted the chip shot 26 yard field goal and the Bills cut into the Broncos lead 7-3 with 7:07 remaining in the 1st quarter.
The Broncos offense went back to work from their own 30 yard line. After a short completion and run by Javonte for 3 yards, Bo Nix's scramble comes up short of the sticks and the Broncos go 3 and out and forced to punt it back to Buffalo, who started their drive from their own 19 yard line with 5:32 remaining in the 1st quarter. The Bills worked into Broncos territory with James Cook being pushed by the pile for another 16 yard gain. As we closed out the 1st quarter, the Bills moved into field goal range as they continued their march. Buffalo was averaging 7.2 yards per carry. Josh Allen took the ball inside the 10 yard line before James Cook punched it in from 5 yards out to take their 1st lead of the game 10-7 with 12:57 remaining in the 1st half.
Broncos offense looking to respond, started their 3rd drive of the game from their 30 yard line. Tyler Badie got his 1st carry of the game and took it for 7 yards. Mims took an end around to get the Broncos their initial 1st down of the game. Courtland Sutton dropped a perfect pass down field for 15 yards that would have been a 1st down and two plays later, Denver looked like they were prepared to punt the ball back to Buffalo but Riley Dixon instead threw it to Marvin Mims for a 15 yard gain into Denver territory! Unfortunately, the offense couldn't do anything after that and ended up punting it 3 plays later. Marvin Mims pinned Buffalo at their 1 yard line to start their 3rd drive of the game with 8:28 remaining in the 1st half.
James Cook gets them off the goal line with a 9 yard gain and a Josh Allen QB sneak got them their initial 1st down of the drive. Continuing with the ground game, the Bills were absolutely gashing the defense but Zach Allen was able to sack Josh Allen on 2nd and long, inevitably leading to the first punt of the day for Buffalo following the 2 minute warning.
Marvin Mims was called for an absolutely garbage personal foul penalty after being leveled by Mack Hollins who stood over him taunting. The drive backed up to their own 8 yard line got their initial first down on a QB sneak for a yard, then, Bo took off on a scramble for 12 yards. Completed a pass to Sutton on a toe tap 11 yard reception near midfield. Sutton catches a huge 21 yard pass to get within field goal range but Wil Lutz 50 yard attempt hits the right upright and the Broncos trail 10-7 at halftime.
Buffalo's offense got the ball to start the 2nd half from their own 36 yard line. The Bills went back to the ground game with James Cook and on two carries he got their initial first down of the game. Near midfield, Josh Allen found TE Dawson Knox for a 30 yard gain and then James Cook got an 18 yard gain down to the 8 yard line. On 3rd and goal, DJ Jones came up with a huge sack to force a 27 yard field goal from Tyler Bass, extending the Buffalo lead 13-7 with 10:03 remaining in the 3rd quarter.
Broncos offense got their first crack on offense from their own 30 yard line but after Troy Franklin dropped the 3rd down pass from Nix, Denver's offense quickly went 3 and out. Broncos punt it back to Buffalo with 8:40 remaining in the 3rd quarter, Bills next drive starting from their 27 yard line.
The Bills, once again, had no problem marching into Denver territory. Brandon Jones got called for a personal foul hit on Ray Davis after Josh Allen threw a hospital ball down the right sideline. A completion to Dawson Knox got the Bills into field goal range down to the 33 yard line. On 4th and 1 from the Broncos 24 yard line, Josh Allen found Ty Johnson in the back of the end zone for a Bills touchdown. Keon Coleman caught the 2 point conversion and the Bills extend their lead 21-7 with 3:06 remaining in the 3rd quarter.
The Broncos offense desperate to put something together but a false start on 3rd down by Troy Franklin effectively ended the drive. Bo Nix pass over the middle to Marvin Mims fell incomplete and Denver punted it back to Buffalo. Shakir returned it 23 yards to the Bills 40 yard line. On 3rd and 6, Josh Allen hit a wide open Curtis Samuel down field for a 55-yard touchdown to extend the lead 28-7.
Denver's offense put together a nice drive down to the Bills 13 yard line but on 4th and 3, Jaleel McLaughlin was pushed ob for no gain and they turned it over on downs. Bills offense moved the ball into Denver territory on a 3rd and 4 that Josh Allen completed to Dalton Kincaid down the left sideline for 35 yards (questionable).
Bills tack on a late FG and would go on to beat the Broncos 31-7 and advance to the Divisional Round to host the Baltimore Ravens. Broncos season ends.
Below are the postgame interviews with Sean Payton, Bo Nix, Nik Bonitto and Pat Surtain