After an unproductive first quarter, Denver finally put together the game-winning touchdown drive in the fourth. Kincaid caught an Allen pass that allowed her to evade two tackles before spinning out of another one before scoring an uncontested touchdown.
Nik Bonitto may not be known as an exceptional run defender, but his pass defense skills make up for that deficit in the Denver Broncos Vs Buffalo Bills Match Player Stats. In Buffalo’s win, Bonitto delivered an impressive defensive performance by forcing a fumble, recording a sack, and adding three quarterback hits during the game.
| Rank | Date | Match Result | Key Player Stats | Match Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jan 17, 2026 | Denver Broncos 33-30 Buffalo Bills (OT) | Denver Broncos QB Bo Nix: 3 TDs; Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen: 3 TDs, 4 turnovers | Broncos won an overtime playoff thriller after forcing five Buffalo turnovers. |
| 2 | Jan 13, 2025 | Buffalo Bills 31-7 Denver Broncos | Josh Allen: 2 TDs; Bills defense dominated | Buffalo controlled the Wild Card matchup from start to finish. |
| 3 | Nov 13, 2023 | Denver Broncos 24-22 Buffalo Bills | Russell Wilson: 2 TDs; Bills missed late FG | Denver shocked Buffalo on Monday Night Football. |
| 4 | Dec 20, 2020 | Buffalo Bills 48-19 Denver Broncos | Josh Allen: 359 pass yards, 2 TDs | Bills offense exploded in a dominant home victory. |
| 5 | Sept 24, 2017 | Buffalo Bills 26-16 Denver Broncos | Tyrod Taylor: 2 TDs; Bills defense forced turnovers | Buffalo upset one of the league’s best defenses. |
| 6 | Dec 7, 1991 | Buffalo Bills 10-7 Denver Broncos | Thurman Thomas rushed for key yards | Defensive AFC playoff battle won by Buffalo. |
| 7 | Jan 12, 1992 | Buffalo Bills 24-7 Denver Broncos | Jim Kelly: 3 TD passes | Bills dominated AFC Championship-era Broncos. |
| 8 | Sept 18, 1989 | Denver Broncos 28-14 Buffalo Bills | John Elway led late scoring drives | Classic Elway performance against an emerging Bills squad. |
| 9 | Oct 28, 1962 | Buffalo Bills 45-38 Denver Broncos | Both teams combined for 83 points | One of the highest-scoring games in rivalry history. |
| 10 | Nov 27, 1960 | Denver Broncos 38-38 Buffalo Bills | Early AFL offensive shootout | Historic tie game during the AFL era. |
Brandin Cooks
Brandin Cooks was an integral component to the Buffalo Bills victory against the Denver Broncos on Sunday. Former New Orleans Saints wide receiver was able to find open fields multiple times and had several big plays during the contest, providing one bright spot in an otherwise disappointing night for Bills offense.
Once the scoring had resumed after an uneventful first quarter, Denver took advantage of some Bills mistakes to take control of the second. Bo Nix threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Lil’Jordan Humphrey on their second drive of the quarter for a 17-10 advantage before Josh Allen tried some magic but unfortunately fumbled during an ensuing scramble, giving Denver possession. Denver then kicked a 50-yard field goal to increase their lead further.
Cooks provided another spark for the Bills offense during the third quarter. He passed 100 yards for the first time this season and caught two of Allen’s three touchdown passes while acting as primary quarterback on drives in which Cooks was the primary passer.
Bills defense had its share of problems as well. Nik Bonitto made an impactful tackle against Allen before halftime and then JJ McMillian quickly capitalized when second-year quarterback Sam Ehlinger misfired during overtime snap.
Cooks will likely continue to play only a limited role for the Bills as they continue tinkering with their roster at wide receiver. He could become an important component of their deep threat in future seasons though; after signing to an extension in November and his performance against Broncos suggest otherwise.
Mecole Hardman and Rashaad Shakir can provide assistance in red zone situations; though Allen had two fumbles. But, as with every team in NFL, turnovers must be minimized and taken care of quickly if they want any chance at all!
| Category | Denver Broncos Players | Stats | Buffalo Bills Players | Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarterback Passing | Denver Broncos QB Bo Nix | 13/22, 144 YDS, 1 TD | Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen | 20/26, 272 YDS, 2 TD |
| Leading Rusher | Bo Nix | 4 CAR, 43 YDS | James Cook | 23 CAR, 120 YDS, 1 TD |
| Secondary Rusher | Jaleel McLaughlin | 4 CAR, 21 YDS | Josh Allen | 8 CAR, 46 YDS |
| Top Receiver | Courtland Sutton | 5 REC, 75 YDS | Khalil Shakir | 6 REC, 61 YDS |
| Big Play Receiver | Troy Franklin | 2 REC, 54 YDS, 1 TD | Curtis Samuel | 3 REC, 68 YDS, 1 TD |
| Tight End Performance | Evan Engram | 1 REC, 7 YDS | Dalton Kincaid | 6 REC, 83 YDS, 1 TD |
| Defensive Leader | P.J. Locke | 10 Tackles | Terrel Bernard | 6 Tackles |
| Sack Leader | D.J. Jones | 1 Sack | Matt Milano | 1 Sack |
| Team Total Offense | Broncos Offense | 224 Total YDS | Bills Offense | 471 Total YDS |
| Third Down Efficiency | Broncos | 2/9 | Bills | 8/15 |
| Time of Possession | Broncos | 18:17 | Bills | 41:43 |
| Turnovers | Broncos | 0 | Bills | 0 |
| Final Score | Denver Broncos | 7 | Buffalo Bills | 31 |
Dalton Kincaid
The Buffalo Bills won the coin toss, but Josh Allen fumbled on the following play and it was recovered by Denver, leading them to convert this turnover into a short field goal by Wil Lutz. Buffalo rallied with two touchdown passes from Allen to Keon Coleman and Dalton Kincaid but were unsuccessful with their two-point conversion attempt.
With time running out in the first half, Buffalo made one last attempt at a comeback drive. If not for their defense’s errors – such as giving Marvin Mims third down pass; on second down Allen attempted a deep pass to Brandin Cooks but Ja’Quan McMillian managed to roll over him and pick up an interception from Allen! – they would have succeeded.
Beginning the second half with a punt, Buffalo drove deep into Denver territory before center Brian Bulger was flagged for holding. That penalty would end their drive, forcing them to settle for a 50-yard field goal by Matt Prater to tie the game.
Buffalo’s offense struggled throughout the rest of the game to find their way into the end zone, with Coleman and Kincaid each scoring touchdowns before Allen attempted an audacious one-hop pass meant for Khalil Shakir that looked like it might score but was ultimately ruled incomplete.
Buffalo attempted to drive into field goal range, but an attempted fourth-down pass to Mecole Hardman was dropped, then Allen attempted reentering the end zone on subsequent play but his pass to Cooks was intercepted by McMillian and lost.
With one minute remaining in the game, Buffalo tried getting within field goal range; but an attempted pass to Hardman was dropped on fourth down and Allen tried reentering by throwing backward. McMillian intercepted Allen’s next play attempt as well and ended their hopes of scoring.
When they host the New York Giants in Week 14, Buffalo hopes to regain their health. Defensive tackle Ed Oliver and wide receiver Curtis Samuel were activated from injured reserve and will play.
Brandon Marshall remains questionable with a torn bicep, having gone through pregame workouts but not sure whether he will play or not. In addition, Mecole Hardman and Frank Gore Jr were brought off of practice squad callup and activated.
Rashaad Shakir
Rashaad Shakir continued his rise as one of Buffalo Bills top targets this postseason with his impressive showing in Denver. The veteran wide receiver notched seven receptions on nine targets for 75 yards during their 33-30 overtime divisional-round loss against Denver; including an eye-catching 46-yard catch in early fourth quarter – one more big play by this 6-foot-4 220-pound receiver who ended his season with 75-82-0 line on 95 targets.
The top-seeded Denver Broncos came into this contest as heavy favorites, yet were far from flawless. Josh Allen managed three touchdown passes and two interceptions while also losing a fumble and incurring costly penalties during overtime – mistakes committed by himself as well as by teammates which effectively ended any chance for comeback from Bills side.
Vance Joseph’s defense made big plays despite long periods of being pummeled, such as on the final play of regulation when Allen attempted to throw deep pass to Brandin Cooks; McMillian leaped forward and grabbed it away for another forced turnover by Broncos defense – their fifth forced turnover and second red zone defense rating respectively.
After some recovery time, Denver drove downfield towards the final two minutes. But with 50 seconds remaining, Allen threw a quick lateral pass to running back Ray Davis that put them within field goal range; kicker Matt Prater eventually kicked a 50-yard field goal through the uprights, sending this game into overtime.
Denver took the field first in overtime. But on their initial play, Nix attempted to throw a deep pass to Marvin Mims Jr. but was penalized for pass interference, effectively ending that play. Soon thereafter, on a keep play by Nix, he injured his ankle on a keeper play and had to be replaced by backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham.
Sean Payton announced that Nix had broken his ankle on the final play of the game, effectively ending any hope for comeback for the Bills who now look likely to experience their third consecutive playoff defeat.
Keon Coleman
After their heartbreaking Wild Card Round loss, the Bills sought redemption against top seed Denver Broncos. Second-year quarterback Josh Allen impressed early, completing seven out of eight passes for an incredible 132 yards and two touchdowns in just the first half. Unfortunately for Buffalo though, Allen made mistakes that cost them dearly by losing two fumbles late in the first and early third quarter allowing Denver to score 10 points off turnovers alone.
Bills managed to keep the game close throughout most of the second half, only losing when Allen was stripped during an attempted fourth and goal attempt with 16 seconds left and Denver made use of this turnover opportunity by scoring with a 50-yard field goal.
Bills fans fought hard in overtime but could not find an effective route into Denver’s end zone. Instead, Denver scored the winning points when nickelback Ja’Quan McMillian intercepted a deep pass from Allen for their fifth takeaway of the game and franchise-record nine takeaways of all time in this matchup.
Bills cornerback A.J. Epenesa suffered an unfortunate setback as he injured his hamstring on the final play of the game, potentially sidelining him until further notice during playoff play.
With their victory, the Broncos advanced to their first AFC championship game since 2008. But then came bad news: backup quarterback Bo Nix broke his ankle on a sack in overtime and will undergo surgery Tuesday in Birmingham, Alabama.
The Bills have faced the Broncos 43 times, winning 24 games against Denver’s 18 victories, with one tie game between the teams. These rivals have also met twice in the playoffs, with overtime action adding extra drama each time.
In the context of Denver Broncos Vs Buffalo Bills Match Player Stats, fans closely followed standout performances from stars on both sides during these memorable matchups. Kickoff for their Divisional Round meeting was scheduled for 2:30 p.m. MT on CBS, while fans could follow Buffalo on Twitter for live updates or enjoy an exclusive pregame playlist curated by player Keon Coleman, featuring soulful and reflective tracks from Jhene Aiko, Adele, and Jeezy.
| Match Details | Denver Broncos | Buffalo Bills |
|---|---|---|
| Date | January 12, 2025 | January 12, 2025 |
| Competition | AFC Wild Card Playoff | AFC Wild Card Playoff |
| Final Score | 7 | 31 |
| First Quarter | 0 | 10 |
| Second Quarter | 7 | 3 |
| Third Quarter | 0 | 7 |
| Fourth Quarter | 0 | 11 |
| Total Yards | 224 | 471 |
| Passing Yards | 144 | 272 |
| Rushing Yards | 80 | 199 |
| Time of Possession | 18:17 | 41:43 |
| Third Down Efficiency | 2/9 | 8/15 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 0 |
| Leading Passer | Bo Nix – 144 YDS, 1 TD | Josh Allen – 272 YDS, 2 TD |
| Leading Rusher | Bo Nix – 43 YDS | James Cook – 120 YDS, 1 TD |
| Leading Receiver | Courtland Sutton – 75 YDS | Dalton Kincaid – 83 YDS, 1 TD |
| Defensive Leader | P.J. Locke – 10 Tackles | Terrel Bernard – 6 Tackles |
| Key Highlight | Troy Franklin caught Denver’s only TD | Buffalo dominated with balanced offense |
| Match Result | Loss | Win |
