How To Watch Denver Broncos vs. Buffalo Bills NFL Wild Card: Preview, Betting Odds, TV Channel

Former Oregon Ducks and current Denver Broncos starting quarterback Bo Nix is preparing to play in the playoffs for Denver as the No. 7 seed against the Buffalo Bills. The Denver Broncos will take on the Bills in a Wild Card Round game on Sunday at 10 a.m. PT at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. This will be Denver’s first postseason appearance since the Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50 back in 2016.

“It’s cliché and it sounds cheesy, but most people, they literally didn’t expect us to be here,” Nix said. “So we might as well continue to not worry about those things and do what we can do and just worry about ourselves. And when we’ve done that this year, we’ve had good success. But it’s definitely not going to be easy.”

Nov 10, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Peyton reacts to play against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

How to Watch:

Nix and the Broncos will take on the Buffalo Bills on the road in Orchard Park, New York, on Sunday, Jan. 12 at 10 a.m. PT. The game will be broadcast on CBS.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) gets pass protection from Buffalo Bills guard O'Cyrus Torrence (64) and Buffalo Bills guard Connor McGovern (66) during first half action at the Bills home game against the New York Jets at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Dec. 29, 2024. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Preview:

For the first time since the end of the 2015-16 season, the Denver Broncos will compete in a postseason matchup. Starting quarterback rookie Bo Nix is looking to continue his dominant season after throwing the second-most touchdowns by a rookie in NFL history. However, to make a strong postseason run, the Broncos must first get through Josh Allen and the second-seeded Bills.

“Obviously, we're playing a really good football team,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said Wednesday. “We're going to have to play a real complete game.”

Jan 5, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos safety P.J. Locke (6) celebrates with fans after the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Buffalo completed a successful 13-4 regular-season record and clinched a playoff spot on Dec. 1. The difference maker for the Bills this season has been the team’s high-powered offense fueled by quarterback Josh Allen.

When discussing NFL quarterbacks with 10 career playoff starts, Allen ranks first in postseason history in yards per game and touchdown-to-interception ratio. The Bills boast one of the most dominant offenses in the NFL. Despite losing top receiver Stefon Diggs ahead of the season, Buffalo ranks second in scoring offense while simultaneously posting the second-most 30-point games in NFL history, only behind the 2013 Denver Broncos.

MORE: NFL Offensive Rookie Of The Year: Denver Broncos Bo Nix, Washington Jayden Daniels?

MORE: Boise State Football Accuses Oregon Ducks of Tampering

MORE: Oregon Ducks To Sign Transfer Portal Lineman Emmanuel Pregnon From USC Trojans?

Not only will the Broncos need to contain Allen and the Bills’ top-ranked offense, but they must also dominate on the offensive side of the ball as they look to give Buffalo its first home loss of the season.

Jan 5, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) on the field after the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

“This is where I want to be,” Nix said Wednesday. “[These are] the moments that matter. These are the moments that people remember you by. You’ve just got to go out there and cut it loose and go out there and play and trust your teammates, trust what you’ve prepared for throughout this entire year and, quite frankly, my career [and] my life. This is just where all that work finally gets to come into play. It’s going to be fun.”

Denver achieved a 10-7 record on the season, earning the final spot in the AFC postseason on the last day of the regular season. Now the Broncos must prove that they deserve to be where they are, and it all starts with Nix. The former Duck has the chance to become the first rookie to win on the road and the fourth rookie quarterback to win in his first career playoff start on the road.

According to Next Gen Stats, Nix ranks first in passing yards and third in passing touchdowns while throwing on the move, making him a threat to Buffalo’s defense. This season, the Bills have allowed ten passing touchdowns to quarterbacks on the run, the most in the NFL. Nix’s ability to execute while on the move as well as his ability to calmly navigate pressure could be dangerous for the Bills.

Jan 5, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; CBS Sports reporter Tracy Wolfson interviews Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) following the win against the Kansas City Chiefs at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Since Week 5, Nix has thrown for 3,115 yards and 28 touchdowns. His passer rating (103.2) in that 13-game span was the fourth-best in the NFL.

“He's played in a lot of big games,” Payton said. “Honestly, last week for him — for many guys — was like a playoff game. He's seasoned, and he's been in big moments, and you know what? He's going to play in bigger games.”

The stakes of Sunday’s game are higher than ever, as it will mark the end of the season for the loser while the winner advances in hopes of making it to this season’s Super Bowl. Although the intensity is rising and the Bills enter the matchup as an 8.5-point favorite, Nix remains confident in his team’s abilities.

Jan 5, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) hands the ball off to running back Audric Estime (23) in the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

“And I know these guys, we have each other’s back, and no matter what — offense, defense, special teams — somebody is going to make a play. Somebody’s going to put us in a situation to go out there and win it. And then I believe that it’s time that we can show and prove and somebody can go out there and take the game over and go out there and win it. And so I think we’ve just been kind of building up for this moment. All the obstacles and the highs and lows we’ve been through this year, it’s just kind of set us up right where we are," said Nix.

MORE: Former Oregon Ducks Receiver Ryan Pellum Arrested for 'Pistol-Whipping' Assault

MORE: L.A. Chargers Jim Harbaugh Compares Justin Herbert To Joe Montana Before NFL Playoffs

MORE: Are Oregon Ducks Transfer Portal Winners or Losers? Dan Lanning's Big Commitments

MORE: Oregon Ducks 2026 Recruiting Class Ranks No. 1, Raves About Coach Dan Lanning