'A Lot of Bad Football': Buffalo Bills Fall to Denver Broncos in Crushing Loss: Live In-Game Updates
The Buffalo Bills shot themselves in the foot one too many times, and are now even further on the outside looking in of the AFC playoff picture after Monday night's crushing 24-22 loss to the Denver Broncos at home.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen lost a fumble and tossed two interceptions, as Buffalo turned it over four times. The Broncos won on a game-winning field goal from kicker Will Lutz.
"Should’ve never been in that situation in the first place," Allen said. "A lot of bad football, a lot of bad football.”
Follow our live updates from the game below.
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The Buffalo Bills have found themselves in a mess of their own making. Now it’s time to get themselves out of it. The AFC playoff picture is filled to capacity with middling teams vying for spots in January’s dance. Buffalo, despite Super Bowl aspirations, has yet to separate itself from the pack.
At 5-4, the Bills have twice lost to teams destined for mediocrity (or worse) -- the New England Patriots and New York Jets. Down the stretch, five of their final six games will come against teams that boast elite quarterbacks, solid playoff positioning, or both.
That only makes the favorable games on their schedule that much more important. On Monday Night Football, Buffalo will play host to a Denver Broncos team with more drama than optimism and as many 50-point losses as winning streaks.
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott (left) and Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton (right).
USA TODAY
However, the 3-5 Broncos are coming off their two best defensive performances of the season, shutting down the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs before the Week 9 bye. With two weeks to prepare for a Bills team riddled with inconsistencies, this one could be closer than anticipated.
Buffalo’s offense will go as far as superstar quarterback Josh Allen takes them, but it's the help of his ancillary targets that dictate how easy that job will be. The rise of rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid has made life easier, even while the run game and non-Stefon Diggs receivers have struggled.
If the Bills can play complementary football, they have the talent to blow out basically any team in its path. Yet, from coaching concerns to a disappearing act of a pass rush, putting everything together has proven to be elusive.
Make no mistake, Buffalo should win this game. Anything less can quickly spell trouble for the playoff hopes of Bills Mafia.
WHAT: Buffalo Bills (5-4) vs. Denver Broncos (3-5)
WHEN: Monday, Nov. 13, 2023, 8:15 p.m. (ET)
WHERE: Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, NY (71,608)
TELEVISION: ABC/ESPN
RADIO: WGR 550
ODDS: Bills -7.5 (-110), Moneyline -400, Total: 47.5 (o -110/u -118)
Live updates will appear after kickoff.
FIRST QUARTER
Bills First Drive: Buffalo received the opening kickoff.
Running back James Cook lined up in the slot and caught a pass on the first play of the game, but immediately fumbled before the whistle. Denver recovered at the Bills' 28-yard line.
Broncos First Drive: Running back Javonte Williams saw the Broncos' first two touches of the night, for a combined three yards.
A false start knocked them back on third down, and backup 'back Samaje Perine saw a fairly successful draw play, though he did not move the chains.
A Wil Lutz field goal would get the scoring started.
The Bills trail 3-0 with 12:39 remaining in the first quarter.
Bills Second Drive: This one's going to be fun. Allen's first pass of the drive was nearly intercepted, and a holding call on right guard O'Cyrus Torrence made it first-and-20. A miscommunication would quickly make it second down.
Kincaid's first catch of the night went for just four yards, but receiver Gabe Davis hauled in a chain mover on a deep curl route. Running back Latavius Murray, who figures to get a large share of the touches (especially after Cook's fumble) ran for eight yards on the ensuing first down. He bounced a run to the backside on the next play for a big gain.
Third-string back Ty Johnson also saw a rush on this drive which ... may not bode well for Cook. Right tackle Spencer Brown committed a false start before the next play, which preceded another Kincaid reception.
The Allen interception has arrived, though it certainly wasn't his fault. A fastball tipped off of Davis' hands and fell into safety Justin Simmons' arms.
Broncos Second Drive: Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson had a chance to scramble for a first down, but decided to flip it to Williams for a sizeable gain, getting Denver to midfield.
Receiver Marvin Mims lost yardage on a reverse, though a delayed call gave Bills Mafia hope that they stumbled upon a scoop-and-score. That was not the case.
Denver's drive would quickly stall out.
Bills Third Drive: Diggs found his way into the box score to start the drive, followed by a Murray rush. Allen would keep the next snap himself but failed to do much with it. Murray then dropped a second-and-9 pass.
Allen's third-down pass (to Diggs) fell incomplete.
Broncos Third Drive: Williams ran for nine yards to begin the drive and earned a first down on the next play.
The Bills trail 3-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Wilson began the second quarter with a nine-yard scramble. Bills defensive tackle Jordan Phillips walked off the fields on his own power but appeared to be hurt.
Denver's drive would end near midfield after a nice pressure from defensive tackle Ed Oliver.
Bills Fourth Drive: Murray saw the first two touches of Buffalo's drive, netting five yards.
Allen's third-down pass would be incomplete -- a straight drop from Kincaid. Denver will take over at midfield.
Broncos Fourth Drive: Williams once again started off the Broncos' drive with a run. On second down, receiver Courtland Sutton caught a slant and was leveled by linebacker Dorian Williams, who was flagged for unnecessary roughness.
Receiver Jerry Jeudy brought Denver into the red zone on a glance route. Wilson found Sutton on third down, prompting a fourth-down decision from Payton. After bluffing a sneak, the Broncos decided to call time out and actually go for it.
Forced out of structure, Wilson lofted one up to Sutton in the corner of the end zone. It appeared he made the catch with both feet in but the initial call was incomplete. Ultimately it was overruled, resulting in an incredible touchdown.
Lutz missed the extra point.
The Bills trail 9-0 with 7:17 remaining in the second quarter.
Bills Fifth Drive: Nothing gets players out of the doghouse like other players struggling. Cook is back as Buffalo went up-tempo and gave him the first four touches of the drive. Murray immediately moved the chains.
Diggs broke a tackle after a short completion to gain 15 yards. Murray then powered through for another first down.
Immediately after, Allen found Kincaid wide open in the end zone. An offsides call would allow them to go for two -- which Davis converted.
The Bills trail 9-8 with 3:36 remaining in the second quarter.
Broncos Fifth Drive: Sutton had himself another big play to start the drive.
Williams rushed twice for nine total yards before the two-minute warning. After a few more runs, Denver decided to kick a field goal. This time, Lutz converted.
The Bills trail 12-8 with 45 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
Bills Sixth Drive: Allen was immediately intercepted.
Broncos Sixth Drive: A screen and a swing pass would net just four yards.
Lutz was able to hit a no-huddle field goal (exhilarating!) as time expired.
The Bills trail 15-8 at halftime.
HALFTIME
THIRD QUARTER
Broncos Seventh Drive: A short run and a holding call would get the second half started. Williams regained some of that yardage on second down, though a false start would negate most of it.
On third-and-17, Wilson scrambled for a couple of yards and set up a punt.
Bills Seventh Drive: Allen's first pass of the half was batted down. Diggs dropped a second-down pass.
After a Kincaid reception made it fourth-and-short, Allen was unable to hit receiver Khalil Shakir.
Broncos Eighth Drive: On third down, cornerback Rasul Douglas recovered a fumble that defensive back Taron Johnson forced on Sutton. The momentum, if you will, has swung back in Buffalo's favor.
Bills Eighth Drive: Cook started the drive with a chain-moving run.
Soon after, Allen hit Shakir for a 24-yard completion. Allen ran a quarterback draw on second down to set up a third-and-2 run from Murray.
On the next play, he would punch it in.
The Bills are tied 15-15 with 6:42 remaining in the third quarter.
Broncos Ninth Drive: A Mims kick return would start the drive at their own 39-yard line.
Wilson found himself a first down after keeping a zone read. Two plays later, Buffalo's pass rush would catch Wilson prancing around and trying to do too much. He would be sacked by defensive end A.J. Epenesa on the next play, sending Highmark Stadium into a frenzy.
Bills Ninth Drive: Allen was forced to his left but found Davis for a well-executed completion.
Cook immediately fumbled the handoff, though it was more of a muffed handoff than a reckless play. Denver now has the ball in plus territory.
Broncos Tenth Drive: Short run. Incompletion. Checkdown.
The Bills are tied 15-15 at the end of the third quarter.
FOURTH QUARTER
Bills Tenth Drive: After Kincaid began the drive with a catch, Diggs extended it with his third reception of the night.
Ultimately, the drive stalled out, culminating in a punt with a sick tackle from the long snapper.
Broncos Eleventh Drive: After an uneventful first few plays, Wilson connected with Jeudy for 19 yards.
Wilson made a nice flip to Perine to convert on third down. On the next third down, Wilson hit Sutton who may have fumbled, but a premature whistle took that possibility away.
On first-and-15, Williams gained 11 yards to put the Broncos in solid position to score. Soon after, Williams found himself walking into the end zone uncontested. The extra point attempt was botched.
The Bills trail 21-15 with 5:06 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Bills Eleventh Drive: Cook broke away, fumbled again, recovered it, and continued gaining yards. It was simply one of the weirdest explosive plays of the season.
He saw rushes on the next three plays as well. At the two-minute warning, Cook has five rushes for just under 70 yards on the drive.
On the first play out of the break, Allen scrambled into the end zone.
The Bills lead 22-21 with 1:55 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Broncos Twelfth Drive: Perine gained 18 yards to start a potential game-winning drive.
Douglas broke up a slant intended for Sutton on the next play. After a five-yard scramble, Perine moved the sticks. Tight end Adam Trautman then gained six yards to get to the Bills' 39-yard line.
Buffalo manufactured a huge sack to take Denver out of field goal range.
On a prayer, Jeudy drew a pass interference call on a throw Wilson badly underthrew. The Broncos have the ball at the 17-yard line.
Lutz missed the game-winning kick, but Buffalo had 12 men on the field. His next attempt would send Buffalo to 5-5.
The Bills lost to the Broncos, 24-22.
