Buffalo eyes return to AFC title game, 5 other things to know about Bills vs. Broncos

The playoff-savvy Buffalo Bills are on the road for the second straight week, and look to knock off the AFC’s top-seeded Denver Broncos in the Mile High City.

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott looks on during the third quarter of an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

No team has a longer active playoff appearance streak than Sean McDermott’s Buffalo Bills. It is now seven consecutive years and dates back to 2019 and quarterback Josh Allen’s second year in the league. Last week, the wild card Bills traveled to Jacksonville and came away with a 27-24 victory over the AFC South champion Jacksonville Jaguars.

The well-rested Denver Broncos are the AFC’s top playoff seed and are making their second straight playoff appearance. The team last hosted a postseason contest in 2015, a win over the Patriots in the AFC title game, and their last postseason victory came two years later when Denver’s amazing defense keyed a 24-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium.

MORE: Bills address injury issues by elevating WR, RB for Saturday's road test vs. Broncos

It would be highly ironic if Sean Payton led the franchise back to the Super Bowl in that same building on February 8. First things first, and that’s putting the clamps on Allen and one of the top offenses in the league.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) throws a long pass during the second half of the Buffalo Bills wild card game against the Denver Broncos at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Jan. 12, 2025. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Bills vs. Broncos history

The Bills have totaled four wins in their last five meetings with the team from the Mile High City dating back to 2017. That includes last season’s 31-7 wild card win at Orchard Park. All told, Buffalo owns a 24-17-1 overall record in a series that dates back to the first season of the American Football League. This marks the Bills’ first appearance in Denver since 2020, which resulted in a resounding 48-19 Saturday afternoon victory in Week 15 that year.

Bills' postseason history

Last Sunday’s 27-24 win at Jacksonville raised the Bills’ overall postseason record to 22-22. It also put McDermott over the .500 mark (8-7) as the team’s sideline leader. All told, Buffalo owns a 20-20 postseason run since the 1970 merger. McDermott’s team has won at least one postseason game six consecutive years dating back to 2020.

Josh Allen and Company are second-half team

Only three teams scored more points this season than Buffalo (481)—more than half of that (271) came in the second half. Last Sunday at Jacksonville, 17 of the Bills’ 27 points in the final two quarters. In 18 total games this season, the Bills have outscored their foes by a combined 288-161 in the second half in ’25.

MORE: Bills’ QB Josh Allen making his mark historically in NFL postseason

Only the Houston Texans gave up fewer total yards, and only the Jacksonville Jaguars allowed fewer yards on the ground than the Broncos this season. However, one area that Payton’s team didn’t necessarily excel in was taking away the football. A year after totaling 25 takeaways, Denver forced only 14 turnovers.

Sep 21, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) celebrates after a sack of Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Broncos’ OLB Nik Bonitto bears watching

In last season’s playoff clash, the Bills outgained the visiting Broncos in total yards, 471-224, in their 31-7 victory. Buffalo ran for 210 yards, and Allen (sacked twice) threw for 272 yards and a pair of TDs. Buffalo ran 72 offensive plays to Denver’s 42. A year ago, the Broncos’ defense was ranked seventh in the league.

Counting those aforementioned sacks of Allen, the Denver defense has amassed an incredible 133 sacks in their last 35 contests. A total of 27.5 of those quarterback traps have come via two-time Pro Bowler Nik Bonitto. Along with the sacks, there are a combined four forced fumbles, a pick-six and a fumble recovery.

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