Bills Central

Seldom-used WR scores Bills' first TD vs. Broncos on familiar playoff catch

Mecole Hardman's first catch with the Buffalo Bills gave his team an early lead over the Denver Broncos.
Richie Whitt|
Mecole Hardman
Mecole Hardman | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

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With all the injuries to their depleted receiving corps, the Buffalo Bills were forced to dig deep this week before their Divisional Round playoff game at the Denver Broncos.

One move has already paid off as receiver Mecole Hardman — just activated off the practice squad — caught a touchdown pass to end Buffalo's first drive and stake the Bills to a 7-3 lead after the first quarter at Mile High. It is Hardman's first catch for the Bills, who signed him Nov. 11.

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The touchdown looked almost identical to the biggest catch of Hardman's career — a 3-yard touchdown from Patrick Mahomes that propelled the Kansas City Chiefs to an overtime win over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII at the end of the 2023 season.

After the Broncos took the opening kickoff and drove 12 plays for a field goal, the Bills answered back with a 13-play drive of their own. Running back James Cook had a couple of 10+-yard gains and quarterback Josh Allen converted a key 4th-and-1 in Denver's 5-yard line with - what else? - a sneak up the middle.

On the scoring play, Hardman went in motion from right to left and faked inside at the snap before changing direction an heading toward the right flat. He caught the ball wide open at the goal line an walked in untouched.

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The play almost perfectly mirrored his Super Bowl-winning catch for the Chiefs.

The Bills avoided allowing a touchdown on Denver's opening drive when receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey beat cornerback Taron Johnson but dropped a perfectly thrown pass from quarterback Bo Nix in the end zone. Denver settled for a field goal.

The Bills lost receivers Tyrell Shavers and Gabe Davis to torn ACLs in last week's Wild Card win at Jacksonville.

Mecole Hardman
Mecole Hardman | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

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Richie Whitt
RICHIE WHITT

Richie Whitt has been a sports media fixture in Dallas-Fort Worth since graduating from UT-Arlington in 1986. His career is highlighted by successful stints in print (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), TV (NBC5) and radio (105.3 The Fan). During his almost 40-year tenure, he's blabbed and blogged on events ranging from Super Bowls to NBA Finals to World Series to Stanley Cups to Olympics to Wimbledons to World Cups. Whitt has been covering the NFL since 1989, and in 1993 authored The 'Boys Are Back, a book chronicling the Dallas Cowboys' run to Super Bowl XXVII.

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