NFL Schedule-Makers May Have Given Broncos an Edge vs. Bills

Sean Payton won't be looking this gift-horse in the mouth.

Dec 14, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) high-fives fans after defeating the Green Bay Packers at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

With the Denver Broncos getting the top playoff seed and a bye, they had a competitive advantage no matter who they faced, but with the game being at 2:30 pm on Saturday and the Buffalo Bills coming to town, that edge grows. 

The Bills played on Sunday after traveling to Florida to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Bills now fly back to Buffalo before heading to Denver on Friday. A short practice week gets even shorter because of travel. 

The Bills are a banged-up team, with key starters on both sides of the ball unlikely to play against the Broncos. Meanwhile, the Broncos are starting to get healthy and should have almost everyone back for the game.

Of course, running back J.K. Dobbins, center Luke Wattenberg, and safety Brandon Jones are all significant losses on both sides of the ball, but the Broncos' other starters between offense, defense, and special teams are all the same. 

Meanwhile, Bills quarterback Josh Allen has a foot injury, running back Ty Johnson has been dealing with an ankle injury, wideout Joshua Palmer was placed on injured reserve, and fellow receiver Gabe Davis suffered a serious knee injury in their win over the Jaguars. That doesn’t mean the Bills don’t have offensive threats, but those are major concerns on a short week. 

The bigger concern comes on the defensive side of the ball, where two Bills starters missed the Jaguars game and are not expected back for the Divisional Round. Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard and cornerback Maxwell Hairston are two significant losses for a defense that hasn’t been good for most of the season. The Bills also lost safety Jordan Poyer in Jacksonville with a hamstring injury. 

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Bills Facing Mile High Adversity

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis (13) is carted off after an apparent injury during the fourth quarter of an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Bills defeated the Jaguars 27-24. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Buffalo has to deal with two days of travel and one fewer day of practice this week, while Denver got the bye. The injuries could be a difference-maker in this one, especially given how physical the Broncos are. Even if some of these injured Bills can make a go of it, it’ll be a challenging, physical game that could worsen their injuries. 

If the Broncos win, I'm sure those who want so badly for the Broncos to be frauds will use Buffalo's injuries as their justification, but you can only play who is in front of you. It isn’t the Broncos' fault that the NFL scheduled the playoffs the way it did, or that the Bills are as beat up as they are. 

With it being a short week for the Bills, it's worth keeping an eye on the practice status of some of their key players. They may not have time to recover in time for the Broncos game. 

Of course, Allen will play this game come hell or high water, and he is always a threat. He's one of the few quarterbacks who can will a team to victory, as he did a few times this season, so even with the competitive advantage afforded by the NFL, the Broncos have to be well-prepared.