Buffalo gets one huge early advantage over the Denver Broncos ahead of their Wild Card Weekend matchup
Buffalo is set to host the Denver Broncos on Sunday at 1:00 PM in Wild Card Weekend, in what has every opportunity to be a tougher test than a lot of people are giving the Broncos credit for. Denver has a ferocious pass rush and arguably the best corner in the game in Pat Surtain, […]
Buffalo is set to host the Denver Broncos on Sunday at 1:00 PM in Wild Card Weekend, in what has every opportunity to be a tougher test than a lot of people are giving the Broncos credit for. Denver has a ferocious pass rush and arguably the best corner in the game in Pat Surtain, making them a tough out.
When the schedule was announced for this upcoming weekend, there were a few things I didn't want to see. I didn't want to see Buffalo play on Saturday (short rest), or on Monday Night Football (which would be short rest for the Divisional Round if they advance.) Buffalo avoided both of those. Then, with the game being schedule for 1:00 PM, it became apparent that the Bills would get an advantage over Denver that most people weren't expecting. Denver now has to travel East and play in an early-window game, something that could cause issues with their readiness and preparation.
Denver hasn't been a road warrior this season. Away from Mile High, the Broncos finished the season with a 4-5 record, and rookie quarterback Bo Nix saw an interesting downturn in production on the road. His completion percentage dipped three points from 67.9% at home to 64.9% on the road, and his average yards per completion dropped from 7.6 at home to 5.8. Nix also threw for 29 passing touchdowns this year, with only 10 of them happening in away games.
Denver's losses this year have come against the Seahawks, Steelers, Chargers (twice), Ravens, Chiefs, and Bengals. Denver has not demonstrated this year that they are good on the road, or good against good teams with good quarterbacks.
The weather in Buffalo is forecasted to be cold and snowy, and Bills Mafia will be out in full throat. Buffalo will undoubtedly make it a hostile road environment for the rookie in his first career playoff game, especially with kickoff scheduled for 11 AM Denver time.
Follow along all year for more Buffalo Bills coverage on A to Z Sports. You can find me on Bluesky @jonhelmkamp.bsky.social, and make sure to follow our main page @AtoZSports.bsky.social for all the latest news.
