At a Glance
- Ja’Quan McMillian’s overtime interception set up Denver’s winning kick
- Broncos forced five Buffalo turnovers, including two Josh Allen interceptions
- Denver will host its first AFC title game in 10 years next Sunday
- Why it matters: The win keeps Denver’s playoff hopes alive and sends them to the conference championship at home
Denver’s defense forced five turnovers and Ja’Quan McMillian intercepted Josh Allen in overtime, setting up Wil Lutz’s 24-yard field goal that lifted the Broncos to a 33-30 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Saturday night.
The Broncos (15-3) will host either New England or Houston next Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High, where they have won 14 of their last 15 games. The triumph marks Denver’s first AFC championship game at home in a decade.
McMillian’s Game-Sealing Pick
McMillian wrestled the ball away from Brandin Cooks at the Broncos 20-yard line on the first possession of overtime. The takeaway was Denver’s fifth of the night and stopped a Buffalo drive that could have ended the game.
“I saw the ball in the air and knew I had to make a play,” McMillian said after the contest.
The interception set up a short field for quarterback Bo Nix, who moved the offense 37 yards in five plays to set up Lutz’s chip-shot winner.
Allen’s Uncharacteristic Miscues
Allen entered the matchup without a turnover in his previous six playoff games. That streak ended violently:
- Two interceptions, one to McMillian and another to P.J. Locke
- Two fumbles lost on strip-sacks by Nik Bonitto
- The pick to Locke ended Allen’s postseason streak of 204 consecutive completions
Despite passing for 287 yards and three touchdowns, Allen couldn’t overcome the giveaways. The Bills (13-6) were eliminated in the divisional round for the fourth time in five seasons.
Late Drama in Regulation
The finish was frantic. Bo Nix found Marvin Mims Jr. on a 26-yard touchdown strike with 55 seconds left, vaulting Denver ahead 30-27.
Buffalo answered when former Broncos kicker Matt Prater drilled a 50-yard field goal as time expired, knotting the score at 30-all and forcing overtime.
Penalties hurt the Bills on Denver’s final drive. Buffalo was flagged for pass interference twice, extending the series that ended with Mims’ touchdown.
Injury Report
Bills
- S Jordan Poyer (hamstring) and LB Terrel Bernard (calf) were inactive
- LB Dorian Williams suffered a neck injury on the opening kickoff and was transported to hospital via ambulance
- C Connor McGovern cleared concussion protocol just before halftime
- DT Ed Oliver, who returned from injured reserve, left late in the third quarter with a knee injury
Broncos
- QB Bo Nix will undergo season-ending surgery for a broken right ankle sustained late in the win
- WR Pat Bryant sustained a concussion on the first drive after recording three catches for 32 yards
- WR Troy Franklin exited in the second quarter with a hamstring injury
What’s Next
Denver hosts the AFC championship for the first time since the 2015 season, when the “No Fly Zone” defense powered the franchise to a Super Bowl 50 victory. The Broncos await the winner of Sunday’s divisional matchup between the Patriots and Texans.
Buffall heads into another offseason searching for answers. Allen avoided the usual gauntlet of Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson, yet still fell short of the conference title game.
“We’ve got to find a way to take care of the football,” Allen said. “That’s on me.”
Key Takeaways
- Denver’s defense dominated the turnover battle, flipping the game’s momentum repeatedly
- Despite losing Nix, the Broncos move on with home-field advantage in the AFC final
- Buffalo’s postseason heartbreak continues, raising questions about roster construction around Allen
