The Denver Broncos take a 7-3 lead into the second quarter, but the Buffalo Bills are driving.
The Denver Broncos, as the visiting team, called the opening coin toss and lost. The Buffalo Bills deferred to the second half to bring Bo Nix and the Broncos offense out to start the game.
They quickly found themselves in a third and eight on their first drive where Bo Nix found Courtland Sutton open over the deep middle of the field for a 19 yard gain to keep their opening drive alive.
Two plays later, Bo Nix saw Troy Franklin break open deep down the middle of the field for a 43-yard touchdown pass to put Denver up right away.
Bo Nix’s first career postseason TD pass is a DEEP ball to his college teammate Troy Franklin!! pic.twitter.com/6UyDEa6FKK
— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) January 12, 2025
Broncos 7, Bills 0.
Thinking back to all those near misses deep to Troy Franklin all season. What a time to hit on that deep shot.
Josh Allen and the Bills offense responded well to that opening drive with back-to-back plays for 32 yards to get right into fringe field goal range. They’d be at a 15 yard line before facing the first third down. It was a short third down needing just two yards. They’d get stopped inches short where Allen and company would go for it on a quarterback keeper for the first down.
Two plays later they’d face another third down, this time needing seven yards. Josh Allen, from the shotgun, went to the end zone but had the ball sail high to bring out the field goal unit.
Broncos 7, Bills 3.
On the Broncos next drive they faced a third and six right away. The Bills defense played their third down call perfectly and chased Bo Nix out of bounds for no gain to force the game’s first punt.
Buffalo’s offense controlled the line of scrimmage in the first quarter piling up over seven yards per carry and rapidly closing in on 80 yards on just their first two possessions. The first quarter would end with the Bills inside the red zone again.