The Mile High Report staff give their score predictions for the Wild Card matchup between the Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills.
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After nine long years, the Denver Broncos are getting a taste of playoff football again. It was a dogfight to get here and now they face one of the most dangerous teams in the AFC in Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. Can David slay Goliath? Our Mile High Report staff thinks so…
Game Overview
Denver Broncos at Buffalo Bills
Sunday, January 12, 2025 at 11:00 A.M. Mile High time
Highmark Stadium in Buffalo, New York
ATS Betting Lines: Buffalo -8.5
Moneyline Odds: Denver +350 / Buffalo -450
Over/Under: 47.5
Note: All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
Collectively, our Mile High Report staff is predicting a Broncos 27-25 shocking road win over the Bills in the first round of the AFC playoffs. Not all of us think the Broncos have this upset in the bag, so here is where we each landed individually on the score:
Bills 27, Broncos 24
Do I want the Broncos to win? Absolutely. However, I’m going to base my prediction here on how I actually think this game is going to go down. Bo Nix and the Broncos score late to tie the game, but left too much time on the clock for Josh Allen and the Bills offense for that last second game-winner. The experience of playoff football will pay dividends in future seasons, so bad as a loss is the long-term gains made this season are going to massive the next time this team gets a shot. I would like to note that I like how the Broncos matchup with the Bills here, so I absolutely do not believe in this 8.5-point spread favoring Buffalo. They have a dogfight of their own on their hands now. – Tim Lynch
Broncos 34, Bills 23
Bo Nix and the Broncos shock the world and upset the Buffalo Bills. He’ll throw for 250+ yards, 3 TDs while using his legs to out match Josh Allen in his own game. Jaleel McLaughlin will do enough on the ground to get the run game going and Sutton/Mims carry the passing attack once again.
The Broncos pass rush gets after Allen and rattles the MVP frontrunner who’ll throw INTs to Brandon Jones and Riley Moss.
Broncos upset the Bills by the score of 34-23. – Scotty Payne
Broncos 28, Bills 21
The Broncos win on a late Mins explosive play and two electric interceptions from the secondary to show the to league just how dominate they can be. – John Holmes
Broncos 27, Bills 24
This game is going to ugly and sloppy, but the Broncos will shock the world 27-24 in the frozen tundra of Rich stadium. When you are playing with house money, you play loose and the Broncos will be playing loose. – Joe Mahoney
Broncos 24, Bills 23
I may be a homer, but I really think the Broncos have a shot this weekend. Follow the blueprint that the Patriots defense established in Week 16 to keep the game close. Bo has had success throwing inside against zone defense which sets up well for this game. My head says the Bills probably hang on and win a close one, but my heart loves this Broncos team… voting here with my heart! – Jonathan Rice
Broncos 30, Bills 28
This is legitimately like playing with house money. The fact that the Broncos find themselves in the playoffs after such a long and agonizing journey for the past 8 years has been the medicine that has helped to give fans a little respite from the pain of losing. Now, Sean Payton and the Broncos will go to Buffalo to take on a 2 seed with a true MVP candidate in Josh Allen, and an excellent chance at knocking off the Chiefs.
What many might forget is that Denver went to Buffalo last year and beat the Bills. Different teams with different QBs and less on the line, but it shines a slight glimmer of hope. I’m injecting all that hopium into my veins.
Vance Joseph has the defense playing as well as any defense in the league. They get after the QB, they shut down wide receivers. They make life difficult for rushers. The Bills won’t have the luxury of a blowout. If the offense can be smart with the football, and the defense does its job, there will be an opportunity at the end of the game.
Will Lutz gets a chance to end it with a field goal in regulation. And he will. – Adam Malnati
Broncos 27, Bills 24
Sean Payton planted the seed in the locker room after Denver beat the Chiefs to get into the AFC Playoffs. “Young and hungry is dangerous.” Now the Broncos will add water to that seed to give it life. Nix has already outperformed one NFL MVP this season, he’ll do it again on Sunday in Orchard Park against this season’s presumptive MVP. Nix and the offense will carry over how well they played in the season-finale against a Bills defense that is ripe to be picked apart on Sunday. The Denver defense pressures Josh Allen but also contains him and the Buffalo running game while the secondary delivers in a big way. The Broncos pull off the upset and head to Kansas City. – Ian St. Clair
Bills 27, Broncos 20
The Broncos have embarked on a successful 2024 season regardless of what happens against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. I do believe that it is going to be a close game. I do believe Denver has a chance. However, I don’t have them winning this one on the road in Buffalo. – Chris Hart
Broncos 33, Bills 31
What’s the point of the Broncos making the playoffs and not predicting them getting a win? I don’t care about realism, I care about optimism. The Broncos are finally going to have a 100-yard rusher for the first time in two years to help valve the offense out and open things up for Bo Nix. And on the other side of the ball you’ll have the defense forcing turnovers. I’ll even call a Marvin Mims special teams TD. – Ross Allen