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The Buffalo Bills defeated the Denver Broncos 31-7 at home on Sunday afternoon to advance to the AFC Divisional Round. Denver kept the game close in the first half, but Buffalo exerted its dominance to cruise to victory in the second half. The Broncos offense could never muster any consistency as their defense wore down the longer they were on the field.
Buffalo finished with a whopping 41-19 edge in time of possession. It is nearly impossible to win any game, especially a playoff game with a disparity like that. Denver’s defense could not continue holding up against a high-flying Buffalo Bills offense. Bills Quarterback Josh Allen was exemplary going 20-of-26 for 272 passing yards and 2 passing touchdowns. He added 46 yards on the ground. Will the Buffalo Bills be able to carry this momentum into next week’s game?
Buffalo Bills Led After An Even First Half
The Denver Broncos and Quarterback Bo Nix wasted no time getting into this game. Nix connected with Wide Receiver Troy Franklin on a 43-yard touchdown to take a 7-0 lead a few minutes into the contest. Buffalo responded with a field goal after Denver’s defense had a red zone stand. Denver led 7-3 halfway through the opening quarter.
After Denver went three-and-out on their ensuing drive, Buffalo crafted a 13-play 81-yard drive to take a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter. A five-yard touchdown by Buffalo Bills Running Back James Cook punctuated the drive. Denver was set to punt on its next drive, but then Head Coach Sean Payton pulled a rabbit out of his hat with a fake punt to extend the drive. Ultimately, the Broncos punted the ball three plays later. Buffalo then punted the ball back to the Denver Broncos with 1:52 remaining in the half.
Denver’s offense came alive on the drive after doing nothing outside of their opening drive. A 60-yard drive got them into field goal range. Broncos Kicker Will Lutz hit the upright and the ball fell to the ground. The Buffalo Bills took a 10-7 lead into halftime. The Bills had a first half gameplan that not many would have expected coming into this game. They made a concerted effort to run the football in the first 30 minutes. Denver was third in the league during the regular season surrendering 96 yards on the ground per game. Buffalo rushed for 128 yards in the first half.
Buffalo Dominates the Second Half
The Buffalo Bills began the second half with a tremendous drive, but Denver’s defense again stiffened in the red zone. A sack on Allen on third down forced Buffalo to kick a field goal. Buffalo led 13-6 with 10:00 left in the quarter. The Bills put together another solid drive, and this time were able to finish the job. Josh Allen connected with Ty Johnson for a 24-yard touchdown.
Buffalo went for the two-point conversion and was successful in taking a 21-7 lead late in the third quarter. Allen’s touchdown pass made him the franchise leader in postseason touchdown passes with 22. The Buffalo Bills continued their second half onslaught by scoring a touchdown on their next drive after Allen connected with Curtis Samuel on a 55-yard pass to extend their lead to 28-7. Denver’s offense showed signs of life on its next drive but turned the ball over on downs. Buffalo took over with 12 minutes left in the game.
The Bills continued having their way with the Denver defense driving the ball 70 yards for a field goal to make it 31-7. That signaled the end of Allen’s afternoon. Denver turned it over on downs once again and Buffalo took over near the red zone. Buffalo could have scored again, but they knelt ball after the two minute warning. The Buffalo Bills finished the game with 31 unanswered points.
Final Thoughts
Today’s win sets up a marquee matchup next weekend when the Baltimore Ravens come to town. Allen and Lamar Jackson will be the top two finishers in the MVP race, and they will have a chance to go head-to-head for a spot in the AFC Championship Game. Both quarterbacks will be under immense pressure in this game as they look to finally break through in the AFC.
More must-reads:
- Five best NFL offseason value signings on offense: Bills get great deal with RB extension
- Browns HC gives troubling Shedeur Sanders update ahead of Eagles game
- The '2023 NFL AP second-team All-Pro' quiz
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Bears make big decision amid concerning Caleb Williams reports
Second-year Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and other starters were spectators for Chicago's preseason opener versus the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, first-year Bears head coach Ben Johnson confirmed things will be different when his club hosts the Buffalo Bills for an exhibition matchup this coming Sunday evening. "Everyone's going to play," Johnson said, as shared by Courtney Cronin of ESPN. Johnson added that how many snaps Williams will take versus the Bills is "to be determined." The Bears will first host the Bills for a joint practice on Friday. Johnson came to this decision following multiple reports detailing the supposed struggles that Williams has endured throughout training camp. Most recently, Monday’s practice was allegedly "a low point for" Chicago's first-team offense and featured "Williams and receiver Rome Odunze both looking frustrated" after some failed connections. "I've been pretty consistent with the thought of reps, reps, reps are the most important thing to get [Williams] up to speed," Johnson explained. "And by the plan that we had a week ago, we were able to get him probably somewhere between 80 and 100 more reps than we would've been able to do had he played in the game. This week, it's a different schedule. Different length of time in terms of in between games and all that. And so, our plan right now is the guys that sat out last week, they will be playing this week." Those running the Bears hope that the hiring of Johnson, an advertised offensive guru, will help Williams become a top-tier quarterback after the 23-year-old won only five of 17 starts during his rookie season. However, Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic is among those who have mentioned that Williams has been responsible for a noteworthy number of inaccurate passes this summer. "I think the trust that we've been talking about from the get-go, that's really where that comes into play," Johnson added about risking the health of his starters by playing them against Buffalo. "We haven't been here with this group as a coaching staff. That trust has been earning, and we've been developing that amongst each other. It's not a one-way street. It goes both ways. And so I think that's just another step in the progression, you know?" The Bears will wrap up the preseason with a game at the Kansas City Chiefs on Aug. 22. It's unclear if Williams or other Chicago starters will see any action that Friday night.
Browns' Shedeur Sanders could be losing valuable opportunity after injury update
Just when it seemed everything was going right for Shedeur Sanders, the Cleveland Browns' rookie quarterback caught an unlucky break on Wednesday. The 23-year-old QB was sidelined during Wednesday's joint practice with the Philadelphia Eagles after suffering an oblique injury. Per Kelsey Russo of the team website, the 2025 fifth-round pick won't practice Thursday and is considered day-to-day. He is deemed unlikely to play in Saturday's preseason game against Philadelphia, scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on NFL Network. Before Wednesday's practice, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed rookie QB Dillon Gabriel will start against Philadelphia as long as he's healthy enough to play. The 2025 third-rounder missed Cleveland's preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers because of a hamstring issue. However, Stefanski previously said Sanders would get more reps this week after a solid preseason debut. The former Colorado Buffaloes star received the start in the 30-10 win over Carolina, going 14-of-23 passing for 138 yards and two touchdown passes. Not playing against Philadelphia could disrupt Sanders' momentum. More importantly, it may eliminate another opportunity for him to overtake Gabriel in Cleveland's four-way QB competition. Sanders is listed as the Browns QB4 behind Gabriel, Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco on the team's unofficial depth chart. Despite questions about Gabriel's size (5-foot-11, 205 pounds), the coaching staff seems to favor him over Sanders. Earlier this offseason, Gabriel's processing speed reportedly impressed Browns coaches, giving him an edge over Sanders. The former Oregon Ducks star also received reps with the first-team offense during OTAs and mandatory minicamp, while his fellow rookie didn't. If Gabriel plays well against the Eagles, that would continue to affirm the coaching staff's confidence in the 24-year-old QB. Neither Sanders nor Gabriel is expected to be the Week 1 starter for the Browns. It's likely going to be Flacco, who helped Cleveland make the playoffs in 2023 when he went 4-1 during a late-season stretch. Still, another solid preseason showing could help Sanders position himself to replace 40-year-old Flacco in the future. With the setback, it may take more time to climb the depth chart.
PTO Rumors Swirl Around Several NHL Names for the Oilers
The NHL rumor mill is buzzing again, with fans and insiders sparking conversations about potential professional tryouts (PTOs) involving several notable players and the Edmonton Oilers. It started with a report by the 2 Mutts Podcast that Edmonton was looking into three PTO options — two forwards and a goalie — and it turned into a series of posts speculating who Edmonton was looking at. Social media responses to the post mentioned names like Klim Kostin, Ilya Samsonov, Max Pacioretty, and goaltender Alexandar Georgiev. Most of the names mentioned in the thread have been loosely linked to the Oilers this summer. Kostin has a history with the Oilers and remains unsigned. He’d be a depth forward option, likely willing to sign a two-way deal. Samsonov is a goaltender who has seen some performance issues over the past couple of seasons. He was waived by the Maple Leafs and wasn’t quite the same afterward. He too is unsigned. Max Pacioretty is a veteran who played last season with Toronto, but injury concerns will follow wherever he goes. Although nothing is confirmed, the flurry of speculation signals that teams might start reaching out to players and their agents. Jack Johnson recently signed a PTO with the Minnesota Wild, so it’s certainly not too soon to be making these types of decisions. As the NHL offseason progresses, the big news, outside of some huge extensions being announced for some of the league’s top players, are clubs making official their invites to camp for free agents looking for the right opportunity. When it comes to the Oilers, there aren’t many better destinations for players looking to get lucky and land a spot with some elite players who can help them crack a lineup this season.
Mets manager gives blunt response to blowing six-run lead
The New York Mets appeared to be on their way to earning a much-needed win by the third inning of Wednesday night's game when they enjoyed a 6-0 lead on the Atlanta Braves. Following a disastrous fourth inning in which the Mets surrendered nine runs, the offense completely collapsed, and New York lost its 12th game in 14 tries in an 11-6 loss in front of 38,647 fans at Citi Field. Following the game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters that he didn't think Wednesday night's loss was the worst of the season, but said it "sucks" to blow a lead like they had early in the game. "We’ve had some tough ones, but I wouldn’t say worst loss of the season," Mendoza said, via the Mets. "They all count the same, but it sucks to lose a game when you’re up six right away." The Mets scored three runs in each of the first two innings. Starting pitcher David Peterson allowed six earned runs in the fourth inning before he was pulled for right-handed reliever Reed Garrett. Garrett allowed three earned runs before getting out of the disastrous inning. Mendoza then put in Paul Blackburn to complete the game, not even batting an eye when the right-handed reliever surrendered two more runs in the sixth inning. By that point, Mendoza said he was concerned with saving the bullpen for another day. The admission from Mendoza was odd, as he seemed to punt on the Mets' chances for a comeback with three more chances at the plate. He doesn't trust his offense, and he especially doesn't believe in his rotation. Mendoza said the coaching staff will try to figure out how to get more out of the talent that had the Mets playing quality baseball in the first half of the season. "They’re tough losses, but we gotta keep going," Mendoza said. "We have got coaches right now looking at pretty much everything--trying to figure out how we can continue to help these guys, especially the guys from the rotation because we know the talent is there. But we just haven’t been able to get much from them, especially the last time through." Forget the NL East, where they trail the Philadelphia Phillies by five games; the Mets are barely trying to hold onto a wild-card spot. They have a one-game lead on the Cincinnati Reds.
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