In a rematch from the 2025 NFL Playoffs, the AFC's top-seeded Denver Broncos will be looking to exact revenge on the sixth-seeded Buffalo Bills for the 31-7 drubbing they suffered last season. Revenge isn't the only thing that will be on the line in this matchup because the winner will move on to the AFC Championship Game.

While the Broncos had last weekend off, the Bills had to claw and scratch their way to a 27-24 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Wild Card Round of the 2026 NFL Playoffs. Quarterback Josh Allen scored the game-winning touchdown with 1:04 seconds to go in the fourth quarter. Two plays later, Buffalo's defense intercepted a tipped pass to secure the victory.

“[We’re] just a tough, tough, tough football team,” said Bills head coach Sean McDermott after the win. “Some of the guys went down, some guys stepped in, [and] did a phenomenal job. Nobody blinked. [We] kept our composure all the way through the game, which we knew it was going to be a challenge coming down here against a really good football team that's talented and well-coached, and we saw it through. Guys stood firm, and they just made the plays. We made the plays we needed to make, and it was a great, great way to end the game right there.”

There were a few scary moments in that game for Buffalo. Josh Allen suffered multiple injuries and even had to go to the blue medical tent on the sideline to be evaluated for a concussion, a hurt knee, and an injured finger. Thankfully, he didn't miss a single snap despite these ailments.

“It was more of a precautionary thing,” he told reporters during the postgame press conference. “I just got rolled up on, and they wanted to take a quick look, but we're all good.”

Unfortunately for the Bills, they didn't come away from that game unscathed. Wide receivers Tyrell Shavers and Gabe Davis both suffered season-ending injuries. That means only three of the wideouts on Buffalo's 53-man roster last weekend will be available for this matchup with Denver.

“Another guy's got to step up. That's, point blank, what it means,” Sean McDermott said on Tuesday. “I don't mean to be short. It's just right now, it's full confidence in the guys in that room. We brought back Kristian Wilkerson, and he'll be a good addition back to us on the practice, and we go from there.”

“Obviously, [it’s] not an ideal situation, but I still trust that room completely,” Josh Allen added. “Whoever we bring up needs to step up, and we have full confidence that they will… I've got no doubt that whoever is going to be up in those spots is going to do their job, step up, and help us win or help us make plays.”

Though the wide receivers will play a huge part in this game, a lot of pressure will fall on the Bills' offensive line, which will have to neutralize Denver's top-ranked pass rush (68 sacks). The good news is that Buffalo’s o-linemen sound up for the challenge.

“They're a good front. Like, they're a good defensive line. They have great players,” said Bills Pro Bowl offensive lineman Dion Dawkins. “And when it comes down to it - I don't want to make it more simple than what it really is - but bro, this is playoff football, right? Every team is good in the playoffs. Every D-line is good enough. Every O-line is good enough. Everybody on the field is good enough because that's why they're there. That's why there's only a couple of teams left at the end, right? Everybody is good… We are familiar with the guys that are over there. Like, we've played them last year, and they're a good team. It's a very respectful battle, but they're coming to win, and we're coming to win as well.”

Meanwhile, the Broncos have their own challenges to deal with. They might be well-rested, but that doesn't guarantee they'll win this game. In the past, top-seeded playoff teams have sometimes gotten off to slow starts in their first postseason matchup.

“Well, look, the rest is important, but myth number two is that [it] ensures a fast start. It doesn't,” Denver head coach Sean Payton told reporters on January 13th. “Understand this: we're playing a team that's coming off one of their biggest wins in the last 10 years. And so, we've got to earn a fast start and take advantage of the energy, take advantage of the rest. But, it has to be done out here [during practice], and today was a good start.”

Though he impressed last season, quarterback Bo Nix didn't have his best outing when these teams met in the 2025 NFL Playoffs, going 13 for 22 passing with 187 total yards and just one touchdown. Nix also emphasized the importance of getting off to a hot start, especially against a squad they faced last year.

“They're a similar team. Same players, same coach, same quarterback. I know they've dealt with some injuries, but I imagine some of their guys will be back, and it's going to be a tough, physical football game,” Nix said. “They know how to win. They've been in this situation before. They had a great win last week. [They’re] coming off, probably, their best win of the season, and they have a good rhythm right now as a team. So, it's going to be a challenge. We’ve got to start fast. We’ve got to make sure we match their tempo and not let them get out because they played last week, and we can't let this bye week kind of affect us with a slow start.”

While the Bills will be energized by the game they played last week, the Broncos will be energized by their home-field advantage. The atmosphere will be electric because this will be Denver's first time hosting an NFL Playoff game since the 2016 AFC Championship.

“Shoot. I'm excited,” wide receiver Courtland Sutton said on Tuesday. “I've been saying it since I got here, that we need to get a home playoff game back in the city. The way that the fans have been showing up, Broncos country been bumping. I think it might have been [the] Jaguars. Shoot. It was so loud. The ref was up there trying to call a foul or something, and nobody could hear what he was saying because the fans are doing their thing. So I can only imagine what it's gonna be like… It's well overdue, and I'm excited to see Broncos country show up and show out.”

Though Denver finished the season with one of the league's top defenses and the best pass rush in the NFL, going against a quarterback like Josh Allen presents a unique set of challenges. If they can contain him, then the Broncos know they will likely win this game.

“He's been great,” explained cornerback and 2025 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II. “He puts the team on his back, for sure, in critical moments. He finds a way to come through in the clutch, and obviously, he's got all the attributes, but one thing that I picked up on is, obviously, his toughness, how he's able to lead his team to victory. And one thing that we’ve got to eliminate is his second-chance opportunities. He thrives off that: finding opportunities even if the play's not there. He's a great player, so we’ve got a game plan and [to] eliminate the explosives.”

Prediction for Buffalo Bills @ Denver Broncos (-1.5)

Usually, teams have been able to beat Buffalo by stopping the run, but the Jaguars lost after holding the Bills to just 79 rushing yards. That tells me this game will come down to how effectively Denver's pass rushers can disrupt Josh Allen's timing and rhythm. The Broncos were 4-2 in the six games they played against teams with fairly mobile quarterbacks. In those matchups, Denver averaged almost 5.5 sacks per game. They clearly have no issue getting after mobile QBs. Josh Allen is already banged up and will likely take a lot of hits in this game since offensive coordinator Joe Brady loves to use Allen on designed-run plays. That could limit how many chances he takes as a runner on broken plays, which plays into Denver’s gameplan. The wear-and-tear on Allen’s body will make it hard for him to be Superman for 60 minutes. After that, Denver will need its 11th-ranked passing attack to put up some points, which shouldn't be a problem with safety Jordan Poyer and first-round cornerback Maxwell Hairston out of the lineup. Ill-timed turnovers will give the Broncos a few short fields, and they’ll capitalize on those extra possessions with points. Josh Allen will have a chance to win this thing on the final drive of the game, but he will be let down by his banged-up pass catchers when all is said and done.

Prediction: Broncos 24 - 20 Bills

How to watch Buffalo Bills @ Denver Broncos (-1.5)

Bills @ Broncos starts at 4:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday at Empower Field at Mile High. You can watch it on CBS or stream it via the Paramount+ app or NFL+.

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