All season, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson have been one-upping each other from afar. Allen would have a big game, and Jackson would match it. Jackson would give us a great highlight, and then Allen would dazzle us with one. You couldn’t discuss the NFL MVP race without including both quarterbacks.
There haven’t been many more compelling divisional round matchups than what we’ll get in Buffalo next weekend.
The Buffalo Bills, behind a pair of touchdown passes from Allen, are moving on after a 31-7 win over the Denver Broncos in the AFC wild-card round on Sunday afternoon. They’ll face Jackson’s Baltimore Ravens.
The MVP votes have been submitted, but this upcoming game will help define the debate for both quarterbacks, not just this season but beyond.
Allen and Jackson are great players who haven’t made a Super Bowl yet, as both try to get a championship during the Patrick Mahomes-led Chiefs dynasty. One of them will be going to an AFC championship game, likely against the Chiefs. For both electrifying quarterbacks, a big part of their legacies could be at stake.
Josh Allen (17) threw two touchdown passes, including one to Curtis Samuel, to lead the Bills past the Broncos and set up a big divisional showdown with Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Broncos took the early lead
For a moment, it looked like maybe we wouldn’t get the Jackson vs. Allen showdown next week. The Broncos had a dream start. Bo Nix had a great throw to Courtland Sutton on third-and-8 to keep the drive going, then stood in as he was about to get hit and delivered a great deep pass to Troy Franklin for a 43-yard touchdown. CBS said it was the first passing touchdown in NFL playoff history from a rookie to a rookie.
That was about it for the Broncos' offense.
Denver’s defense allowed long, methodical drives after that, which chewed up the clock but didn’t result in a lot of points for the Bills. The Broncos’ red-zone defense was keeping them in the game, though the problems forcing a punt between the 20s wasn’t helping them much.
The Bills took a 10-7 lead on a 5-yard touchdown run by James Cook. They maintained that lead when Denver doinked a field-goal attempt off the upright as the first half ended.
Buffalo was able to run the ball and extend drives, but not finishing them with touchdowns was keeping the Broncos in the game. Denver’s offense just couldn’t take advantage.
Bills pull away in second half
The Bills finally hit the play that was the turning point of the game. Leading 13-7, they decided to go for it on fourth-and-1. Allen scrambled around, and eventually found running back Ty Johnson in the back of the end zone. Johnson had a sliding catch, and barely was inbounds as he hauled it in for a huge 24-yard touchdown. The 2-point conversion put the Bill ahead 21-7. Given how little the Broncos' offense was doing and how Buffalo was controlling the clock, that was a huge deficit.
It was a classic Allen highlight, buying time until he either could run for a big gain or find a receiver downfield. It’s the type of play we often see from Jackson, too.
The Bills put the game away on the first play of the fourth quarter. Buffalo created some confusion for the Broncos by lining up four receivers to the left side of the formation, then having Curtis Samuel cross the field. He was open and maneuvered past the secondary in the open field for a 55-yard touchdown. The game was probably over before that, but Samuel’s touchdown turned it into a blowout.
Allen completed 20 of 26 passes for 272 yards, and added 46 yards rushing.
It’s not the first time the Bills and Ravens have been to the divisional round in recent years. The AFC will have the same four teams in the divisional round as last season, the second time since the 1970 merger that has happened, according to Josh Dubow of the Associated Press. (It also happened in the AFC at the end of the 2011 season.) However, the narratives for Jackson and Allen won’t change dramatically unless they can finally reach a Super Bowl.
It will be great theater in Buffalo next weekend. It’s rare to see two quarterbacks who are a near-lock to finish 1-2 in the MVP race in some order — without knowing definitively which one will win — to face off in a playoff game. The stakes will be much bigger than which one wins MVP.
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Liz Roscher
Liz Roscher
Damar Hamlin *almost* intercepted Bo Nix
Who was Bo Nix throwing this ball to? Because the only guy in the area was Damar Hamlin. He initially appeared to catch the ball, but it was ruled an incomplete pass on review. It will remain an interception in the hearts of Bills fans everywhere.
Mack Hollins big steps over a Broncos player and gets flagged for taunting. Come on, NFL. That one isn't even that bad! Are you afraid of an epidemic of children stepping over each other in gym class?
Sean Payton has let Troy Franklin hear it on the sideline a couple times today, including after that failed fourth-down conversion. Seemingly not happy with the route the rookie ran.
Ray Davis takes awful hit from Broncos' Brandon Jones
Brandon Jones appeared to be apologetic and taking responsibility for the hit on a defenseless player, in this case Ray Davis.
Bills RB Ray Davis is walking off the field straight to locker room with help from trainers after taking a scary helmet-to-helmet hit that Broncos safety Brandon Jones was penalized for.
Broncos limit Bills to field goal after huge 3rd down stop
The Broncos once again stopped the Bills inside the 10-yard line, robbing them of a touchdown and limiting them to a field goal. Time of that possession? 4:57.
The @Broncos defense with a BIG sack on 3rd and goal
After just a handful of plays, the Bills are already in the red zone. They know they won't win if they score only field goals on every six-minute possession.
Time of possession at halftime: Bills ahead by huge margin, but is that wise?
Though the first two quarters, the Bills have the edge in time of possession, but not in number of possessions.
Bills: 19:40 over three possessions
Broncos: 10:20 over four possessions
Buffalo is ahead by almost 2-to-1, but all they have to show for it is a three-point lead. Their second-longest possession of the half, 6:36, resulted in a punt. That's no better than the Broncos' 1:35 possession that ended in a punt.
Could the Bills be hurting themselves by holding onto the ball for so long? They're leaving themselves less time and fewer chances to pull out more points if they need it. And if they don't get points on every single one of those long possessions, they could quite possibly need it.
Liz Roscher
Broncos DOINK
It looked like this game-tying Broncos field goal was good... until the very loud DOINK off the right upright. Bills hang on to their three-point lead going into halftime.
Bo Nix slingin' it as time runs out in 2nd quarter
The Broncos are trying to make something happen as time quickly ticks down in the first half. Nix has made a few great throws and ran for a first down, and now Denver is attempting a 50-yard field goal with five seconds left.
The Bills get quite a few extra yards on this mid-play "tush push" type thing. No TD for them yet, but you can smell one close at hand. The Bills have been quick and are handling the Broncos' D very well.
James Cook and friends pick up many yards after contact 💪
The Bills are moving. Not as quickly as the Broncos moved for their first TD, but the Bills are close to the end zone and trying to navigate a tough 3rd and 7.
Josh Allen's throw on 3rd and 7 sailed high over end zone and the Bills settled for a field goal.
Denver gets the ball back next. Will they be able to continue their fast start?
Liz Roscher
Touchdown Broncos!
It took the Broncos and Bo Nix just over two minutes of game time to score their first touchdown. This is not the Broncos team you remember.
The teams are on the field. The anthem has been sung. Broncos vs. Bills. Let's do this.
Liz Roscher
Josh Allen looks ready
Bills QB Josh Allen looks ready to take on the Broncos. It's 31 degrees at the stadium, which is a lot warmer than it could have been, but a warm up is still needed.
Broncos fans in Buffalo are out supporting their team
Broncos fans from Buffalo, Denver, and all around have made the trip to Highmark Stadium to support their team against the Bills today. Will they be enormously outnumbered at the Bills' home stadium? You bet. Will that stop them from wearing electric orange and cheering at the tops of their lungs? Absolutely not.
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