SATURDAY AFTERNOON FOOTBALL: BUFFALO BILLS AT DENVER BRONCOS

BRONCOS

BY ADAM GREENE

Normally this time of year the NFL would have Saturday all to itself, but NCAA postponements have created some overlap. As such, we’ll have a solid day of whatever kind of football you want to watch with the NFL offering up the Buffalo Bills at the Denver Broncos first in its slate Saturday Afternoon at Mile High Stadium.

BUFFALO BILLS AT DENVER BRONCOS (+6, O/U 49)

Location: Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, Colo.

Kickoff: Dec. 19, 4:30 p.m. EST

Broadcast: NFL Network

THE HISTORY

Considering the Bills and Broncos are both founding AFL franchises, they’ve met surprisingly few times in the regular season and not once in the postseason. Buffalo holds a 22-16-1 lead in the all time rivalry and has won four of the last five. Before that, Denver had reeled off a five game win streak against the Bills.

They last met up a little over a year ago, Nov. 24, 2019, with Buffalo claiming the 20-3 victory. Josh Allen was 15 of 25 for 185 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in the win. Devin Singletary rushed 21 times for 106 yards. Cole Beasley caught six passes for 76 yards and a TD.

Brandon Allen, getting the start for Denver, was 10 of 25 for 85 yards. Philip Lindsay carried the ball 13 times for 57 yards.

BUFFALO BILLS (10-3)

The Bills come into this game on a three game win streak that was a successful Hail Mary pass away from being a seven game win streak. Last week they downed the Pittsburgh Steelers 26-15. Josh Allen threw for 238 yards, two touchdowns and in interception. Stephon Diggs caught 10 passes for 130 yards and a score. Buffalo’s defense held the Steelers to just 47 yards on the ground, sacked Ben Roethlisberger once and picked him off twice.

DENVER BRONCOS (5-8)

Denver halted a two-game skid with a wild 32-27 road win over the Carolina Panthers last Sunday. QB Drew Lock was good for 280 yards and four touchdowns, which probably won people plenty of money in daily fantasy and absolutely nothing else. KJ Hamler led the Broncos with two catches for 86 yards and both went for touchdowns. If you’re asking, “Who in the world is KJ Hamler?” you are not alone. In spite of being a second round pick this season, that was about 30 percent of his total 2020 production.

THE PICK

This is a solid trap game for Buffalo, who could clinch the AFC East and a home playoff game with a win. Denver, in spite of still being mathematically alive for the playoffs, can really only be a spoiler right now. The Bills are not so used to success that they can overlook anybody, especially not a team that would likely be vying for a playoff spot themselves if they hadn’t lost every Pro Bowler to injury in the preseason. Bills 26, Broncos 20

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