The Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills will do battle in the opening round of the NFL playoffs. Buffalo was expected to be a playoff team going into this season, while expectations were low for the Broncos, but they will play one another for a spot in the Divisional playoffs. Buffalo is an 8.5-point favorite going into this matchup, while the total has been set at 47.5 points by oddsmakers.
In this preview of Broncos vs Bills, you will get all of the information you need to bet on this AFC Wild Card clash. You will also get my best bet for this contest, where I use my NFL betting model and my wealth of NFL betting experience to arrive at my top pick for the game. Continue reading to find out if I think the Bills will enjoy smooth sailing at home, or if Denver will put Buffalo on upset alert.
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Broncos Underdogs In Nix’s Postseason Debut
The Denver Broncos won 10 games this season and qualified for the playoffs as the seventh seed in the AFC. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix looked poised all season long, while the Broncos defense did more than enough to get the team to the playoffs. Here, the Broncos are underdogs according to online sportsbooks, as Denver looks to pull off what would be one of the biggest upsets of the playoffs with a win in Orchard Park, NY.
For Denver, the key to this game will be how they start the game on offense. Nix is on the road in his first career postseason start, which is not an easy situation, even if he has appeared to be cool, calm, and collected consistently. Building Nix’s confidence with some rhythm throws early, while not being too conservative, will be huge for the Broncos as they look to avoid an early hole on the road.
Bills Have Stars Back For Playoff Opener
The Buffalo Bills finished second in the AFC standings after a 13-4 regular season. They lost the final game of their regular season to the New England Patriots, but they sat out their key players in that game, and will be back to full strength for the playoffs. This week, they will look to protect their home turf to advance to the Divisional round against the seventh seed in the AFC playoffs.
The biggest key to this game for Buffalo will be their running game. If the Bills can stay ahead of schedule by getting decent chunks of yardage on first and second down, they can avoid long-yardage third-down situations. That will make life easier on Josh Allen, who kept his streak of consecutive starts alive by playing just one play against the Patriots in Week 18. Keeping Allen from having to do too much with his legs would be great for the Bills, as they need Allen fresh for the rest of their postseason campaign.
Broncos vs Bills Wild Card Prediction
Our best bet for Broncos vs Bills is for the Broncos to cover the spread as an underdog on the road. Buffalo should win this game outright without too much trouble given that they are a perfect 8-0 at home going into the playoffs. But Denver has a better offense than many give them credit for and our expectation is that Denver keeps this game within a possession when all is said and done.
