DENVER – This is how the Denver Broncos live.
Sweat it, then pull it out.
It happened again Jan. 17 at Empower Field – and this time it punched a ticket to the AFC Championship Game.
The Broncos survived the Buffalo Bills for a 33-30 victory in overtime, winning with Wil Lutz’s fourth field goal, a 24-yarder with 10 minutes, 16 seconds elapsed into OT of the AFC divisional playoff. The game-winning kick was aided by two Bills defensive pass interference penalties after Denver gained possession with JaQuan McMillian’s interception.
While it was another measure of heartbreak for Buffalo – the Bills advanced to at least the divisional round of the AFC playoffs for the sixth consecutive season – the final outcome marked yet another late-game victory for the Bo Nix-quarterbacked Broncos.
Nix guided Denver to an NFL-high seven victories after trailing in the fourth quarter, and now he’s done it again for a franchise hosting its first playoff game in a decade – since the Broncos captured the Super Bowl 50 crown.
This time, though, it came with a twist: The Broncos defense produced a season-high five takeaways – including two interceptions and two fumbles from Josh Allen – and still nearly lost.
Now the Broncos, having advanced to the AFC title game in just Sean Payton’s third season as coach, await the winner of Sunday’s AFC divisional playoff between the New England Patriots and Houston Texans.
Regardless, they are breathing some sigh of relief.
The Bills forced overtime with a 50-yard Matt Prater field goal with five seconds on the clock. That game-tying boot answered Nix’s 26-yard TD pass to Marvin Mims, Jr., with 55 seconds left on the fourth-quarter clock.
It was that kind of flow.
Denver scored 13 consecutive points late in the first half and early in the second half – aided by two Buffalo turnovers – to seize momentum. Buffalo scored 10 straight points early in the fourth quarter to flip momentum.
And now the momentum is all used up until next season for the Bills.
Or until next week for the Broncos.
Contact Jarrett Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on X: @JarrettBell
