Bills vs. Broncos: NFL Wildcard Preview

NFL Sunday kicks off with a matchup between the Buffalo Bills and the Denver Broncos in the Wild Card round, a duel that will feature two-star quarterbacks battling to lead their teams to the next stage.

The Buffalo Bills were one of the best teams during the regular season, but they lost their final game against the New England Patriots.

Meanwhile, the Denver Broncos secured their playoff spot inthe last week by crushing the Kansas City Chiefs.

Why bet on the Buffalo Bills?

The Buffalo Bills (13-4) had an excellent regular season, qualifying for the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year and claiming the AFC East title for the fifth time. Every time they’ve advanced to the Wild Card Round as division champions, they’ve won this game: five out of five.

In their last game, several starters were rested, resulting in a 23-16 loss to the Patriots. Before that, their only other losses were in thrilling games against the Rams in Week 14 (44-42), the Texans in Week 5, and the Ravens in Week 4, all on the road. This gives them a perfect 8-0 record at home.

There’s plenty to highlight about this team, but Josh Allen and James Cook stand out the most. The quarterback has recorded 28 passing touchdowns and 12 rushing touchdowns for a total of 40. He has completed 307 of 483 pass attempts (64%) for 3,731 yards and has been intercepted six times.

In Wild Card games, Allen boasts a 4-1 record and has thrown 13 touchdown passes, trailing only Ben Roethlisberger and Aaron Rodgers in this category.

Meanwhile, running back James Cook leads the NFL (alongside Jahmyr Gibbs and Derrick Henry) in rushing touchdowns with 16. He also scored two additional TD as a receiver. This has propelled the Bills to become the second-highest-scoring offense this season (30.9 points per game) and the team with the most rushing TDs (32).

Why bet on the Denver Broncos?

The Denver Broncos (10-7) were the last team to clinch a playoff spot thanks to their dominant 38-0 victory over the Chiefs. However, it’s worth noting that Kansas City fielded their backups, having already secured the top seed in the AFC.

The Broncos return to the postseason after nine years, their last appearance being the 2015 campaign when they became champions by defeating the Carolina Panthers 24-10 in the Super Bowl. Their comeback is largely attributed to the stellar rookie season of quarterback Bo Nix.

Selected 12th overall in the first round of the 2024 Draft, Nix had a slow start but improved significantly as the season progressed, finishing with 29 passing touchdowns and four rushing touchdowns. In his most recent game against the Chiefs, he threw four TD passes, bringing his total to 12 over the last four games. One area for improvement is his interceptions, as he tallied 12 during the season.

Speaking of interceptions, the Broncos defense has been a standout, much like Nix. They lead the NFL in sacks (63) and rank highly in several other categories, including interceptions (15), takeaways (25), points allowed (19.4 per game), average rushing yards allowed per game (100.8), and passing touchdowns allowed (15).

Final Betting Analysis: Buffalo Bills vs. Denver Broncos

The last time they faced each other was on November 13, 2023, when the Broncos won 22-24 on the road with a game-winning field goal by Wil Lutz in the final play. They met in the postseason only once, in 1992, where the Bills emerged victorious at home.

The odds at Gambyl Exchange favor the Buffalo Bills, with a Moneyline of 1.22, while the Denver Broncos are at 4.50.

It will be a great game between two very talented quarterbacks. However, Josh Allen’s experience and the Bills’strong ground game give Buffalo a slight edge. While they are heavy favorites in the betting odds, we believe the game will be much closer than anticipated. Go for the OVER.

Go for a win for the Bills. If you bet $100 at 1.22, you will gain $22 for a total payout of $122.

Buffalo Bills vs. Denver Broncos Betting Pick: Bills