Orchard Park, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Bills advanced to the AFC Divisional Round for the fifth-straight season on Sunday following a 31-7 victory over the Denver Broncos at Highmark Stadium.
Here are my Arrows Up and Arrows Down from the contest, starting with Up after the victory:
ARROW UP:
Defense after the first drive
The game did not start off well for the Bills, with the Broncos converting a long third down on their first drive, then a long pass play for a touchdown to take an early 7-0 lead. They had a total of 70 yards on that opening drive.
After that, the Bills held them to just 154 yards the entire rest of the game, including just 100 total yards from that point until early in the fourth quarter.
The offense overall/Joe Brady
Brady had a terrific game plan to stay balanced, and making the Broncos defend both the run and pass. It resulted in 471 yards of total offense and 31 points.
QB - Josh Allen
The Bills quarterback showed why he’s one of the best players in the NFL, and an MVP candidate with both an incredibly efficient game and huge plays made throughout. This included a strike to Ty Johnson for a 24-yard touchdown that made the game 21-7 after a two-point conversion, and several runs for first downs.
Allen finished 20-of-26 (76.9%) on the day for 272 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran eight times for 46 yards, totaling 318 yards of offense.
RB - James Cook
Cook showed both elusiveness and power, working his way for 123 yards on 23 carries, including a touchdown. He averaged 5.2 yards per-run.
Bills offensive line
The Bills' offensive line did a tremendous job against one of the top defensive fronts in the league.
The Broncos came into the game with 63 sacks, most in the NFL, and only got to Allen twice.
Buffalo also ran the ball for over 200 yards.
Running game
The Bills ran the ball for 210 yards, their most in a playoff game since 1995. They averaged 4.8 yards per-carry, and completely dominated in the run game.
Ty Johnson (and his catch)
Facing 4th-and-1 at the Broncos' 24-yard line, head coach Sean McDermott elected to go for it.
Allen scrambled, then launched the ball downfield to Johnson, who was in the back of the end zone. Johnson went low, and somehow kept the ball off the ground, while also keeping all of his body in bounds by inches.
Johnson caught two passes for 26 yards, and ran nine times for 44 yards, averaging 4.9 yards per-carry and totaling 70 yards of offense.
LB - Matt Milano
Milano continued to show more of his explosive self, making several big plays, including getting to Broncos quarterback Bo Nix on a sprint near the sidelines for no gain (counted as a sack). He was often used as a spy on Nix.
He finished the game with five total tackles, a quarterback hit, and the sack.
Tyler Bass/kickoffs
Bass was a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals and 2-for-2 on extra points.
He was also terrific on kickoffs, not allowing All-Pro returner Marvin Mims to impact the game. Bass drilled 6-of-7 kickoffs into or through the end zone for no return, and even landed one at the 1-yard line, which bounced through the end zone. That, by rule, gave the Broncos the ball at their own 20-yard line instead of their own 30.
Gunner Mack Hollins
Hollins gets an Arrow Up for what he did on special teams.
With Mims standing at his own 15-yard line waiting to return a punt, Hollins timed it up absolutely perfectly and drilled him as soon as he caught the ball, making the tackle for no gain.
After a penalty, the Broncos had to start that drive at their own 8-yard line.
Reid Ferguson drawing that penalty
After the Hollins hit, there was a bit of a skirmish, and Mims was flagged for hitting the Bills long snapper.
After the game, I asked Ferguson what happened and he told me he was simply trying to get the kicking K-ball back, as he normally does. Mims took exception, and threw the ball at him.
WR - Khalil Shakir
Shakir caught all six targets thrown his way for 61 yards.
He also was tremendous on punt returns, filling in for Brandon Codrington, returning two punts for 30 yards, including an impressive 23-yard return to start a Bills drive at their own 41-yard line.
Curtis Samuel’s touchdown
Samuel caught all three of his targets for 68 yards, but it was his 59-yard touchdown that may have sealed the game for the Bills.
Facing a 3rd-and-5 on the first play of the fourth quarter, Allen hit Samuel downfield. Samuel then weaved his way through defenders to make the score 28-7, Buffalo.
Defensive job on running backs
Outside of Nix, the Broncos ran the ball 13 times for just 36 yards, an average of just 2.8 yards per-carry.
Defending Marvin Mims
Outside of a catch on a fake punt, the Broncos All-Pro returner and speedy wideout touched the ball four times (two rushes, one catch, one punt return) for -3 yards.
Third down offense and defense
The Bills came into the game near the bottom of the NFL on third down defense. However, they held the Broncos to converting just 2-of-9 chances, including 0-for-4 in the second half.
Offensively, the Bills converted on 8-of-15 third downs (53.3%).
Time of possession
The Bills held the ball for a remarkable 41:43 against the Broncos' 18:17.
ARROW DOWN:
Fake punt allowed
The Broncos faced a 4th-and-8 from their own 47-yard line, trailing 10-7 in the second quarter.
Punter Riley Dixon took the snap and threw it to Mims for a 15-yard gain and a first down. Bills cornerback JaMarcus Ingram was in coverage and did not react properly.
The Bills, and specifically coach Matthew Smiley, should have been very aware that the Broncos would be trying something like that, considering they were heavy underdogs and it was near midfield.
Also, Broncos head coach Sean Payton kicked a surprise onside kick in the Super Bowl years ago. He's known to pull out aggressive, special teams tactics.
Red zone offense
Despite scoring 31 points, the Bills were a dreadful 1-for-5 (20%) scoring touchdowns once inside the Broncos' red zone.
The first drive on defense
The Bills won the opening coin toss and elected to defer to the second half.
The Broncos took the opening kickoff, converted a 3rd-and-8, and then two plays later, connected on a 43-yard scoring pass from Nix to Troy Franklin.
It took just five plays for Denver to be up 7-0.
Pass rush
While the Bills were able to get Nix to have to scramble around, their pass rush just didn't get home enough. They were credited with two sacks (one was a run that got back right to the line of scrimmage) and four quarterback hits.
Penalties
The Bills were flagged 7 times for 45 yards. Far too many penalties, especially at home.
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