Denver, Colorado (WGR550) - The Buffalo Bills lost 33-30 in overtime to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Divisional Playoff Round. Their season is over. Here are my Arrows Up and Down from the contest, starting Down after a devastating loss:
ARROW DOWN
The Brandin Cooks play
I've looked at dozens of replays. I've slowed it down, went frame-by-frame, and looked at still photos, and I still can't see how Brandin Cooks did not have possession of the ball and was down by contact.
Cooks not holding on
Even though it appeared it should have been ruled a catch, Cooks should have held on to the football as he hit and rolled over on the ground.
Five turnovers
It doesn't matter who you're playing, where or when, it is extremely tough to win any football game when you turn the ball over five times.
QB Josh Allen
Allen did some amazing things in this game. But he was responsible for four turnovers, including being careless with the football at the end of the first half with just a few seconds left as he was running. A fumble led to a long Broncos field goal, and the deciding three-point margin of the game.
James Cooiks' fumble
The other Bills turnover came from James Cook fumbling the balll on the second series of the game at the Denver 32 yard line, with the Bills having a chance to go up 10-3 or even 14-3. Instead, the Broncos took a 10-7 lead on that possession.
CB Dane Jackson
With Tre'Davious White being evaluated for an injury in the medical tent, the Broncos attacked Jackson on a wheel route and scored the go-ahead touchdown with just 55-seconds remaining.
S Darnell Savage
With Cam Lewis cramping and gone to the locker room, Broncos quarterback Bo Nix attacked his replacement, Darnell Savage, for a 22-yard touchdown pass with just 22-seconds remaining before halftime.
DT Larry Ogunjobi's penalty
On the very first drive of the game, the Bills recovered a Broncos fumble at the Buffalo 5-yard line. But Ogunjobi was offsides on the play, negating the turnover.
The defense letting up a late lead
Up 27-23 with just 4:11 left, the Bills defense had a chance to close out the game, but didn't. The Broncos marched 73 yards in 8 plays, and on the drive converted a 3rd and 11 and a 3rd and 4.
3rd down defense
The Broncos were 8-for-16 (50%) on third downs in the game.
Not taking advantage of Broncos mistakes
Denver put the ball on the ground twice in the first half, and the Bills did not get either of them. The Bills also got the ball at the Broncos 36 yard line after an interception and not only didn't come away with points, but turned the ball back over.
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ARROW UP
TE Dalton Kincaid
After not being targeted in the first half at all, Kincaid was targeted six times in the second half, and caught all six passes for 83 yards, including a great touchdown grab in the fourth quarter to give the Bills the lead.
RB James Cook
Outside of the fumble, Cook had a very good day on the ground against the league's second-ranked rushing defense. He ran the ball 24 times for 117 yards, averaging 4.9 yards per carry.
WR Khalil shakir
Shakir grabbed seven passes for 75 yards, including several big third down conversions.
3rd down offense
The Bills went an impressive 10-of-15 (66.7%) on third down.
Red zone defense
Buffalo did a great job to hold the Broncos out of the end zone once inside their 20 yard line. Denver was just 1-for-4 (24%) on the day in the Bills red zone.
DB Cam Lewis
Lewis filled in for the injured Jordan Poyer and did a very nice job, collecting ten total tackles and making two big pass breakups.
K Matt Prater
Prater was nails on a 50-yard field goal with just 5-seconds left in the game to send it to overtime. He also connected on two other field goals and all three extra point attempts.
DT Deone Walker
Walker collected his first-ever interception and also had three total tackles.
Run defense
The Bills run defense was excellent. The Broncos ran the ball 22 times for just 70 yards, averaging only 3.2 yards per carry.
