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Broncos defeat Bills 33-30 in overtime, advance to AFC Championship game
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- Broncos defeat Bills 33-30 in overtime, advance to AFC Championship game
The Denver Broncos defeated the Buffalo Bills 33-30 in overtime of the divisional round of the NFL playoffs on Saturday evening, sending them to the AFC Championship game.
The Broncos marched right down the field on the game's opening drive before rookie wide receiver Pat Bryant left with a concussion, his second in less than a month . After fill-in receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey dropped a would-be touchdown pass, Denver had to settle for a 28-yard Wil Lutz field goal to take a 3-0 lead.
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The Bills then went 67 yards on 12 plays and took a 7-3 lead when quarterback Josh Allen threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman . Buffalo later had an opportunity to extend that lead before running back James Cook lost a fumble, recovered by Denver safety Talanoa Hufanga at his own 31-yard line.
After that, quarterback Bo Nix led an eight-play, 69-yard drive that ended with his seven-yard touchdown pass to backup offensive lineman Frank Crum , who reported as an eligible receiver for the play:
Buffalo added a 33-yard Matt Prater field goal on the ensuing drive to tie the game at 10-10. The Broncos then went 70 yards on 11 and Nix threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Humphrey to make it 17-10:
Nik Bonitto forced an Allen fumble on the Bills' next drive and Broncos safety Devon Key recovered the ball. Lutz then nailed a 50-yard field goal to give the Broncos a 20-10 lead going into halftime.
On the first drive of the third quarter, Bonitto strip-sacked Allen and defensive lineman Malcolm Roach recovered the ball at Buffalo's 17-yard line.
Denver was unable to score a touchdown after that takeaway, eventually settling for a 33-yard field goal to make it 23-10. The Bills then bounced back with a 73-yard drive that ended with Allen's 10-yard touchdown pass to Keon Coleman to make it 23-17.
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On the Broncos' ensuing drive, Nix threw an interception to defensive lineman Deone Walker , setting Buffalo up at Denver's 36-yard line. Two plays later, Broncos safety P.J. Locke had Nix's back, intercepting an Allen pass at the eight-yard line and returning it to the 38-yard line.
That takeaway did not lead to any points as Denver punted the ball back to the Bills seven plays later. After that punt, Buffalo went 85 yards on nine plays and Allen threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dalton Kincaid to give the Bills a 24-23 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Buffalo later added a 31-yard field goal to make it 27-23 with 4:11 remaining. Taking over at his own 27-yard line, Nix led an eight-play, 73-yard drive that ended with a 26-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Mims to make it 30-27.
The Bills drove down to the 32-yard line on their ensuing drive, setting up a 50-yard Prater field goal that tied the game at 30-30 and set up overtime. Buffalo won the overtime coin toss and elected to kick to Denver.
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After starting at their 28-yard line, the Broncos picked up one first down before being forced to punt. Rookie Jeremy Crawshaw delivered a 55-yard punt that pinned the Bills at their seven-yard line. Allen later threw a deep interception to Ja'Quan McMillian, who ripped the ball away from Brandin Cooks at Denver's 20-yard line.
Aided by a pass interference, roughing the passer penalty, another DPI penalty and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, Denver got up to the five-yard line before setting up a 23-yard game-winning field goal.
In addition to the Bryant injury, fellow receiver Troy Franklin left in the second quarter with a hamstring injury. Franklin was ruled out in the third quarter, leaving the team with three healthy receivers in Courtland Sutton , Mims and Humphrey. Denver center Alex Forsyth also left with an ankle injury in the fourth quarter. He was replaced by Sam Mustiphe.
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Up next, Denver advances to the AFC Championship game . That game will be played on Jan. 25.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: NFL news: Broncos defeat Bills 33-30, advance to AFC Championship game
