Broncos defeat Bills in OT, advance to AFC Championship

Sean Keeler, The Denver Post on Jan 17, 2026

Published in Football

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DENVER — Initial thoughts from the Denver Broncos’ 33-30 win over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional Round at Empower Field:

— Mile High Miracle: Mims the word. And the winner. With Denver’s hearts in its collective throats, or what’s left of those throats, the Broncos advanced to the AFC Championship next week on a game-winning 24-yard field goal. 33-30 Denver — just like Sean Payton drew it up. Wideout/return man Marvin Mims Jr. was brilliant in the comeback victory, leading Denver in catches (eight) and receiving yards (93) and generally bailing his head coach out late. Mims’ 26-yard TD reception put the Broncos up 29-27 with 55 seconds left in regulation. And he drew a pass interference call with 5:24 left in overtime to give the Broncos the ball at the Buffalo 8 and seal Denver’s first home postseason win in a decade. And one Broncos Country won’t soon forget.

— Bonitto brings the heat: Bringing down Bills quarterback Josh Allen consistently was always going to be a tricky task, but Broncos outside linebacker Nik Bonitto kept sawing wood. Bonitto forced two Allen strips in the middle of the game that gave the hosts momentum and extended Dever’s lead. The first was bonkers, as the Broncos defender chased Allen on a scramble with the clock winding down at the end of the second quarter, appearing to jostle the ball free from the Bills quarterback at the Denver 32. That set up a field goal and a 20-10 Broncos lead at the half. The second came on a more conventional strip sack of Allen that gave the Broncos the rock at the Buffalo 17.

— Bo makes history: A fun, wild game with fun, wild momentum swings naturally had some fun, wild historical side notes, too. This is one is a favorite, courtesy of the Associated Press: Bo Nix is now the first quarterback in the Super Bowl Era to throw a touchdown to an offensive lineman while throwing an interception to a defensive lineman in the same game. Broncos tackle Frank Crum's little piece of history will forever go down in Denver football lore. Deon Walker's pick of No. 10, who was trying to feed tight end Evan Engram? Not so much.

— Noise, noise, noise: Game ball to the fans in Broncos Country, who did not disappoint when asked to make it uncomfortable for the Buffalo offense — and for Allen's ability to run it. Denver fans in attendance for Empower Field's first home playoff game in 10 years brought the noise level like January 2016 never left. And Broncos faithful did as instructed by Payton, too, stomping and hollering the minute the Bills entered their first huddle with 7:24 to go in the first quarter. "For years, we were conditioned to raise the noise level when they break the huddle," Payton said earlier in the week. "The noise level needs to be loudest when they enter the huddle." Mission accomplished.

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