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Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Denver Broncos defensive tackle D.J. Jones.
While it’s a curiosity to see the No.1 seed in the AFC Playoffs as an underdog, the visiting Buffalo Bills being 1.5-point favorites over the Denver Broncos in the AFC Divisional Round is a very real thing.
While we take into account there’s a good chance the line will flip and the Broncos will actually be the favorites at kickoff, the odds do speak to how the football world views the Broncos, who went 14-3 in the regular season.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith went off on the oddsmakers who made the Bills favorites and the perceived disrespect to the Broncos on First Take on Tuesday, January 17.
“It’s disrespectful to the Broncos, who had 68 sacks this season and were just 4 sacks away from breaking the single season record set by the Chicago Bears,” Smith said on First Take. “I can’t comprehend how people say that the Bills are favorites … Bills quarterback Josh Allen is a stud, but the Broncos defense is full of head hunters. I got more love for Josh Allen than perhaps anyone in the league … but his season ends on Saturday.”
Broncos Have Home Field Advantage in Playoffs
As the No. 1 seed, the Broncos have home field advantage throughout the playoffs and get to play the highest remaining seed, which is the Bills after they went on the road for a thrilling, 27-24 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC Wild Card Round.
It’s a rematch of last year’s playoffs, when the Broncos traveled to Buffalo and lost, 31-7, in the AFC Wild Card Round. After missing the playoffs for 8 consecutive seasons from 2016 to 2023, the Broncos are in the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
The Bills are in the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season, with 2 appearances in the AFC Championship Game in that stretch.
“I’m telling you what: As a No. 1 seed and having a bye in the wildcard, you don’t want the Bills coming into your building off a performance like that from Josh Allen and how the defense made timely plays,” Trainwreck Sports’ Ajay Cybulski wrote on X. “Doesn’t really feel like a reward for the Broncos.”
Broncos Haven’t Played Since Week 18 Win
When the Broncos finally take the field against the Bills, it will be the end of a 13-day break since they defeated the Los Angeles Chargers, 19-3, in Week 18.
If you’re wondering how the Broncos did last time they had an extended break, they came off their Week 12 bye to go on the road and beat the Washington Commanders, 27-26 in overtime in Week 13.
If you’re wondering how the Broncos have fared as the AFC’s No. 1 seed, the answer is pretty darn good. In the 8 previous times they’ve been the No. 1 seed they’ve made it to the Super Bowl 6 times, with 2 of their 3 Super Bowl wins in those seasons.
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame
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