Denver Broncos vs Buffalo Bills, Wild Card 2024
Denver Broncos
Away
7
Buffalo Bills
HomeWon, advanced
31
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broncos | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Bills | 3 | 7 | 11 | 10 | 31 |
DEN 7BUF 31 Final
Passing leader
25.5PPR pts
20/26, 272 YDS, 2 TD
Top fantasy scorer
James Cook III
18.0PPR pts
23 ATT, 120 YDS, 1 TD
Broncos leader
14.1PPR pts
13/22, 144 YDS, 1 TD
Defensive playmaker
D.J. Jones
1 SACK, 7 TKL
Bills 31, Broncos 7: Buffalo pulls away in the 2024 Wild Card
Buffalo led 10–7 at halftime and outscored Denver 21–0 after the break to win 31–7. The Bills finished with a 471–224 edge in total offense and averaged 6.5 yards per play.
The Broncos went 2-for-9 on third down, while the Bills kept the ball for 41:43 and finished without a giveaway.
The Bills' run ended in the Conference Championship, a 32–29 loss to the Chiefs.
The two teams meet again in Week 16 of 2026. If you roster anyone from either side, run the start/sit call in Redraft Command and it will weigh your lineup, your opponent and your league scoring, not only the player rankings.
Key advantages
- +1.2 yards/play BUF 6.5 · DEN 5.3
- +247 total yards BUF 471 · DEN 224
- +31% third-down rate BUF 53% · DEN 22%
Game Highlights
Official NFL highlights · Opens from YouTube
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Why the Bills Won
Buffalo won the efficiency, third-down, and time of possession battles.
| Broncos | Stat | Bills |
|---|---|---|
| 5.3 | Yards per play | 6.5 |
| 224 | Total yards | 471 |
| 22% | Third-down conversion | 53% |
| Other team stats | ||
| 42 | Plays | 72 |
| 0 | Turnovers | 0 |
| 18:17 | Time of possession | 41:43 |
Scoring Summary
The Bills scored three touchdowns and three field goals; the Broncos scored one touchdown.
| Time | Team | Play | DEN | BUF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st quarter | ||||
| 12:36 | DEN | Bo Nix → Troy Franklin, 43-yard TD Takes leadWil Lutz XP | 7 | 0 |
| 7:07 | BUF | Tyler Bass 26-yard FG | 7 | 3 |
| 2nd quarter | ||||
| 12:57 | BUF | James Cook 5-yard TD run Takes leadTyler Bass XP | 7 | 10 |
| 3rd quarter | ||||
| 10:03 | BUF | Tyler Bass 27-yard FG Extends lead | 7 | 13 |
| 3:06 | BUF | Josh Allen → Ty Johnson, 24-yard TD Extends leadJosh Allen → Keon Coleman, 2-pt conversion | 7 | 21 |
| 4th quarter | ||||
| 14:49 | BUF | Josh Allen → Curtis Samuel, 55-yard TD Extends leadTyler Bass XP | 7 | 28 |
| 4:37 | BUF | Tyler Bass 34-yard FG Extends lead | 7 | 31 |
Playoff game: these points don't count in most season-long fantasy leagues.
Fantasy Points vs Expected
Expected points (xFP) are what a player's pass attempts, carries and targets are worth at the league's average rates; the difference is what the player made of them.
- Biggest overperformer+10.7Curtis Samuel15.8 PTS vs 5.1 xFP
- Biggest underperformer−4.9Marvin Mims Jr.3.3 PTS vs 8.2 xFP
- Highest expected volume16.8 xFPJosh Allen25.5 PTS scored
| Player | PTS | xFP | vs xFP | Snap% | Usage | Rte% | Pass att | Car | Car% | Tgt | Tgt% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh AllenBUF · QB | 25.5 | 16.8 | +8.7 | — | 26 att | — | 26 | 8 | 18% | 0 | 0% |
| Courtland SuttonDEN · WR | 12.5 | 15.4 | −2.9 | — | 39% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 9 | 39% |
| James Cook IIIBUF · RB | 18.0 | 15.0 | +3.0 | — | 52% car | — | 0 | 23 | 52% | 0 | 0% |
| Bo NixDEN · QB | 14.1 | 12.4 | +1.7 | — | 22 att | — | 22 | 4 | 24% | 0 | 0% |
| Khalil ShakirBUF · WR | 12.1 | 10.3 | +1.8 | — | 24% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 6 | 24% |
| Ty JohnsonBUF · RB | 15.0 | 9.3 | +5.7 | — | 20% car | — | 0 | 9 | 20% | 2 | 8% |
| Marvin Mims Jr.DEN · WR | 3.3 | 8.2 | −4.9 | — | 17% tgt | — | 0 | 2 | 12% | 4 | 17% |
| Javonte WilliamsDEN · RB | 6.3 | 8.0 | −1.7 | — | 41% car | — | 0 | 7 | 41% | 2 | 9% |
| Amari CooperBUF · WR | 2.8 | 5.1 | −2.3 | — | 12% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 3 | 12% |
| Curtis SamuelBUF · WR | 15.8 | 5.1 | +10.7 | — | 12% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 3 | 12% |
| Dalton KincaidBUF · TE | 7.7 | 5.1 | +2.6 | — | 12% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 3 | 12% |
| Dawson KnoxBUF · TE | 5.8 | 5.1 | +0.7 | — | 12% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 3 | 12% |
| Keon ColemanBUF · WR | 3.5 | 5.1 | −1.6 | — | 12% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 3 | 12% |
| Troy FranklinDEN · WR | 13.4 | 5.1 | +8.3 | — | 13% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 3 | 13% |
| Devaughn VeleDEN · WR | 0.0 | 3.4 | −3.4 | — | 9% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 2 | 9% |
| Mack HollinsBUF · WR | 2.9 | 3.4 | −0.5 | — | 8% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 2 | 8% |
| Jaleel McLaughlinDEN · RB | 0.8 | 3.0 | −2.2 | — | 12% car | — | 0 | 2 | 12% | 1 | 4% |
| Mitchell TrubiskyBUF · QB | -0.3 | 2.0 | −2.3 | — | 0 att | — | 0 | 3 | 7% | 0 | 0% |
| Adam TrautmanDEN · TE | 1.2 | 1.7 | −0.5 | — | 4% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 1 | 4% |
| Lucas KrullDEN · TE | 1.2 | 1.7 | −0.5 | — | 4% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 1 | 4% |
| Tyler BadieDEN · RB | 0.8 | 1.3 | −0.5 | — | 12% car | — | 0 | 2 | 12% | 0 | 0% |
| Ray DavisBUF · RB | 0.3 | 0.7 | −0.4 | — | 2% car | — | 0 | 1 | 2% | 0 | 0% |
Team totals: Broncos 23 targets and 17 carries; Bills 25 targets and 44 carries. Shares are from the box score. Snap counts aren't available for this game. Route counts, air yards and red-zone touches appear when the tracking feed is connected. League-average rates from the 2024 season: 1.71 PPR points per target (68% catch rate), 0.65 per carry and 0.44 per pass attempt. They don't adjust for field position or target depth.
Fantasy Verdicts
Bo Nix
13 of 22 passing for 144 yards, 1 touchdown; 4 carries for 43 yards.
Verdict: The points matched the role, 12.4 expected.
No interceptions after 4 in the previous four games. Fewest points since Week 7.
Josh Allen Ran hot
20 of 26 passing for 272 yards, 2 touchdowns; 8 carries for 46 yards.
Verdict: The opportunities were worth 16.8 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.
Best score since Week 15.
Courtland Sutton Volume, no payoff
9 targets (39% of the team's), 5 catches for 75 yards.
Verdict: The points matched the role, 15.4 expected.
Marvin Mims Jr.
4 targets (17% of the team's), 2 catches for 12 yards; 2 carries (12% of the team's) for 1 yard.
Verdict: The points matched the role, 8.2 expected.
Fewest points since Week 9.
James Cook III
23 carries (52% of the team's) for 120 yards and 1 touchdown.
Verdict: The points matched the role, 15.0 expected.
Season high in carries (23). A touchdown in 7 of the last 8 games.
Khalil Shakir
6 targets (24% of the team's), 6 catches for 61 yards.
Verdict: The points matched the role, 10.3 expected.
Ty Johnson Ran hot
2 targets (8% of the team's), 2 catches for 26 yards and 1 touchdown; 9 carries (20% of the team's) for 44 yards.
Verdict: The opportunities were worth 9.3 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.
Best score since Week 15.
Curtis Samuel Ran hot
3 targets (12% of the team's), 3 catches for 68 yards and 1 touchdown.
Verdict: The opportunities were worth 5.1 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.
Best score since Week 11.
Fantasy Matchups
Fantasy points allowed per game by position, 2024 through Week 18.
| Points allowed to | Broncos D | Bills D |
|---|---|---|
| QBs | 16.4 | 16.5 |
| RBs | 19.9 | 24.2 |
| WRs | 30.8 | 33.2 |
| TEs | 11.9 | 12.0 |
Regular season, summed from each game's box score and scored with this page's rules.
How the Game Swung
Buffalo opened at 50% win probability and passed 98% in the third quarter on the way to the win.
Bills win probability
Key Swings
- −20Nix → Franklin, 43-yd TD50% → 30%Q1 12:36
- +9Bass 26-yd FG29% → 38%Q1 7:07
- +24Cook 5-yd TD run36% → 60%Q2 12:57
- +12Bass 27-yd FG63% → 75%Q3 10:03
- +18Allen → Johnson, 24-yd TD79% → 97%Q3 3:06
Swing in Bills win probability, in points
Play Calling and Possessions
| Denver Broncos | Measure | Buffalo Bills |
|---|---|---|
| 42 | Plays | 72 |
| 60% | Pass rate | 39% |
| 5.8 | Yds / dropback | 9.3 |
| 4.6 | Yds / carry | 4.8 |
| 2/9 | Third downs | 8/15 |
Efficiency edge Buffalo ran 30 more plays and gained 3.5 more yards per dropback.
- Top targets
- DEN Sutton 39% · Mims 17% · Franklin 13%
- BUF Shakir 24% · Cooper 12% · Samuel 12%
Possession Results
| Result | DEN | BUF |
|---|---|---|
| Touchdowns | 1 | 3 |
| Field goals | 0 | 3 |
| Punts | 4 | 1 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 0 |
| Turnovers on downs | 2 | 0 |
| Missed field goals | 1 | 0 |
- The Broncos opened the scoring on their first possession, a 5-play, 70-yard drive that ended in a touchdown.
- The Bills drained the clock with three second-half drives of four to seven minutes.
All 16 possessions, drive by drive
| Team | Start | Plays | Yards | Time | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEN | Q1 15:00 | 5 | 70 | 2:24 | Touchdown |
| BUF | Q1 12:36 | 12 | 59 | 5:29 | Field goal |
| DEN | Q1 7:07 | 3 | 5 | 1:35 | Punt |
| BUF | Q1 5:32 | 13 | 81 | 7:35 | Touchdown |
| DEN | Q2 12:57 | 9 | 31 | 4:29 | Punt |
| BUF | Q2 8:28 | 11 | 39 | 6:36 | Punt |
| DEN | Q2 1:52 | 8 | 60 | 1:52 | Missed FG |
| BUF | Q3 15:00 | 8 | 55 | 4:57 | Field goal |
| DEN | Q3 10:03 | 3 | 5 | 1:23 | Punt |
| BUF | Q3 8:40 | 9 | 73 | 5:34 | Touchdown |
| DEN | Q3 3:06 | 3 | -1 | 2:00 | Punt |
| BUF | Q3 1:06 | 3 | 59 | 1:17 | Touchdown |
| DEN | Q4 14:49 | 8 | 61 | 3:17 | Downs |
| BUF | Q4 11:32 | 14 | 70 | 6:55 | Field goal |
| DEN | Q4 4:37 | 4 | -7 | 1:17 | Downs |
| BUF | Q4 3:20 | 5 | 10 | 3:20 | End of game |
About these numbers
Possessions that ended with the clock running out at the half or the end of the game aren't counted.
Personnel groupings, average depth of target and pass rate over expected appear when the tracking feed is connected.
Broncos vs Bills Head-to-Head
The Broncos and Bills first met in 1960 and have played 43 times since.
- All-time series
- 24–18–1Bills lead, 43 meetings since 1960
- Postseason
- 2–1Bills won in 1991 and 2024; Broncos won in 2025
- Largest Broncos win
- 37–71984
- Largest Bills win
- 48–192020
Since 2021
2–1 Broncos lead
3 meetings since the 2021 season, regular season and playoffs.
Oldest to newest. DEN = Broncos win, BUF = Bills win, outlined = this game.
2026 Meetings
- Week 16 Bills at Broncos Upcoming
Recent Meetings
- 2025 Divisional Round Bills at Broncos, 2025 Divisional Round recap DEN 33 BUF 30 DEN W
- 2024 Wild Card Broncos at Bills BUF 31 DEN 7 BUF W
- 2023 Wk 10 Broncos at Bills, 2023 Wk 10 recap DEN 24 BUF 22 DEN W
Season to Date (Through Week 18)
The 2024 regular season, from each game's box score.
| Broncos | Stat | Bills |
|---|---|---|
| 10-7 | Record | 13-4 |
| 25.0 | Points per game | 30.9 |
| 324.6 | Yards per game | 359.1 |
| 5.2 | Yards per play | 6.0 |
| 18.3 | Points allowed per game | 21.6 |
| 317.1 | Yards allowed per game | 341.5 |
Broncos vs Bills Fantasy Outlook for 2026
One meeting is left on the 2026 schedule: Week 16 in Denver. Here's how to decide who to play in your league.
- Start/Sit ToolShould your Broncos or Bills player start in Week 16? Compare the decision against your other options.
- Fantasy Football ProjectionsSee the latest weekly and rest-of-season projections for Broncos and Bills players.
- Fantasy Points Allowed by PositionHow the Broncos and Bills defenses have treated QBs, RBs, WRs and TEs.
- Strength of ScheduleWhere this matchup falls in each team's fantasy playoff run.
- Redraft CommandConnect your league for personalized lineup, trade and roster advice.
Keep Exploring
2024 Game Logs for Players in This Game
Broncos vs Bills Game FAQ
Who won the 2024 Broncos vs Bills Wild Card game?
The Buffalo Bills beat the Denver Broncos 31–7 in the Wild Card round of the 2024 playoffs. The game was played at Highmark Stadium (Old) in Orchard Park, NY, on January 12, 2025. See the Bills' 2024 schedule.
What was the final score of Broncos vs Bills?
The final score was Bills 31, Broncos 7. The Bills led 10–7 at halftime, and the second half went Broncos 0, Bills 21.
What happened in the Broncos vs Bills game?
Buffalo led 10–7 at halftime and outscored Denver 21–0 after the break to win 31–7. The Bills finished with a 471–224 edge in total offense and averaged 6.5 yards per play.
How did the Bills beat the Broncos?
The Bills beat the Broncos 31–7 because they averaged 6.5 yards per play to 5.3 and outgained them 471–224.
What is the all-time Broncos vs Bills record?
The Bills lead the all-time series 24–18–1 across 43 meetings since 1960, including a 2–1 record in the postseason.
When did the Broncos and Bills last play before this game?
Before the 2024 Wild Card round, they last met in the 2023 season on November 13, 2023, when the Broncos beat the Bills 24–22.
Have the Broncos and Bills met in the playoffs?
Yes, 3 times, most recently in the 2025 playoffs. The Broncos are 1–2 against the Bills in the postseason.
What is the Broncos vs Bills record since 2021?
The Broncos lead 2–1 across 3 meetings since the 2021 season, including this game.