Broncos rally in overtime to beat Bills 33-30, advance

Ja’Quan McMillian’s overtime interception on Josh Allen set up Wil Lutz’s 23-yard field goal and sent the Denver Broncos to the AFC Championship Game after a 33-30 victory over the Buffalo Bills at Mile High. The win, the franchise’s first playoff victory in a decade, will see Denver host the conference title game against the winner of the Texans-Patriots matchup.

The game unfolded as a back-and-forth classic, with drama in the final minute of regulation and in sudden death. Rookie-turned-starting quarterback Bo Nix threaded a 26-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Mims with 55 seconds remaining to give Denver the lead, but Josh Allen engineered a final-minute drive that culminated in a game-tying score and forced overtime. In the extra period two defensive pass-interference calls on Buffalo put the Broncos into position for the decisive kick. Lutz, who had earlier converted a 50-yard field goal before halftime and supplied multiple long, timely kicks, drilled the 23-yarder to end the game.

Denver’s defense was the decisive storyline. The Broncos generated five takeaways - three forced fumbles and two interceptions - producing 16 points and a plus-four turnover margin. That five-turnover tally was the second-most in franchise postseason history, and the turnover swing repeatedly flipped momentum against an offense led by the NFL MVP. One of those pivotal sequences saw Zach Bonitto knock the ball loose from Allen and Devon Key recover at the Buffalo 35-yard line, a turnover that set up Lutz’s 50-yard field goal and underscored Denver’s ability to convert defensive disruption into points.

Special teams were equally central to the outcome. Lutz’s long-range accuracy and calm under pressure supplied field position and scoring when drives stalled, a reminder that postseason success often hinges on kicking and hidden yards. The overtime sequence itself hinged on a combination of defensive disruption and penalty calls that tilted field position, allowing Denver to close the 33-30 victory without needing another offensive drive.

The elation of the win was tempered by a significant blow: Bo Nix suffered a serious right-ankle injury a few plays before Lutz’s kick and will undergo season-ending surgery Tuesday in Birmingham, Alabama. Head coach Sean Payton addressed the locker room and the city after the game and said, "We celebrate the season for him." Backup Jarrett Stidham, who had taken only one snap this season (a kneel-down in Week 8 at Dallas), is slated to start in the AFC Championship Game, a sudden shift that will test Denver’s roster depth and game planning.

Beyond the immediate playoff implications, Denver’s victory signals a cultural reset for a franchise that has sought to recapture the competitive identity of its Peyton Manning-era peak. The turnover surge and special teams execution reflect an organizational emphasis on complementary football under Sean Payton and a roster built to capitalize on opponent mistakes. Hosting an AFC title game brings tangible economic and communal benefits to Denver and accentuates the city’s revived swagger, even as attention now turns to preserving this postseason run without the injured Nix. The Broncos advance, but the challenge ahead is as much about roster resilience and health management as it is about the Xs and Os on the field.