Yahoo News Broncos vs. Bills Monday Night Football highlights: Denver gets second chance at victory
Week 10 closed with the drama of a telenovela as the Denver Broncos outlasted the Buffalo Bills to win, 24-22, in Highmark Stadium for the first time since 2007.
Wil Lutz made a 36-yard as the clock expired to take the win. Lutz missed the initial kick, but Buffalo had 12 men on defense and he got a second try. The Broncos had missed on two extra points earlier in the "Monday Night Football" game.
The drive was boosted by a 28-yard pass interference penalty on Taron Johnson covering Jerry Jeudy that gave the Broncos first-and-10 on Buffalo’s 17-yard line.
The Broncos were leading most of the game until Josh Allen scored a 6-yard touchdown run right after the two-minute warning.
The Broncos defense forced four turnovers — two fumbles and two interceptions — but the offense only scored six points off the takeaways. This comes after the Broncos forced five turnovers in their Week 8 win over the Kansas City Chiefs before they had their bye.
Quarterback Russell Wilson said his team was “relentless” in the win.
“We believe in our team, we believe in who we are. We believe in our coaching staff. We believe in just guys making plays. They made so many great plays tonight, defense was lights out. Our defense has been unbelievable,” he said on the ESPN broadcast after the game. “… Offensively, we just kept battling. We knew that we were gonna win this game. I told the guys on the last drive, ‘We’re gonna win this thing.’ And sure enough we did.”
The nine-time Pro Bowler went 24-of-29 for 193 yards and threw two touchdowns, including an incredible tightrope catch from Courtland Sutton.
Allen was 15-of-26 for 177 yards with two total touchdowns and two interceptions. He has thrown an interception in six straight games.
Bills safety Damar Hamlin saw the field in the fourth quarter for the first time since suffering cardiac arrest in Week 17 last year. — Victoria Hernandez
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Winners and losers from the Broncos' win over the Bills
WINNERS
Russell Wilson played winning football: Simply put, Wilson outplayed Josh Allen.
Wilson did a good job extending plays and he had a couple clutch completions that helped the Broncos pull off the upset on the road.
The Broncos quarterback was efficient and managed the game effectively. Wilson finished 24-of-29 passing for 192 yards and two touchdowns. Most importantly, he had no turnovers. Something his counterpart on the other sideline struggled with.
Courtland Sutton toe-dragging touchdown: Sutton had a game-high eight catches for a modest 53 yards, but his toe-dragging touchdown reception on a desperation Wilson throw was one of the top plays of Week 10.
According to Next Gen Stats, Wilson’s 7-yard touchdown pass to Sutton had a 3.2% completion probability.
Broncos defense forces takeaways: The Broncos defense came to play, and they made a statement on their very first play.
Broncos cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian had a forced fumble and recovery on Buffalo’s first offensive snap.
McMillian quickly recovered the loose football before it bounced out of bounds at Buffalo’s 28-yard line. Broncos safety Justin Simmons caught a pass intended for Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis on Buffalo’s second possession.
The Broncos forced four total turnovers, including two in the first quarter. Simmons and cornerback Fabian Moreau each had interceptions.
Denver won the turnover battle on the road, 4-1.
Damar Hamlin gets significant snaps in fourth quarter: With the Bills down men in their defensive backfield, Hamlin checked into the game late in the fourth quarter.
Hamlin’s appearance in the game marked his first action since he suffered a cardiac arrest on Jan. 2, 2023.
The Bills safety registered one tackle during his brief action.
James Cook rebounds after early fumble: Cook made amends for his fumble on Buffalo’s first offensive play.
Once Cook got out of the doghouse, he ran hard with speed and authority. Cook made quick decisions with the ball in his hands and his speed was tough for Denver to handle.
Cook had 109 rushing yards in the loss. It was the second 100-yard rushing game of his career.
LOSERS
Josh Allen erratic with football in frustrating loss: Allen was again turnover prone. The Bills quarterback was responsible for three of Buffalo’s four turnovers. Although, one of Allen’s interceptions was on a deflected pass that wide receiver Gabe Davis should’ve caught.
Errant pass attempts, forced throws and bad turnovers marred Allen’s night much like they have all season.
The Bills QB completed 15 of 26 passes. He passed for one touchdown and had two interceptions. Plus, Allen botched a handoff that led to another turnover. He ended the game with a terrible 59.3 passer rating.
Allen now has an NFL-most 11 interceptions this season.
Bills offense: Allen and the Bills were out of sync for much of the game.
Four turnovers plagued the Bills offense. They did rally back, but execution errors and turnovers ultimately cost them.
Bills special teams: The Bills nearly dodged a bullet when Broncos kicker Wil Lutz missed a potential 41-yard game-winning field goal. However, the Bills special teams unit inexplicably had 12 men on the field on the attempt.
Lutz got another opportunity to kick a 36-yard game-winning field goal and he hit it right between the uprights as time expired.
The special teams mishap typified the type of night it was for Buffalo in the loss. — Tyler Dragon
Broncos vs. Bills highlights
Wil Lutz got a do-over and kicked a 36-yard field goal as time expired, and the Broncos won their third straight game, defeating the sloppy, turnover-prone Bills.
Broncos 24, Bills 22: Penalty gives Wil Lutz second chance at game-winning kick
Following the Bills' touchdown, the Broncos used up the rest of the game clock to get into field goal range. However, it was an adventure to get to Lutz's game-winning field goal attempt.
Facing a second-and-4 from the Bills' 39-yard line, Russell Wilson was sacked by A.J. Epenesa for a 6-yard loss. On third-and-10, Russell lobbed a deep pass to Jerry Jeudy that was underthrown significantly. As Jeudy was forced to track back for the football, Bills defensive back Taron Johnson committed pass interference.
That set up Lutz for a 41-yard field goal attempt to win the game. That kick, however, sailed wide right, but the Bills were flagged for having too many players on the field. Given another shot at glory, Lutz's 36-yard field goal attempt sailed through the uprights to give the Broncos the victory.
The Broncos' game-winning field goal in the final seconds gave Week 10 six such victories, the most in league history. — Jim Reineking
Damar Hamlin gets significant snaps in fourth quarter
With the Bills down men at defensive back, Hamlin checked into the game late in the fourth quarter with 1:39 left in the game.
Hamlin’s appearance in the game marked his first action since he suffered a cardiac arrest on Jan. 2 of last season. — Tyler Dragon
Bills 22, Broncos 21: Josh Allen gives Buffalo first lead of the game
The Bills took their first lead of the game with a six-yard rushing touchdown from Josh Allen where he rolled out to his left and scampered past linebacker Baron Browning into the corner of the end zone.
The quarterback run capped off a 75-yard drive that featured a 42-yard run from James Cook where Justin Simmons knocked the ball out of his hands and the running back scooped it up as it bounced downfield and kept running.
With Tyler Bass’ extra point, Buffalo is up 22-21. — Victoria Hernandez
Broncos 21, Bills 15: Denver marches down field to take lead
Russell Wilson and Javonte Williams led the Broncos on a 12-play, 54-yard touchdown drive to reclaim the lead.
Wilson had a few nice completions, including a 19-yard strike to wideout Jerry Jeudy on third-and-10 and another successful third-down conversion to running back Samaje Perine.
On the scoring play, Wilson called an audible at the line of scrimmage, took the snap and threw a short pass to the right to Williams for a walk-in 3-yard touchdown.
The Broncos, however, botched the snap on their extra point attempt. Denver’s had two unsuccessful extra points on Monday night. — Tyler Dragon
Broncos defense forces fourth turnover
The Denver defense is a turnover away from matching their total in a historic win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Broncos snagged their fourth turnover against the Bills late in the third quarter when Josh Allen failed to complete the handoff to running back Dalvin Cook. Linebacker Alex Singleton fell on the ball to recover the fumble and give Denver the ball. — Victoria Hernandez
Bills 15, Broncos 15: Buffalo capitalizes off turnover
The Bills took advantage of their good field possession after Denver’s fumble.
Buffalo ran the football six times on a seven-play, 54-yard touchdown drive that ended on a 3-yard touchdown run to the left side by running back Latavius Murray.
The touchdown plus extra point tied the game at 15-15.
Murray has eight carries, 62 rushing yards and a touchdown. — Tyler Dragon
Bills grab their first turnover on Courtland Sutton fumble
It was a fairly quiet opening to the second half before the Bills grabbed their first turnover of the game, a fumble recovery five minutes into the third quarter.
On third-and-6, Russell Wilson found Courtland Sutton for a short pass. As Taron Johnson tackled him, the ball slipped out of the wide receiver’s hands and onto the turf.
Cornerback Rasul Douglas, who Buffalo acquired at the trade deadline from the Green Bay Packers, landed on the ball and secured the recovery.
The Bills will start at their own 46-yard line. — Victoria Hernandez
Broncos 15, Bills 8: Denver extends lead right before halftime
Denver played until the clock hit 0:00 in the first half.
On the Bills’ first play after a Broncos field goal, Denver snagged its second interception of the game, the Bills' third turnover.
Josh Allen threw the ball to his left and into the hands of Fabian Moreau, who was lingering in front of wide receiver Deonte Harty. It was Moreau’s first pick as a Bronco after he joined the team this offseason from the New York Giants.
Russell Wilson completed three short passes before Wil Lutz kicked a 40-yard field goal to put the Broncos up 15-8 to go into the break.
Wilson is 12-of-14 for 114 yards and a thrilling touchdown to Courtland Sutton, which had a 3.2 percent success rate, according to Next Gen Stats.
Josh Allen is 9-of-15 for 86 yards and a touchdowns, but had two interceptions. He has thrown a pick in six straight games. — Victoria Hernandez
Broncos 12, Bills 8: Denver answers with field goal
Denver responded after the Bills scored their first touchdown.
Late in the second quarter, Russell Wilson led the Broncos on a nine-play, 45-yard drive to get into field goal range.
The drive ended with kicker Wil Lutz converting a 49-yard field goal with 45 seconds left in the first half.
Denver’s successful field goal gave them a 12-8 advantage. — Tyler Dragon
Broncos 9, Bills 8: Dalton Kinkaid gets Buffalo on the board
The Bills finally scored with 3:36 left in the second quarter via a 22-yard touchdown pass from Josh Allen to tight end Dalton Kincaid.
On first-and-10, Allen dropped back as Stefon Diggs lured Patrick Surtain II away and launched the ball over defender Justin Simmons to find the tight end alone in the end zone.
On the extra point attempt, Broncos defensive lineman Mike Purcell was called for offsides, so Buffalo decided to go for the two-point conversion.
Allen threw the ball to wide receiver Gabe Davis in the back of the end zone and the Bills are only down one point with the score at 9-8. — Victoria Hernandez
Broncos 9, Bills 0: Courtland Sutton's toe drag swag adds to Denver's lead
Sean Payton and the Broncos elected to go for it on fourth-and-2 and were rewarded.
On Buffalo’s 7-yard line on fourth-and-2, Broncos QB Russell Wilson scrambled around to buy time in the pocket and lofted what looked like a desperation pass in the back on the end zone. Sutton caught the football near the sideline and dragged his feet before falling out of bounds.
The officials initially called the pass incomplete but reversed the call to a touchdown upon review. The touchdown gave the Broncos a 9-0 lead midway through the second quarter.
On the ensuing play, Broncos kicker Wil Lutz missed the extra point.
However, the extra point mishap didn’t overshadow the incredible toe-dragging catch by Sutton. — Tyler Dragon
Broncos have slim lead at end of first quarter
The Broncos have the only score of the game so far, a field goal that put them up 3-0.
Their offense has been assisted by back-to-back turnovers forced by the defense — a fumble recovery on the Bills’ first play of the game and an interception on their next drive. The pick was veteran Justin Simmons’ third of the season and 30th of his career.
The Bills defense almost had a touchdown when the ball rolled out after wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. was tackled and Rasul Douglas picked it up and ran to the end zone. But the referees ruled that Mims Jr.’s elbow was down. — Victoria Hernandez
Broncos vs. Bills: A history lesson
The Bills-Broncos series dates back to the inaugural season of the American Football League in 1960, with the two teams meeting for the 41st time Monday night and the Bills holding a 23-16-1 series lead (including playoffs).
The two teams' first meeting came on Sept. 18, 1960, with the Broncos winning, 27-21, at Buffalo's War Memorial Stadium (a stadium made famous for being the home park for the fictional New York Knights in "The Natural").
The Bills' and Broncos' most important meeting came in the 1991 AFC championship game (the two teams' only playoff matchup). The Bills won, 10-7, to advance to Super Bowl XXVI, in which they lost to Washington. The 1991 AFC title game was a promising matchup of two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks, but the classic never materialized. John Elway was sacked three times and eventually had to leave the game with an injury, and Jim Kelly threw two interceptions.
More recently, the Bills have enjoyed a three-game win streak against the Broncos. — Jim Reineking
Bills start game with back-to-back turnovers
The Bills first two possessions ended in turnovers.
On Buffalo’s second series, Josh Allen’s pass was deflected and picked off by Broncos safety Justin Simmons on Denver’s 12-yard line.
The interception was Buffalo’s second in as many possessions. Bills running back James Cook lost a fumble on Buffalo’s first offensive snap of the game. — Tyler Dragon
Broncos 3, Bills 0: Turnover turns into points
The Broncos offense only got a net of six yards on their first drive and had to settle for a field goal after their defense forced a fumble on the Bills’ first play of the game.
Javonte Williams had a 3-yard run, then was stopped at the line of scrimmage before tackle Mike McGlinchey was called for a false start and pushed Denver back 5 yards.
On third-and-12, Samaje Perine had an eight-yard run, which forced the Broncos to kick a 40-yard field goal. Wil Lutz knocked the ball through the uprights to put Denver up 3-0. — Victoria Hernandez
Bills have turnover on first offensive play
The Bills would like a do over.
On Buffalo’s first offensive play, Bills running back caught a short pass from Josh Allen near the sideline and had the football stripped away by Broncos cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian.
McMillian quickly recovered the loose football before it bounced out of bounds at Buffalo’s 28-yard line. — Tyler Dragon
What time is Bills-Broncos?
The Broncos at Bills game is set for kickoff at 8:15 p.m. ET on Nov. 13.
How can I watch or stream Bills vs. Broncos on Monday Night Football?
Broncos at Bills will be broadcast on ABC and ESPN and is also available to stream for free on Fubo.
The ManningCast alternate simulcast returns for the Broncos-Bills game, and will air on ESPN2. Peyton and Eli Manning will have Patrick Mahomes, Lindsey Vonn and Kyle Brandt as guests.
Bills at Broncos: Predictions, picks and odds
The Bills are favorites to defeat the Broncos, according to BetMGM NFL odds.
Spread: Bills (-7.5)
Moneyline: Bills (-400); Broncos (+310)
Over/under: 46.5
USA TODAY Sports’ staff picks for this game:
Lorenzo Reyes: Bills 25, Broncos 21: At some point, the Bills will need to figure this out, but failing to cover any of their last five games is a big concern. Denver was also on its bye and has been much improved, especially on defense, over the last month. If Buffalo cannot establish its rushing game, I think the Broncos keep this close.
Tyler Dragon: Bills 25, Broncos 20: Buffalo’s shortcomings were highlighted in Cincinnati. The Bills’ defense is banged up and the offense lacks playmakers outside of Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs. The Broncos have won two in a row, including a huge win versus Kansas City. But the Bills are 3-0 playing at Highmark Stadium this season.
Safid Deen: Bills 27, Broncos 17: This game might be closer than we imagine with the Broncos earning some respect after their win over the Chiefs in Week 8. But the Bills are still the Bills, a perennial playoff contender despite their recent slide. Buffalo gets right at home this week against Denver.
Victoria Hernandez: Broncos 27, Bills 24: The Bills defense let Joe Burrow scamper all over them in a road loss last week and return home to hopefully contain Russell Wilson, who scored three touchdowns in a statement win before the bye. The Broncos forced Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs to commit five turnovers in the game and will be hungry to pick apart an inconsistent Josh Allen.
Jordan Mendoza: Bills 31, Broncos 23: Can the Bills stop making mistakes? A Denver team coming off a bye and a win over the Chiefs will give Buffalo a scare, but trying to win there in primetime will be tough. The Bills pull away in the second half but this game ends up being a one-score game.
Broncos vs. Bills inactives: Micah Hyde is out
The Bills' injury-depleted defense will be without two starters on Monday night, with safety Micah Hyde (neck injury) and cornerback Christian Benford (hamstring) both inactive. Both players suffered their respective injuries during the Bills' 24-18 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9.
Broncos' inactive players:
S JL Skinner
TE Nate Adkins
LB Ben Niemann
LB Thomas Incoom
C Alex Forsyth
DY Keondre Coburn
DL Elijah Garcia
Bills' inactive players:
S Micah Hyde
CB Christian Benford
OG Germain Ifedi
OT Alec Anderson
DT Poona Ford
LB Baylon Spector
Betting odds and tips for 'Monday Night Football' games
Highlighting Monday Night Football odds, the Buffalo Bills are among the best bets for NFL Week 10 as home favorites. The Bills are favored by 7.5 points over the Denver Broncos, according to the BetMGM NFL odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering NFL betting promos in 2023.
According to the top NFL betting apps, Bills quarterback Josh Allen (+1400) is among players with best NFL MVP betting odds in 2023. The Bills (+1400) are also among teams with the best Super Bowl betting odds.
Not interested in this game? Our guide to NFL betting odds, picks and spreads has you covered with Thursday Night Football odds, Sunday Night Football odds and more.
If you’re new to sports betting, don’t worry. We have tips for beginners on how to place a bet online. And USA TODAY readers can claim exclusive promos and bonus codes with the online sportsbooks and sports betting sites. — Richard Morin
Von Miller leads active sack leaders
Bills veteran pass rusher Von Miller has 123.5 career sacks. The 13-year veteran has the most career sacks among active NFL players.
A total of 110.5 of Miller’s sacks came as a member of the Broncos. Miller played 10 seasons in Denver and was named Super Bowl 50 MVP in the Broncos' win.
Will Miller get a sack against his former team Monday night?
NFL's active sacks leaders:
Von Miller (2011-2023) - 123.5
Cameron Jordan (2011-2023) - 117.5
Justin Houston (2011-2023) - 112
Aaron Donald (2014-2023) - 108.5
Calais Campbell (2008-2023) - 102
Khalil Mack (2014-2023) - 93.5
T.J. Watt (2017-2023) - 88
Myles Garrett (2017-2023) - 85.5
Danielle Hunter (2015-2023) - 82
Cameron Heyward (2011-2023) - 78.5
— Tyler Dragon
Josh Allen gets it done through the air and on ground
Josh Allen has 31 career games with a touchdown pass and a rushing touchdown, tied for second all-time with Aaron Rodgers and Hall of Famer Steve Young. The Bills quarterback only trails Cam Newton, who produced 45 games with a touchdown pass and touchdown run. — Tyler Dragon
Broncos' ballhawk safety
Broncos safety Justin Simmons’ two interceptions this season are tied for a team-high. Simmons’ 29 career interceptions are tied for seventh among active NFL safeties. — Tyler Dragon
NFL Week 10 winners and losers
An AFC North battle saw the Baltimore Ravens − again − self-implode and blow a big lead, sustaining what has become a concerning pattern with this team. In the NFC, there’s no other way to say it: the Derek Carr move just isn’t working right now for the New Orleans Saints.
Here is USA TODAY Sports' Lorenzo Reyes' full rundown of the biggest winners and losers from Week 10.
32 things we learned in NFL Week 10
Sunday marked the most game-winning scores with no time remaining in the fourth quarter in a single week in the league’s 104-season history.
What else did USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis learn during Week 10?
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Broncos-Bills score: Monday Night Football highlights, top plays
