Here are the heroes and zeros from Denver’s 24-22 win over the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on Monday night.
Heroes
Russell Wilson: Vintage Russ was on display against the Bills. Facing a fourth-and-2 at Buffalo’s 7-yard line, Wilson sensed defensive end Shaq Lawson closing in. He rolled left, reverse spinned, then backpedaled before throwing a 7-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Courtland Sutton to take a 9-0 lead. The catch and throw were insane. But the fact that Wilson’s throw had a 3.2% completion probability, according to Next Gen Stats, made the play even more impressive. Wilson was efficient, completing 24 of 29 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns.
Ja’Quan McMillian: Denver’s nickel cornerback has been one of the biggest surprise stories this season. Each week, McMillian has found a way to make an impact. On Buffalo’s first drive of the game, he stripped the ball from Bills running back James Cook and recovered it for one of the Broncos’ four takeaways. He finished with four tackles and allowed two receptions for 15 yards on five targets.
Javonte Williams: The Broncos starting running back banged out yardage for the second straight game. He had 21 carries for 79 yards while averaging 3.8 yards per carry. Williams came through in the fourth quarter. He ran 11 yards to Buffalo’s 7-yard line before catching a 3-yard touchdown pass to give the Broncos a 21-15 lead with 5:06 left in regulation.
Wil Lutz: Denver’s kicker converted the game-winning 36-yard field goal to extend the Broncos’ win streak to three games. Lutz missed the first attempt from 40 yards but Buffalo was penalized for having 12-men on the field, giving the former Saints kicker another shot to be the hero of a chaotic night and he delivered.
Zeros
Denver’s offensive line: The unit had discipline issues throughout the evening. The Broncos offensive line committed five penalties, including three from center Lloyd Cushenberry III. Right tackle Mike McGlinchey, who entered the game with the most penalties (seven) among Denver’s offensive lineman, was called for a false start in the first quarter. They even struggled to protect Wilson, as he was sacked four times and pressured on 43.2% of his drop backs, according to Next Gen Stats.
Riley Dixon: Denver’s punter made a costly mistake at the wrong time. After Williams’ go-ahead touchdown in the fourth, Dixon fumbled the snap on the extra point attempt as the Broncos were only able to go up by six points. The Bills took advantage, marching down the field before quarterback Josh Allen scored a rushing touchdown to take a 22-21 lead. Luckily, the Broncos were able to come back in the final seconds.
Denver’s run defense: While the Broncos were able to force Allen to throw a pair of interceptions, they struggled to contain the run. The Bills rushed for 192 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries while averaging 7.4 yards per attempt. Buffalo second-year running back James Cook ran on top of Denver, rushing for 109 yards (9.1 per attempt) on 12 carries. Cook’s 42-yard run with 4:37 to go in the fourth played a big part in Buffalo’s six-play, 75-yard scoring drive.
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