Denver vs Buffalo Handicapping Online
The Denver Broncos need to win their last two games of the season including Saturday against the host Buffalo Bills, if they won’t win the AFC West and advance to the playoffs for the first time since 2005.
But don’t count on Buffalo rolling over in this one, despite losing seven straight after their 30-23 setback to Miami on Sunday to complete their journey from first to worst in the AFC East.
Denver at Buffalo
When: 1:00 PM ET, Saturday, December 24, 2011
Where: Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
TV:CBS
LINE: -1.5 (Denver) O/U 41
The Broncos game winning streak was snapped by New England 41-23 on Sunday, and that has put them in a much tighter spot to win the division, as they need a victory in Buffalo coupled with a Raiders’ loss at the Chiefs to wrap up the West.
Although a loss is still a loss, the Broncos put up a pretty good fight offensively against New England. And had it have not been for Tom Brady shredding the Denver secondary, the game would have been much closer.
Once again the Broncos rushed for 252 yards against the Patriots – 167 in the first quarter – and has the NFL’s No. 1 ground unit at 163.1 yards per game.
Running back Willis McGahee, who leads the Broncos with 990 rushing yards, will get to face off against his former team, where he rushed for 3,365 yards with the Bills in his first three NFL seasons. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
McGhee left Sunday’s game with hamstring injury but was reported to have been practicing with the team on Wednesday.
The Denver defense will also catch a break as they face the Bills Ryan Fitzpatrick, who despite tossing for 22 touchdowns, leads the NFL with 19 interceptions.
The Bills started the season on a tear, but then really started to spiral out of control when Fred Jackson was lost for the season with a broken leg suffered in the first meeting with Miami back in Week 11.
They have now dropped seven straight.
Before his injury Jackson was averaging 145.4 yards per game, and his replacement C.J. Spiller has not been able to quite live up to those numbers, averaging just under 100 in four starts.
The Bills’ defense has also deteriorated after they started the season surrendering 26.5 points per game – sixth-worst in the NFL. And now during the streak that number has risen to 32 per game.
They are also giving up 139.5 yards rushing per game, not a good sign with the run-first Broncos coming to town.
Matt’ s Prediction: Broncos 28, Bills 14–Denver have won five straight on the road, and I expect Tim Tebow and McGahee to run right over a weak Buffalo front seven on their way to a win.
