Broncos at Bills second quarter recap

The Denver Broncos took a 3-0 lead over the Buffalo Bills into the second quarter. They opened the quarter with a third and four. Russell Wilson burst through the middle of the line for a big gain out to midfield and a first down.

Yet another penalty put Denver into a 1st and 15 from there. A short two yard run by Javonte Williams and an incomplete pass by Russell Wilson put the Broncos into another penalty-induced third and long. Predictably, they would come up short and be forced to punt again.

After a quick three and out, Marvin Mims Jr. was able to field the line drive punt and returned it 17 yards to the 50 yard line. That three and out was spearheaded by a pretty legit open field tackle by D.J. Jones.

A nice inside run by Javonte Williams on first down was followed by a quick slant to Courtland Sutton for the first down. However, Dorian Williams speared Sutton helmet-to-helmet on the tackle to tack on another 15-yard penalty. Another quick slant to Jerry Jeudy went for 11-yards to the Bills 15 yard line.

Back to back runs by Williams would bring up a third and six from the 11 yard line. Wilson would hit Sutton after being flushed out by Leonard Floyd for four yards to bring up a fourth and two. Being on the road, Sean Payton sent Wil Lutz out for the field goal, but tried to show fake. Instead, they called a timeout and sent the offense back out to go for the first down.

On fourth and two from the seven yard line, Wilson was pressured and threw it up to the back corner of the end zone to Courtland Sutton who caught it. The officials called it incomplete, but the replay showed two feet in. The overturn was clear before the officials announced it.

Sadly, Wil Lutz missed the extra point.

Broncos 9, Bills 0.

James Cook got things going for the Bills on the next drive with a screen pass and three runs to get Buffalo out near midfield. On third and 1, Latavius Murray got the handoff and gained a yard and the first down. Stefon Diggs then broke a tackle and turned it into a 15-yard gain into field goal range for Buffalo.

The chunk plays continued with Murray plowing up the middle breaking multiple tackles for 14-yard gain. Josh Allen, from the shotgun, then found a wide open Dalton Kincaid in the end zone for the touchdown.

After an off-sides penalty on Denver, the Bills decided to go for a two-point conversion from the one yard line where Allen would find Gabe Davis to convert.

Broncos 9, Bills 8.

On their very first play, Russell Wilson called an audible and went deep to Courtland Sutton who hauled it in on the sideline for a huge 32-yard gain. Back-to-back runs by Javonte Williams gained just under 10 yards to bring the game to the two minute warning in the first half.

Facing a third and short, Wilson dove forward for the first down at the Bills 35-yard line. A holding penalty on Lloyd Cushenberry knocked the Broncos out of field goal range and on second and 20, Williams would run up the middle for a four yard gain. On third and 16, Wilson broke loose and gained all of those penalty yards back and then some to make the field goal attempt a little shorter.

From 49-yards out, Wil Lutz redeemed his missed extra point by nailing the long field goal to put Denver back up by more than a field goal.

Broncos 12, Bills 8.

On the Bills first play, Allen was read like a open book and intercepted by Fabian Moreau to set Denver up with an immediate scoring opportunity with 40 seconds left in the first half.

After wasting their timeouts, the Broncos had to run out on the field to kick the field goal with time running out and Lutz would bang it through to go back up by a touchdown at halftime.

Broncos 15, Bills 8.