The same Denver Broncos team that gave up 70 points and lost by 50 in Miami, the same Broncos team that got stomped by the mediocre New York Jets at home, that same team beat the Buffalo Bills 24-22 in a thrilling game that went down to the final second Monday night in the NFL.
An Unfettered and Low Accuracy Game
In a game that could best be described as crazy, the Bills committed an incredible penalty that cost them the game and potentially a playoff spot down the road. Buffalo appeared to win the game when Wil Lutz missed a field goal with just seconds remaining.
But the Bills had 12 players on the field, which resulted in Lutz making his second touchdown catch and leading the Broncos to a 24-22 victory.
Monday night's game was a wild one that saw the Broncos botch two extra point attempts before Lutz connected on the winning goal as time expired.
While the penalty was the nail in the coffin, the Bills were also hurt by four turnovers that included a pair of Josh Allen interceptions.
On the other side, the Broncos received a solid performance from Russell Wilson, who set up Lutz's game-winning score when he made a desperation throw to Jerry Jeudy that resulted in pass interference against Taron Johnson.
Wilson completed 24 of 29 passes on the night, which included touchdown passes to Courtland Sutton and Javonte Williams.
At the close of Week 10 of the #NFL season, the #Denver #Broncos defeated the #Buffalo #Bills 24-22 with a last-second field goal by Wil Lutz.
Denver's Russell Wilson totaled 193 yards and 2 touchdowns. pic.twitter.com/V62onEMyfh
- Luis Miguel Guerrero (@luismideportes) November 14, 2023
The Key to the Broncos' Victory
Denver did just enough to win its third straight game. Denver's first and last points of the first half came on turnovers that proved critical to the final outcome.
The first turnover was by Ja'Quan McMillian forcing a fumble by James Cook on the first play from the line of scrimmage.Fabian Moreau's interception of Allen just before halftime set up Lutz's second field goal to give Denver a 15-8 lead at intermission.
The Broncos defense then recorded a turnover on downs and a loose ball by Allen, who was trying to run a handoff to Cook. It was another impressive game for a Denver defense that entered the game as the 32nd ranked scoring unit.
Denver's defense continually gave its offense exceptional field position. And while the offense didn't always take advantage of that, Wilson and company did their part by scoring points on their final two series.
With the score tied, Wilson led a 12-play, 54-yard touchdown drive that was capped by his three-yard touchdown pass to Williams, who had 110 total yards on the night.
After Buffalo took its first lead moments later, the Broncos marched 57 yards in 10 plays to win the game.
The Key to the Bills' Defeat
The mistakes continue to plague the Bills, who now have a 5-5 record and are 10th in the AFC standings. Allen had three turnovers Monday night; his 11 interceptions and 13 total turnovers this season are tops in the NFL.
Turnovers aside, Allen struggled to find his rhythm. He threw for just 177 yards and completed just three passes to Stefon Diggs.
Buffalo did have success on the ground, led by Cook's 109 yards, which included a quirky 42-yard run in which he recovered his own loose ball and ran for 29 more yards on Buffalo's final offensive series that gave them the lead late in the game.
Latavius Murray contributed to the cause with 68 yards and a touchdown on nine attempts.
Defensively, the Bills had trouble containing Wilson, who at times looked to be at his best. But for all their problems, the Bills would have won the game if not for their special teams mistake on the final play.
The game appeared to be sealed when Lutz's 41-yard attempt sailed wide right with four seconds left. But the penalty for having too many men on the field gave Lutz a second chance, which he took full advantage of.
Another notable turning point in the game occurred with the score tied and the Broncos facing a third-and-10 at their own 46-yard line with 11:42 remaining.
On the play, Wilson found Jerry Jeudy for a 19-yard gain that kept the series alive. Wilson then handed the ball off to Samaje Perine for another key third-down conversion before connecting with Williams for the go-ahead touchdown.
