Buffalo Bills vs. Denver Broncos: Complete Week 14 Preview for Denver
Currently tied with New England for the best record in the AFC, the Denver Broncos must keep their foot on the gas pedal in the race for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
The Buffalo Bills will bring a winning record (7-5) to Sports Authority Field, looking to pull off the upset. The Bills lead the all-time series 20-15-1 and have won the past two games against the Broncos.
Not only do the Broncos have to keep pace with New England, but they must also be wary of the San Diego Chargers, who are just one game behind them in the AFC West.
That makes this a very important game.
Here, we have a full preview for the game, including an injury report for Denver and key matchups to watch.
Week 13 Recap
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The Denver Broncos got one of their most satisfying wins of the entire season in Week 13, doing so in front of a national audience on Sunday Night Football.
Denver earned a season sweep of the Kansas City Chiefs, defeating them 29-16. In the process, they dealt a huge blow to Kansas City's hopes of winning the AFC West division.
The Broncos again leaned on their running game, gashing the Chiefs for 214 yards on the ground. C.J. Anderson became the first running back to have back-to-back games of at least 150 yards rushing since Adrian Peterson did it during his 2,000-yard season in 2012.
Though the Broncos settled for five field goals from new kicker Connor Barth, this game was never very close. The defense held the Chiefs to just 151 yards of total offense and forced them to go 1-of-9 on third-down conversions.
They also collected six sacks of Kansas City quarterback Alex Smith.
Denver quarterback Peyton Manning completed just 17 of 34 passes for 174 yards, a very pedestrian night by his standards. That makes the fact that the Broncos earned a double-digit victory all the more impressive.
News and Notes
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Ben Garland Earns Team's Walter Payton Man of the Year Award
One of the most underrated awards in the NFL is the Walter Payton Man of the Year. Each year, the league selects a winner from a list of nominees from each team.
Based on his contributions both on and off the field in the Denver community, reserve offensive lineman Ben Garland will be the Broncos' nominee, as reported by Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post.
Garland will be recognized at halftime of Sunday's game for his volunteer work and leadership with organizations such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver and the Denver Rescue Mission.
"Ben Garland on being named WPMOY - “I’m still shocked I got it…it’s a real honor to get it."
— Chris Hall (@BroncosTV) December 4, 2014"
Garland joins Champ Bailey, Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey, among others, as Broncos to be nominated for the award. John Elway is the only player in team history to ever win the award.
Brandon McManus Rejoins Team Via Practice Squad
Though he made just nine of 13 field goals for the team this season, Brandon McManus was brought back as a member of the practice squad, as reported by Mike Klis of The Denver Post.
Connor Barth made five field goals in his Denver debut, but his kickoffs lacked power. Kansas City had great starting field position on nearly every possession as a result.
Though it was a cold, windy night in Kansas City, that can be the only explanation for keeping McManus around.
"Brandon McManus was 48 of 64 in touchbacks (75 pct). He was also 9 of 13 in FGs (69.2). Connor is 5 of 5 in FGs; 0 of 8 in touchbacks
— Mike Klis (@MikeKlis) December 4, 2014"
Would the Broncos risk releasing a player from the active roster to make room for McManus as a kickoff specialist? That remains to be seen, but it's certainly a possibility.
Broncos Don't Have Any Interest in RB Ray Rice
Though the Broncos have been hit hard by the injury bug at the running back position this season, Pro Football Talk reports that the team is currently not interested in adding former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice to their roster.
Rice, who was recently reinstated after being suspended for much of the season after a domestic violence incident, has yet to find any real interest around the league.
Though the Broncos have a high-character locker room and staff that could handle the media attention of bringing Rice in, they're likely making the right decision, as it could be seen as a panic move.
Injury Report
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| Montee Ball | Running Back | Groin | Questionable |
| Ronnie Hillman | Running Back | Foot | Questionable |
| Quinton Carter | Safety | Knee | Questionable |
| Lerentee McCray | Linebacker | Illness | Questionable |
| Jacob Tamme | Tight End | Ribs | Questionable |
| Aqib Talib | Cornerback | Hamstring | Probable |
| Demaryius Thomas | Wide Receiver | Ankle | Questionable |
| Julius Thomas | Tight End | Ankle | Questionable |
| Kayvon Webster | Cornerback | Shoulder | Questionable |
| Juwan Thompson | Running Back | Knee | Probable |
All injury statuses courtesy of CBS Sports.
Several members of the Broncos found themselves on the injury report once again, such as running backs Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman. But one name that should jump out immediately is that of Demaryius Thomas.
Thomas had his ankle stepped on by a teammate in Wednesday's practice and sat out on Thursday as a result, reports Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post.
Though there is nothing to indicate Thomas will miss Sunday's game, head coach John Fox said, "Well, I can't necessarily say," if Thomas will be available to play in the game, as noted by Jhabvala.
It is certainly a situation to keep an eye on.
Also for Denver, Julius Thomas has been more active in practice this week, according to CBS. That's an encouraging sign for the tight end, who has missed multiple games.
Listed as probable, cornerback Aqib Talib should be available for the game.
On top of all of that, Troy Renck of The Denver Post noted that wide receiver Wes Welker was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice session. However, according to CBS Sports' injury report, his limitations were not injury-related.
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X-Factor Players and Matchups to Watch
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Louis Vasquez vs. Mario Williams
Louis Vasquez has excelled since being moved to the right tackle position, but he faces a huge challenge in the form of Mario Williams on Sunday.
Williams was just named the AFC Defensive Player of the Month for November, according to the Bills' official website.
Williams has 12 sacks on the season, already tied for the third-best total of his career. He can wreak havoc on quarterbacks, so Vasquez will be charged with keeping him away from Peyton Manning.
During the past two games, the Broncos have frequently used a sixth offensive lineman. Expect them to put Virgil Green or Paul Cornick on the same side with Vasquez to help contain Williams.
Bradley Roby vs. Chris Hogan
Assuming Aqib Talib returns to the lineup, rookie Bradley Roby will be moved back to the third cornerback position. That could leave him chasing around Buffalo slot receiver Chris Hogan.
Hogan, a relatively unknown second-year player from Monmouth, has been a favorite target for Buffalo quarterback Kyle Orton.
Though Orton has Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods to throw to, he often looks Hogan's way, particularly on third down.
Before Orton replaced E.J. Manuel at quarterback, Hogan caught just two passes in four games. Since that time, he has 27 catches for 293 yards and three touchdowns in eight games.
They aren't massive numbers, but Orton can keep the chains moving with short passes across the middle to Hogan.
Denver Kickoff Coverage vs. Marquise Goodwin
In Week 13 against Kansas City, Connor Barth didn't reach the end zone on a single kickoff. The Chiefs started past their own 30-yard line on nearly every possession as a result. One of his kickoffs actually landed at the 13-yard line.
One of the underlying storylines to watch in this game will be Barth kicking off for the first time in the thin air of Denver. If he can't reach the end zone and force touchbacks, Buffalo kick returner Marquise Goodwin can make Denver pay.
Goodwin averages over 20 yards per kick return over the course of his career, and he's one of the fastest players in the league.
The Bills will be ready to capitalize on short kickoffs. If Barth's leg doesn't find the end zone, the coverage team needs to be ready to shed blocks and make tackles to prevent a big play.
X-Factor Player: Virgil Green
An argument can be made that Virgil Green will be Denver's X-factor player for the remainder of the season. His skills as a blocker in the running game are invaluable.
How many tight ends in the NFL can be effective without making a single catch? It wouldn't be a very long list, but Green is on it.
"Great conversation with Virgil Green today. The epitome of a team player. Broncos are 9-0 with him, 0-3 without him. #Broncos
— Vic Lombardi (@VicLombardi) December 3, 2014"
Denver's running game has been dominant in recent weeks, and Green's return to the lineup is as big of a reason for that as anything.
Prediction
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After playing three of their past four games on the road, the Broncos will be happy to be home for an important game against a team hungry for a spot in the playoffs.
Buffalo brings a defense that is ranked No. 5 against the pass and No. 7 against the run on the season, so they do pose a challenge for the Denver offense.
They also have Kyle Orton at quarterback, who will be playing with the added incentive of going against the team that gave up on him several years ago.
The Broncos will look to get the running game going again with C.J. Anderson, while sprinkling in a deep pass here and there from Peyton Manning. Because Denver's offense has been so balanced as of late, they will be unpredictable and very tough to defend against.
Though you can expect to see a spirited effort from Buffalo, the Broncos just have too much talent, and with home-field advantage on their side, they shouldn't have much trouble in this one.
Prediction: Broncos 27, Bills 13
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