Bills vs. Broncos: What Are Experts Saying About Buffalo?

The Buffalo Bills are on the edge of the playoff race, but they aren't completely out of it yet. The Bills are one of six AFC teams at 7-5 vying for one of the two available wild-card spots.

This week, the Bills take their talents to Denver for a matchup with Peyton Manning and the Broncos. Few are expecting the Bills to pull off the victory, but the Buffalo defense has been up to the task all season. This will be one of the defense's toughest challenges of the season, and Mario Williams and Co. will need to be at their best to keep the Bills in the game.

As usual, opinions abound about this and every other NFL game this weekend. Let's round up what some of the experts are saying about the Bills/Broncos battle.

Mark Schlereth: 'Broncos 100-0'

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We will start with something that is probably more trolling than anything else, but Mark Schlereth said it nonetheless.

On a recent episode of NFL Live, ESPN's Schlereth (a former Bronco) said the Broncos would beat the Bills 100-0 (h/t Matthew Fairburn of Syracuse.com). Sure, Schlereth probably said it in jest, but it still shows some people think the Bills will get rolled Sunday.

But the Bills defense is for real. That cannot be debated. The unit leads the league in sacks (48, six ahead of second place), it is fourth in interceptions (15) and it is second in opponent QBR (39.6).

Sure, facing Peyton Manning is a different challenge altogether. He will be ready for just about anything the Bills throw at him. But if the Bills limit the big plays—which they can because they generate most of the pressure with their front four—they just might be able to shock everyone again.

Bills Are Double-Digit Underdogs

Gary Wiepert/Associated Press

Despite the Bills' out-of-this-world defense, the team is still a heavy underdog on the road.

As of this writing, the Broncos are laying 10 points to the Bills at home, according to Odds Shark. In addition, Odds Shark says 56 percent of the bets on the game are for the Broncos.

The biggest reason for the double-digit spread has to be the discrepancy between the quarterbacks. If the game comes down to a battle of No. 18s, the Broncos have a serious advantage.

There is no question Kyle Orton is a big reason the Bills are where they are right now, but he isn't the team's long-term answer at quarterback. He also isn't anywhere near the same planet as Peyton Manning talent-wise.

The Broncos, boasting two of the league's best pass-rushers in DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller, have a stout defense in their own right. If the Bills struggle on offense and the defense comes back to earth a little, the Broncos could send the Bills back to Buffalo with a loss.

Pat Kirwan: Von Miller Is 'A Factor'

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In their preview for CBS Sports, Pat Kirwan and Pete Prisco cover a number of topics. But the one we want to focus on is Kirwan's discussion of Von Miller.

Kirwan said Miller has made 26 plays behind the line of scrimmage (tackles for loss and sacks) this season. If he has another big game, he could give the Bills offense headaches.

The matchup of Miller and Seantrel Henderson will be an important one to keep an eye on. Henderson is a rookie, so he will have his hands full (as any lineman would) with Miller.

The Bills will have to give Henderson some help, either with chips by running backs or double-teams with other linemen or tight ends. However, the Bills will have to pick their spots, because if they double Miller they will leave Cordy Glenn one-on-one with DeMarcus Ware.

Glenn is the Bills' best lineman though, so chances are they will take their chances with him one-on-one more often than not.

This game ultimately will be won and lost in the trenches. If the Broncos defensive line assaults Kyle Orton, the Bills offense will struggle to keep up with the Broncos. If the Bills defensive line gets some pressure on Peyton Manning, it can keep Buffalo in the game. 

If the Bills want to have any chance of stunning the Broncos, they have to keep Miller and Ware at bay.

Kevin Chroust: Bills Run Game Could Put Pressure on Orton

Bill Wippert/Associated Press

In his preview for Yahoo Sports, one of the things Kevin Chroust discusses is the Bills' recent struggles with the run game.

Chroust outlined that the Bills average 98.2 yards per game and 3.8 yards per carry on the ground. Both figures rank 24th in the league.

On the other side, the Broncos have the league's second-best rush defense, allowing 72.7 yards per game and 3.4 yards per carry. If the Broncos do indeed shut down the Bills on the ground, it may be too tough a task for Orton to carry the offense.

Frankly, the Bills need to have success on the ground to have any chance in this game. The biggest reason is that prolonging drives with the run keeps Peyton Manning on the sideline where he can't do any damage. 

If the Bills can't get anything going on the ground and find themselves in 3rd-and-longs for most of the game, it will be hard for the team to sustain drives. If it can't sustain drives, it won't be able to score much, which will make it hard to keep up with Manning and the rest of the Broncos' high-powered offense.