The reward for the Buffalo Bills’ hard-fought road playoff win has been decided, and it comes in the form of their toughest challenge yet on a short week of rest. After defeating the Jacksonville Jaguars and getting their first playoff road win, Josh Allen and co will have to face the No. 1 seed in the AFC during the NFL Divisional Round on Saturday.

“Just announced: The NFL Divisional Round schedule: Saturday: – 4:30 ET: Bills @ Broncos ON CBS,” posted NFL reporter Ari Meirov on X.

With the NFL’s decision on the final schedules announced, the Bills will have to be in the best shape. The franchise now has the oldest quarterback remaining in the AFC, Josh Allen (29), who will want to overcome the Denver Broncos. The Broncos have a home advantage, which will make the situation more challenging for the Bills. They just got their first playoff road win in the Josh Allen-Sean McDermott era. Now, in the following week, they will participate in another road playoff game.

Despite playing the earliest game on Wild Card Sunday, Buffalo was still slotted into the first Divisional kickoff, quietly shrinking its recovery window. While teams like the Patriots and Texans gained the benefit of a Sunday Divisional slot, and even the 49ers picked up extra hours, the Bills entered the round with the least rest of any remaining team.

The Broncos have been rallying around 25-year-old Bo Nix, who has been excellent this season. His box score reads 63.4% pass completion rate for 3,931 passing yards and 25 touchdowns. His running game is also impressive, covering 356 yards and five touchdowns. But for Allen, vigilance will be needed on the defense. Linebacker Nik Bonitto has been great with 14 sacks this season, along with two forced fumbles. Bonitto could be a problem for Allen, especially as the quarterback has been sacked a career-high 40 times this season already.

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All in all, it shapes up as a classic offense-versus-defense matchup. Buffalo enters averaging 28.2 points per game, while Denver’s defense has allowed just 18.3, creating a clear challenge for the high-powered Bills’ attack. On the flip side, the Bills have given up 21.6 points per game, while Denver scores 23.6, highlighting how close the battle could be. Beyond the matchup itself, Buffalo’s mounting injury list adds another layer of uncertainty to its Lombardi aspirations.

The Buffalo Bills face a long list of injuries ahead of the No.1 seed clash

Before the Bills entered EverBank Stadium, there was a lingering question about whether Josh Allen would play or not. Despite HC McDermott announcing Allen was suffering from soreness, he did play against the Jaguars. But for Buffalo, the bigger problem may lie in the receiver department.

Receiver Gabe Davis is out for the postseason with a torn ACL after he was injured during their Wild Card game. This is the same knee that sidelined him for much of 2024 and 2025. Meanwhile, Joshua Palmer remains on IR. That leaves the Bills with just four active receivers, forcing reliance on Shakir, Cooks, Coleman, and Shavers. Meanwhile, other departments have issues too.

Tight end Dalton Kincaid remains a question mark heading into the Divisional Round after playing against Jacksonville and scoring a touchdown. He was seen in a walking boot postgame, but coaches expect him to practice this week and be available for the matchup. Amid the injury shuffle, the Bills are seeing progress as well.

LB Terrel Bernard, CB Maxwell Hairston, and RB Ty Johnson are all improving, while DT Ed Oliver and WR Curtis Samuel have opened practice windows. Josh Allen, despite some soreness, is confirmed to take the field.

The road ahead is tough, but if anything, the Bills have always shown they can overcome any adversities. It took them a while to get their first road playoff victory, but they don’t seem to have the luxury of time for a second one. It remains to be seen what script will be written on Saturday at 4:30 PM ET at Empower Field at Mile High.