The Denver Broncos were the best team in the AFC this season and earned the No. 1 seed, complete with home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
However, the team has faced doubts from the outside world all season. Those doubters have called the team lucky and they feel the team just doesn't have enough offense to make any noise in the postseason, no matter how many regular-season games they won.
That's why it's not too much of a surprise that the Bills have opened as 1.5-point favorites.
NFL fans placing bets on this game see the same thing all of these Broncos doubters have stated all season: That this team is ripe for an upset and Josh Allen, on a mission to win the Super Bowl finally, is the man to lead the charge. While that could eventually be the result, the Broncos have been here before.
For those who have said the Broncos haven't beaten anyone this year, they knocked off the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles at their place. They put 44 points on the Dallas Cowboys before getting past the Houston Texans, the last team to beat them. They then knocked off a supremely desperate Kansas City Chiefs team, which still had a healthy Patrick Mahomes.
But that wasn't enough. Not long after that, despite being on a 10-game winning streak and being undefeated at home, they were underdogs in Week 14 against the Green Bay Packers. They became the first team in NFL history with a winning streak of at least 10 games to be a home underdog.
The Broncos beat the Packers 34-26 and after the game, when asked about it, Broncos quarterback Bo Nix came up with an answer that should be adopted as the team's motto for the rest of this season.
“We’re the OVERDOGS” -Bo Nix 😂
— DNVR Broncos (@DNVR_Broncos) December 15, 2025
Via @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/mJ6PfkERFE
Nix stated that the Broncos were the "overdogs", and that was just a terrific response. This came after he said "I don't really care, my Mom thinks we'll win", when asked about being underdogs earlier that week.
The Broncos should be used to this by now and in fact, it should be something that not only rallies the team but also creates a level of comfort. The Broncos seem as though they thrive in the role of underdogs and may even prefer the added pressure being placed on their opponent.
There's always something to be said about being told you can't do something. The Broncos' 14-3 record will be overlooked, as will their home-field advantage. The expectation of many will be that Allen comes into Denver and makes a statement that this is going to be his year. But that could play right into the Broncos' hands.
READ: The main reason Buffalo Bills present such a difficult challenge for Denver Broncos
This will be Denver's chance to fully embrace the "Overdog" role and make the critics eat their words again.
More Broncos Content
Vance Joseph has at least one team's fanbase that doesn't want to see him as head coach
Denver Broncos 2025 Team Awards: MVP, Rookie of the Year, more
Denver Broncos: Ranking the top 5 plays by the team during 2025 regular season
Broncos' predicted playoff X-factor has held that role all season
Von Miller using former Broncos teammate as motivation to continue playing career