Bills late-game penalties: Explaining how flags on final drive sank Buffalo and sent Broncos to AFC title game

Daniel Mader

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Bills late-game penalties: Explaining how flags on final drive sank Buffalo and sent Broncos to AFC title game image

Plenty will haunt the Buffalo Bills from the final game of their 2025-26 season.

Turnovers will be one of them, as Josh Allen threw two interceptions and lost two fumbles against the Denver Broncos in Saturday’s 33-30 overtime loss. Somehow, though, Buffalo remained in the game despite those five lost possessions. It wasn’t until Denver’s game-winning drive in overtime that the Bills were truly out of it — and that drive can be partially attributed to penalties.

Twice on the series that set up Wil Lutz’s game-winning field goal, the Bills were flagged for defensive pass interference. Buffalo gave up a total of 47 yards on penalties during the drive alone, allowing the Broncos to coast down the field for the final points of the playoff game.

Here’s a look at the two massive flags that sent the Bills into their offseason.

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Bills late-game penalties

Originally, the Bills appeared well-positioned to win the game in overtime. Their defense forced a punt, meaning Buffalo could advance to the AFC Championship Game with just a field goal. But after Josh Allen went deep for Brandin Cooks, who had the ball wrestled away by Ja'Quan McMillian, the Bills offense stepped off the field for the final time this season.

Bo Nix found R.J. Harvey for a 24-yard gain, pushing Denver to around midfield. From there, the Bills' defense helped Nix and the Broncos out. 

On a 2nd & 10 that resulted in an incompletion, Taron Johnson was flagged for defensive pass interference. Denver gained 17 yards as a result of that penalty. Joey Bosa was also flagged for roughing the passer, but that was declined.

Johnson was all over Courtland Sutton on the incompletion, taking him to the ground just as the pass arrived. Whether it was DPI or not, Bosa's penalty would've resulted in yards for the Broncos anyway.

The back-breaker for the Bills, however, came two plays later. On 2nd & 12, already in range for a long field goal, Nix went deep for Marvin Mims, who was covered by Tre'Davious White. This DPI call was a bit more clear, as White started tackling Mims before the ball had arrived.

That penalty by White cost the Bills another 30 yards because it was so far downfield. That put Denver on the eight-yard line, able to simply take a knee and attempt the winning field goal.

White was visibly frustrated after the pass interference call, receiving another penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct after throwing his helmet on the ground near a referee while arguing the call.

Bills penalty yards vs. Broncos

In total, the Bills had five penalties for 68 yards in Saturday's AFC Divisional Round game against the Broncos. Denver had three penalties for 20 yards.

Flags weren't much of an issue for Buffalo until that final drive in overtime; 47 of those 68 yards came from the two pass interference calls alone.

MORE: How Josh Allen's fumble before halftime changed game vs. Broncos

Bills 2025-26 penalty stats

When it comes to penalties, Buffalo wasn't particularly notable either way during the regular season. The Bills averaged 50.3 penalty yards per game, per Team Rankings, which ranked as the 14th-most in the NFL, around the middle of the pack.

Still, penalties will still be fresh on Sean McDermott's mind as his team now enters another offseason without a Lombardi Trophy for Josh Allen.

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