The Buffalo Bills recently had an exceptional Wild Card game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. They won 27-24 and will hope to carry this momentum into the Divisional Round against the Denver Broncos. It is going to be an interesting game, considering the forte of both teams.
While the Bills rank third in the NFL in the PFSN’s Offense Impact Metric, they will face the Broncos’ defense, which is the best in the league as per the PFSN’s Defense Impact Metric. If the Bills have to survive this, they will need the best running game they have had all season. There is more pressure on James Cook because of the injuries to Buffalo’s receivers.
Bills’ Wide Receiver Depth Chart
Bills wide receivers Joshua Palmer (Ankle), Gabe Davis (torn ACL), and Tyrell Shavers (torn ACL) have already been ruled out of the game. Moreover, running back Ty Johnson is also inactive against the Broncos.
If it’s not evident enough, the Bills’ attack is more likely to falter than to prosper in the current situation. With all these injuries, are the remaining options capable of piercing through the Broncos’ defense?
Khalil Shakir
The Bills should be glad that Khalil Shakir is healthy and playing. He has been one of Josh Allen’s favorite targets in the playoffs for the last two seasons. In fact, in the AFC Wild Card game against the Jaguars, Shakir was targeted 12 times and caught all 12 for 82 yards.
He might have been the 148th overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, but his performance has aged like fine wine. Shakir ranks 30th this season in the PFSN WR Impact Metric with an impact score of 77.7. He is the highest-ranked among the four Bills receivers in the list.
Brandin Cooks
This is Brandin Cooks’ first season with the Bills. He has seen his fair share of playoffs in his illustrious career. Cooks was the 20th overall pick for the New Orleans Saints in the 1st round of the 2014 NFL Draft. The veteran wide receiver joined the Bills after playing 10 games with the Saints.
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In his career, Cooks has been targeted 1,136 times and has recorded 9,811 receiving yards. He played in two consecutive Super Bowls but did not win either. However, he has achieved something extraordinary. Cooks has six 1,000-yard receiving seasons in his career, and is one of only two players in league history to do that with four different teams.
Keon Coleman
The 33rd overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft is currently in the second season of his NFL career. Coleman makes sure he brings on the rookie energy onto the field. However, his ethics and playing style ensure that, with experience, he will match the likes of Puka Nacua, getting better with every match.
Coleman ranks 75th on the PFSN WR Impact metrics. Some day, he will be among the top 10. I predict it will be in the 2027-28 season.
Mecole Hardman Jr.
Mecole Hardman Jr. is a three-time Super Bowl champion. The veteran was first released by the team but re-signed by the Bills in December. In the first game for the Bills, Hardman Jr. returned a kickoff for 61 yards against the Bucs in Week 11. His experience could help the team, provided he stays fit.
Hardman Jr. was the 56th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft for the Kansas City Chiefs, a team he had served dearly. In his career, he has had 2,302 receiving yards and has registered 16 touchdowns.
Curtis Samuel
Buffalo activated Curtis Samuel from the injured reserve before the game against the Broncos. He will be active today and hopes to justify the three-year, $24 million deal he got from the Bills in 2024.
So far, he has played in just 20 games for the Bills across two seasons, recording 38 receptions for 334 yards and 2 touchdowns. Samuel last played in November against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before he suffered an elbow injury.
Buffalo Bills’ Stats and Insights for Divisional Round
Playoff:Â Josh Allen recorded his first career postseason fourth-quarter comeback against the Jaguars. He has 17 during the regular season in his career, including four this season.
​Team: The Buffalo Bills are 0-5 when scoring 20 points or fewer, while being 13-0 when scoring more than 20, including the Wild Card win.
QB: Josh Allen’s PFSN’s Quarterback Impact Metric (QBi) score of 83.4 (B) against the Jacksonville Jaguars was the fourth-best of his postseason career, and marked the fourth time he posted the highest QBi in the NFL during a Wild Card or Divisional Round week.
OFF: Against the Jaguars, James Cook was held to 46 yards on 15 rushes. Excluding Week 18, when he had only two carries, the Wild Card game marked his second-lowest rushing yardage total in any game this season, with the lowest being 44 yards in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens.
DEF:Â The 14 points allowed to the Jaguars in the fourth quarter tied for the most points Buffalo has allowed in any fourth quarter during this season.
