By Darin đ A Battle of Will at Mile High
On January 17, 2026, Empower Field at Mile High played host to an instant classic! It is one of the most volatile and emotional games in recent playoff history. The top-seeded Denver Broncos and the Buffalo Bills traded blows in a contest that saw a 13-point lead evaporate, a miraculous late-game lateral, and a sudden-death finish that left one city in jubilation and another in mourning. It was a game where the stats favored the visitors, but the “splash plays” belonged to the Mile High defense.
The Duel: Nix vs. Allen
The game began with the Bills looking like the dominant force, but three first-half fumblesâincluding two by Josh Allenâallowed Denver to build a 20-10 lead. However, the second half belonged to Buffalo’s resilience. Led by a record-setting 117 rushing yards from James Cook, the Bills scored 17 unanswered points to take a 27-23 lead late in the fourth quarter.
With the season on the line, sophomore sensation Bo Nix delivered a masterclass in poise. Nix orchestrated a 73-yard drive, culminating in a 26-yard touchdown strike to Marvin Mims Jr. to put Denver up 30-27 with less than a minute remaining. Not to be outdone, Allen used a spectacular hook-and-lateral play to Khalil Shakir and Ray Davis to set up Matt Prater for a 50-yard game-tying field goal as regulation expired.
The Overtime Turn
In the extra period, Buffalo seemed poised to win after their defense forced a quick Denver punt. Starting from their own 8-yard line, Allen took a deep shot to Brandin Cooks, but Broncos cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian wrestled the ball away for a stunning interception. Here is the play as posted on X.com
Gene Steratore must still be on the NFLâs payroll. CBS might as well go straight to Rodger Goodell to review refereeing decisions. Brandin Cooks caught the ball. pic.twitter.com/mX1OiPZOTp
— Ben (@TheHurricaneBen) January 18, 2026
This will go down as perhaps one of those memorable and controversial playoff plays much like the âTuck Ruleâ was in 2002 that took away a ruled Tom Brady fumble and Raiders recovery or the the infamous “Dez Caught It” moment from the 2015 NFC Divisional Playoff, where Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant‘s apparent game-tying catch against the Green Bay Packers was overturned for not maintaining control through the ground were whenthey occurred.
In this 2026 Playoff controversy, Cooks appeared to leap high and haul in the pass, falling to the ground with McMillian draped on him. The Billsâ WR rear end hit the ground, and as it did, the Denver defender took advantage of the shock of impact to rip the ball out of Cooksâ hands and roll away with the pigskin. The play was officially ruled as an interception on the field. After further review, that call was confirmed.
The optics of the play, much like the other previous controversial playoff plays mentioned, looked contrary to the call. The call is consistent with the rules, though, as an NFL receiver must complete the catch even after hitting the ground and retaining possession of the ball. In this case, the ball did not hit the ground to be ruled incomplete, but ended with the defender in possession. By rule, an interception is considered. Had this been a high school game, the ball would have been dead when Cooksâ rump hit the turf, but not in the NFL.
Billsâ Coach Sean McDermott voiced his displeasure with the call and the rule after the contest, saying:
âI am standing up for Buffalo, Damn it. I am standing up for us. Thatâs not how it should go down. …Itâs hard for me to understand why it was ruled that way.â
After the critical play was reviewed, and Denver gained control of the ball, the Broncos were aided by two critical pass interference penalties against a tiring Bills secondary. The Broncos moved into the red zone. Wil Lutz then drilled a 23-yard field goal to seal the 33-30 victory.
Conclusion: A Costly Victory
While the Broncos advanced to their first AFC Championship since 2015, the win came with a heavy price. Following the celebration, coach Sean Payton revealed that Bo Nix had suffered a season-ending broken ankle in the final moments of overtime. For the Bills, the “zero-punt” game ended in tragedy, with five total turnovers, leaving Buffalo fans to wonder “what if” yet again.
This is yet another segment in what Western New York fans have called the “Buffalo Curse.” Check out this interview we had with author Greg Tranter a few years ago on a book he wrote about the Curse.
