ORCHARD PARK, NY. (WKBW) — The Buffalo Bills were defeated by the Denver Broncos in the final seconds of Monday night's game by a score of 24-22.
Buffalo chose to receive the opening kickoff and on their first play of the game running back James Cook fumbled and it was scooped up by the Broncos' defense.
Denver hit a 40-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead.
The next Bills possession showed a lot more promise after a 3rd and 16 conversion to start the drive. Allen and company drove down the field in eight plays for 47 yards before a pass to wide receiver Gabe Davis was dropped and off the deflection was intercepted by the Denver defense.
Through their first two drives, Buffalo had nothing but two turnovers to show for it.
Denver followed up their initial field goal in the second quarter with an improbable touchdown. On fourth and two from inside the Bills 10-yard line Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson was able to find wide receiver Courtland Sutton in the endzone. Sutton somehow dragged both feet in bounds for the score and after the missed PAT, the Broncos led 9-0 with a little more than seven minutes to go in the first half.
On the ensuing drive, the Buffalo offense went up-tempo and it paid off. They took only three minutes and 41 seconds to go 81 yards on eight plays. It ended in a 22-yard touchdown pass from Allen to tight end Dalton Kincaid. A successful two-point conversion after a Broncos penalty made it a 9-8 ballgame in favor of Denver just minutes before the end of the half.
After a Broncos' field goal to make it 12-8, Allen was picked off on his first throw of the ensuing drive. That turnover led to another field goal, the Broncos took a 15-8 lead into the break.
In the third quarter the Bills defense came away with a well-earned fumble recovery which led to the game tying touchdown scored on a three-yard run by Latavius Murray.
Knotted at 15-15 the teams headed to the fourth quarter. Denver's Javonte Williams scored on a three-yard touchdown pass from Wilson, but a missed extra point gave the Bills a glimmer of hope. The Bills were down 21-15 with under four minutes left to go in the game.
With that hope, Buffalo marched it down the field and Allen rushed it into the end zone for six. They added the extra point and led for the first time all game, 22-21.
With less than two minutes left in the game, Denver was setup with ideal field position after a pass interference call on Bills cornerback Taron Johnson.
In the final seconds, Denver missed a field goal, but the Bills were flagged for having too many men on the field. Denver succeeded in the next attempt to secure the win for Denver.
