The Broncos take on the Bills on the Christmas Eve. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

The game may be blacked out in Western New York, but that doesn’t mean the Broncos vs. Bills contest isn’t important. With a win here and a loss by Oakland, the Broncos will clinch a playoff berth – their first since 2005. The Bills lead the series 18-15-1, and they won their most recent matchup in 2008. The Broncos are coming off of a loss to the Patriots, but it’s the Bills that are on a greater downward slide with seven consecutive losses. Here’s a breakdown of the matchup:

Offense

Broncos: The Broncos can run all day long on the Bills. The Bills weakness plays into the greatest strength of the Broncos. The team is leading the league in rushing with 163.1 yards per game. They had that total in the first quarter against the Patriots last week. The key for the Broncos is to hold on to the ball. Tim Tebow has shown that he can be as much a threat in the air as he is on the ground. However, the team’s three second quarter turnovers dug them an early grave against the Patriots. The Broncos are -7 in turnover differential. When playing away from home, converting in the red zone is the most important aspect for an offense. The Broncos are converting 48.4% of the time when deep in their opponents territory.

Bills: The Bills are not a bad offensive team by any means. They are 13th in rushing and 15th in passing. They have a lot of individual talent on their roster with Stevie Johnson and C.J. Spiller. Ryan Fitzpatrick is a solid QB and he gets the ball out of his hands quickly. He’s only been sacked 19 times this season. The only other QB that has played in 14 games and has been sacked less is Matt Hasselbeck with 15 sacks. Fitzpatrick is prone to throwing picks. He leads the league with 19 interceptions on the season (He has 22 TDs).
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Stevie Johnson makes the grab against Vontae Davis. (Marc Serota/Getty Images)

The Broncos have played a slew of great wide receivers this season. From Wes Welker and Rob Gronkowski to Calvin Johnson, Brandon Marshall, and Vincent Jackson, the Broncos’ secondary has been thoroughly challenged.

This week is no different. The team faces Stevie Johnson who is averaging 62.3 yards per contest, and has 6 touchdowns on the season.

“He’s tough,” Champ Bailey said. “I watched the Jets game and Chargers game. Their corners had a hard time with him.”

Bailey will likely be matched up with Johnson on Saturday when the Broncos take on the Bills.

At 6’2″, 210 lbs., he’s another physical receiver that uses his size to his advantage. Against Darrelle Revis who is a great bump and run cover corner, Johnson was equally as physical. In two games against the Jets, Johnson had 3 catches for 84 yards, and 8 catches for 74 yards and 1 TD.
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