Broncos will have a silver lining if they close as underdogs against Bills

Though the Denver Broncos are used to being slighted at this point, many fans within Broncos Country were flabbergasted when the team opened as a home underdog in the divisional playoffs against the Buffalo Bills. 

It's rare for that to happen to a No. 1 seed, but if the Bills close as favorites, history is on the side of the Broncos. 

In the last 40 years, only three teams that had a bye ahead of the divisional round were underdogs going into the next game. In all three instances, the underdog team won the game. 

1996-97: Carolina 26, Dallas 17
2011-12: San Francisco 36, New Orleans 32
2017-18: Philadelphia 15, Atlanta 10

The 2017 Eagles were the only team to be an underdog as a No. 1 seed in that situation, so the Broncos would become the second. That Eagles team went on to win the Super Bowl that year. 

The Broncos are seen by many as a weak No. 1 seed. The Bills have Josh Allen, who looks primed to win his first Super Bowl now that the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals are all sitting at home for the postseason. 

Allen is still considered by some to be the best player in the league and the Bills have been pegged to win a Super Bowl for the last handful of years. The Broncos, with Bo Nix in just his second season as the team's starting quarterback, are being viewed as little more than a speedbump in Buffalo's path. 

In each of the instances above, the teams that ended up losing those games were seen the same way. 

In 1996, the Panthers were in just their second year of existence. The Cowboys were still fresh off their run of winning three Super Bowls in four years. No way they were going to lose to a brand new team, right?

In 2011, the Saints, coincidentally coached by Sean Payton, were an offensive juggernaut who most everyone thought would go into San Francisco and wreak havoc. Alex Smith and the 49ers were up to the challenge. 

And in 2017, the Eagles had lost starting quarterback Carson Wentz, leading to Nick Foles having to come on in relief. Foles defied all of the odds and became the Super Bowl MVP. 

READ: Denver Broncos Playoff Notes: Postseason record vs. Buffalo Bills, divisional record and more

The Broncos are in line with these teams. They are a team with a great defense, a competent offense and a head coach that knows how to win in this league. They are going to embrace the "overdog" status and look to slam the door shut on Allen's Super Bowl hopes. 

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