The Denver Broncos’ Divisional Round matchup with the Buffalo Bills just picked up a significant new storyline.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott told reporters wide receiver Gabe Davis suffered a torn ACL, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, and Davis is expected to miss Saturday’s playoff game in Denver.
Denver, the AFC’s No. 1 seed, is set to host Buffalo on Saturday, January 17 at Empower Field at Mile High.
What We Know About the Gabe Davis Injury
Schefter reported that McDermott delivered the update after Buffalo’s Wild Card win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the game in which Davis suffered the injury.
That’s a big blow for a Bills offense that leans heavily on Josh Allen’s ability to punish defenses vertically and off-script, exactly the type of stress test the Broncos were preparing for with a week of rest and extra time to game-plan.
Key details (quick hit):
- Injury: Torn ACL (Gabe Davis)
- Game impacted: Broncos vs. Bills, Divisional Round (Sat., Jan. 17)
- Setting: Denver hosting as AFC No. 1 seed
What It Means for the Broncos’ Defensive Plan
From a Broncos perspective, this is the type of late-week “pressure moment” news that can change how a playoff opponent calls a game.
Davis has historically been a field-stretcher and a red-zone problem when he’s rolling, and losing a downfield target can tighten Buffalo’s margin for error, especially on the road in a hostile environment and at altitude.
It also potentially allows Denver defensive coordinator Vance Joseph more flexibility with coverages and help rules, because the Bills may be forced to redistribute Davis’ targets to the rest of the receiver room and tighter-area weapons.
Davis appeared in six games for the Bills this season, rehabbed back from an injury. He had recorded 12 catches for 114 yards. Against the Jaguars in the playoffs, he had two catches on three targets for 14 yards.
Davis only appeared in six games because he wasn’t fully available for most of the season while rehabbing a prior knee injury (a torn meniscus he suffered with the Jacksonville Jaguars in November 2024). After Jacksonville released him, Buffalo brought him back on a practice-squad deal in early September 2025 while he continued his recovery, and he didn’t become a regular game-day option until later in the year.
In previous seasons for the Bills, he had neared 1,000-yard-receiving seasons twice in his career. He also has 30 touchdowns over the course of his six-season career.
How Buffalo Could Adjust Without Davis
Buffalo has built a deeper wide receiver group around Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Curtis Samuel, Joshua Palmer and Elijah Moore, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the Bills try to replace Davis’ snaps by committee rather than with a single “next man up.”
That could mean more motion, more quick-game, and more designed touches, anything to keep Allen on schedule and avoid obvious “must-throw” downs against a Broncos defense that has been playing with confidence during Denver’s run to home-field advantage.
For Denver, the takeaway is simple: even if Buffalo’s offense can still score, losing a player of Davis’ profile can remove one of the cleaner, faster ways to flip field position and steal momentum in a playoff game.
Stats, Schedule & Context for Broncos-Bills
Denver earned the AFC’s top seed and a first-round bye, setting up this home Divisional Round date.
Buffalo, meanwhile, advanced out of the Wild Card round with a win over Jacksonville before McDermott’s update on Davis became the headline.
If Davis truly is out, the Broncos will spend the week preparing for a Bills offense that may look a little different – but still dangerous – while Denver tries to capitalize on every small edge that shows up in January.
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