Friday Faceoff: Will the Denver Broncos defeat the Buffalo Bills and advance to the AFC Championship Game? Mark Kiszla, sports columnist Answer: Yes They’re back! Is the NFL universe ready for this? In a year of transition for pro football, when the Chiefs Kingdom has fallen, and there ’s no apparent dynasty in the making, two teams have boldly stepped up to fill the power vacuum in the AFC. The Broncos and the Patriots. Everything old is new again. Yes, Peyton Manning is a TV mogul. Mike Shanahan is a 49ers fan. Tom Brady is a loser in Las Vegas. And Bill Belichick is no longer king of his own castle, much less the NFL. But the Patriots and Broncos, who represented the AFC at the Super Bowl a remarkable 11 times in a 20-season span from 1997 to 2016, again sit atop the conference. What about the Bills, you say? Why am I not more focused on Josh Allen and the team visiting Denver for the divisional round of the playoffs? Well, as the Bills Mafia knows all too well, Buffalo exists in the NFL to serve as a patsy to football greatness. I’m not suggesting it will be child’s play for Denver to beat Buffalo, because these Broncos never do anything the easy way. But with Allen hobbled by a foot injury, he’s ripe for the sacking by Vance Joseph’s defense. Unless James Cook runs wild, the Bills will be challenged to find the end zone. My bold prediction: Broncos 16, Bills 13 With that formality out of the way, the screaming match between denizens of Broncos Country and those Massholes from New England can begin in the renewal of hostilities at the AFC Championship Game. It’s destiny. Kyle Fredrickson, Broncos beat reporter Answer: No I hate to spoil the party at Empower Field. The incredible fan atmosphere will remind Broncos Country what it’s like to cheer for a real contender in the playoffs. Denver is back to having arguably the NFL’s best home-field advantage. The place will be going nuts. But none of that will matter when Bills quarterback Josh Allen puts on his Superman cape. There is no replicating the size, strength and playmaking ability that puts Allen among the league’s most feared quarterbacks — even if hobbled by a foot injury. The real problem is not the Broncos’ stellar defense. It’s just that Allen won’t need many points to keep pace with a lackluster Broncos offense. That Week 15 home win over the Packers, when quarterback Bo Nix lit up Green Bay, feels like ages ago. The offense was mostly stuck in neutral over the final three games of the year. That’s no recipe for success entering the playoffs. The Bills have developed championship character over the course of several deep playoff runs. The Broncos are still learning what it takes to succeed in the postseason. That’s why I’m taking Buffalo to win, 13-10, with Allen stepping up in a heroic fourth quarter. But cheer up, Broncos Country. This team is on the right path toward hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. They just aren’t there quite yet. ...read more read less