ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The venue isn't the only thing that will be different when the Denver Broncos host the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round of the playoffs Saturday.

The vibe in Denver isn't the same as it was a year ago, either.

“We were just kind of excited to get in,” edge rusher Nik Bonitto said of the Broncos ending a long playoff drought last year and joining the postseason party as the AFC's seventh seed. “We wanted to make some noise when we got in, but we didn’t do that.”

As they were getting drubbed 31-7 by the Bills at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, a year ago, Broncos coach Sean Payton resolved to earn the right to host playoff games at Empower Field at Mile High in the future.

After getting bowled over by Josh Allen and James Cook — the Bills rushed for 210 yards that day — the Broncos bolstered their run defense in free agency by luring safety Talanoa Hufanga and linebacker Dre Greenlaw from the San Francisco 49ers.

“We’re just not the same team that we were a year ago,” edge rusher Jonathon Cooper said. "And with the additions that we added with Dre and Huff, we’re definitely stepping up our game and our defense as a whole.”

Denver also drafted R.J. Harvey, who led all rookie running backs with a dozen touchdowns, and Devon Key had a breakout season on special teams, earning All-Pro honors alongside Hufanga, Pat Surtain II, Josh Allen, Quinn Meinerz and Garett Bolles.

The Broncos (14-3) tied a franchise record for victories in a season, won 11 one-score games and recorded 11 comebacks in earning the AFC's top seed and lone first-round bye this time.

The Bills (13-5) are banged up but coming off their first road playoff victory since 1992, a 27-24 masterpiece at Jacksonville on wild-card weekend. The Bills are hopeful that a playoff field missing Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow might just be the antidote for past playoff short-circuits.

Looking ahead to the rematch, Broncos right tackle Mike McGlinchey said: "We don't feel as though we were in the position that we were in last year, right? We kind of got into the playoffs, we were excited to be there. And that’s kind of a different mindset than we’re in right now.”

This time, the Broncos have designs on an extended playoff run, beginning with a reversal of fortunes against the Bills.

Saturday will mark the Broncos' first playoff game in Denver since they beat New England 20-18 in the AFC championship on Jan. 24, 2015, in the 17th and final matchup between Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.

“I expect it to be extremely loud,” Broncos quarterback Bo Nix said. “I expect it to be a great environment. Similar to what it’s been recently of the past several home games, but something tells me it’ll be kicked up a notch. … It’s going to be a fun time.”

Despite a spate of injuries, the Bills were installed as early favorites before that line shifted in Denver's favor.

“It could motivate us," Surtain said of Denver’s underdog status to start the week. “But we’ve been been underdogs (before). … We understand what it’s like, but none of that matters. We’ve got to go out there and play our brand of football and play our game.”

Another motivating factor is that 24-point loss at Buffalo in last year's playoffs.

“Of course, I feel like revenge is definitely something people use to their advantage,’’ Cooper said. “I don’t know necessarily if that’s our mindset. I really feel like we’re just going to do what we do well.”

Chief among those is rushing the passer.

The Broncos set a franchise record with 68 sacks — and Allen was sacked a career-high 40 times this season.

Asked how long it took for him to get over last year’s playoff loss at Buffalo, Cooper said, “It’s still sitting with me.”

Hufanga said he's using that loss at motivation even though he wasn't here.

“I just wanted to play Buffalo just because it was a team they lost to the playoffs last year," Hufanga said. “It’s always fun when you play a team that you lost to before because it definitely holds a chip on your shoulder. And I’m kind of holding that chip even though I wasn’t here.”

Eighth-year Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton said he's excited for his first career home playoff game: “I’ve been saying since I got here that we needed to get a home playoff game back in the city. The way that the fans have been showing up, Broncos Country has been bumping."

And Nix said he's glad it's Allen who will have to deal with the crowd noise this time around.

“Last year was a tough environment, tough road experience," Nix said. "It’s obviously nice to be at home. It’s nice for that challenge to be on the other side. Being able to use verbal cadence, being able to talk, being able to communicate is going to better for us at home.”

Brandin Cooks' chemistry with Allen adds new dimension to Bills passing game

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Whether it was catching passes from Drew Brees as a rookie in New Orleans, or teaming up with Buffalo’s Josh Allen 11 years later, wide receiver Brandin Cooks has stuck to a tried and tested method in building a quarterback's trust.

The key, Cooks said on Tuesday, is deferring to the quarterback’s direction and preferences when running any given route, rather than the other way around.

The approach has served him well over a career in which Cooks is now on his seventh stop, including two in New Orleans; has topped 1,000 yards receiving six times; and played with Tom Brady in New England, Dak Prescott in Dallas and Jared Goff with the Rams.

“Josh is very similar. There’s a way that your quarterback wants it,” Cooks said. “So I’m used to the aspect of like, hey, if they see it a certain way and maybe I don’t, well, I’ve got to come up on the same page and figure it out.”

The quicker the better for the 32-year-old who has already established a rapport with Allen in the seven weeks since landing in Buffalo.

And Cooks’ emerging role in the Bills’ passing game will take on even greater emphasis on Saturday, when Buffalo travels to play the AFC’s top-seeded Denver Broncos in a divisional round playoff matchup.

Not only has the speedster provided Buffalo a downfield option the offense had been lacking, the team heads to Denver depleted at the position.

Cooks, Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman are the only three healthy receivers on Buffalo's active roster after Gabe Davis and Tyrell Shavers injured their knees in a 27-24 wild-card playoff win at Jacksonville on Sunday. And that came a day after the Bills placed Joshua Palmer on injured reserve.

“Obviously not an ideal situation. But I still trust that room completely,” Allen said.

And that's especially true of Cooks.

“You don’t stay around the league as long as he has without being athletically gifted,” Allen said. “He’s a very good football player. We communicate extremely well.”

It was apparent in a 13-12 loss to Philadelphia three weeks ago, when Cooks had four catches for 101 yards — the 25th 100-yard outing of his career, and first in two years.

The two were at it again on Sunday at Jacksonville, where Cooks helped set up the go-ahead touchdown.

Trailing by four, and facing first-and-10 at the Buffalo 44, Cooks ran up the left sideline, cut in toward the middle to find space in the Jaguars coverage and made a 36-yard catch just before the two-minute warning. Allen scored on a 1-yard run a minute later.

“He’s showed up huge for us the last few games,” Allen said, noting the two worked on the play in practice last week. “For him to go out there and execute the way he did is pretty awesome.”

For coach Sean McDermott, Cooks’ catch showed how the receiver combines speed and intuitiveness.

“Instincts, that to me is the game of football. It’s not track, it’s not a 40-yard dash, weightlifting,” McDermott said. “And usually when you bring in good football players, you have a chance.”

Including Sunday, Cooks has eight catches — seven for first downs — for 172 yards in six games with Buffalo. He’s already surpassed his yardage total of 165 in 10 games to open the season in his second stint with New Orleans.

Cooks, who also spent three seasons in Houston, believed he had much more to offer than being a bit player with the Saints. He was granted his request to be cut on Nov. 19 and signed with Buffalo six days later.

“He’s added a level to our offense that at times this year we didn’t have,” coordinator Joe Brady said. “We’re grateful that we were able to get him on our football team.”

Cook has no reason to look back at how his days ended in New Orleans. He’s instead focused on the present, and the opportunity to make his third career Super Bowl appearance after losing the past two — in the 2017 season with New England and a year later with the Rams.

“I’m so in the moment right now,” Cooks said. “I’m blessed to be able to play in January. And I’m focused on the task at hand.”

Cincinnati holds off Colorado 77-68 for the Bearcats' first Big 12 win this season

CINCINNATI (AP) — Baba Miller scored 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and Cincinnati beat Colorado 77-68 on Wednesday night for the Bearcats' first Big 12 Conference win this season.

Cincinnati led by 21 points early in the second half, but with about 11 minutes left Colorado began a 13-3 run to pull to 61-56 with 5:44 remaining. Day Day Thomas scored the next five points for the Bearcats and Miller added a jumper to make it 68-56.

Bangot Dak and Barrington Hargress each hit a 3 in an 8-0 spurt to cut the Buffaloes' deficit to 68-64 before the Bearcats sealed it from the free-throw line.

Miller was 10 of 17 from the floor for Cincinnati (9-8, 1-3). Moustapha Thiam added 15 points for the Bearcats.

Isaiah Johnson scored 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting to lead Colorado (12-5, 2-2). Hargress finished with 14 points and Dak scored 12 to go with seven rebounds.

Cincinnati opened the game on a 18-4 run that included a Miller dunk and led 43-25 at the break. Miller paced the Bearcats with 15 points and five rebounds in the first half. Sebastian Rancik and Alon Michaeli each scored five first-half points for Colorado, which shot 35% and committed 10 turnovers.

Cincinnati had its largest lead, 50-29, with 16:44 to play.

Up next

Colorado: At West Virginia on Saturday.

Cincinnati: Hosts No. 2 Iowa State on Saturday.