The NFL Divisional Round kicks off a mile above sea level when the Denver Broncos host the Buffalo Bills.
I take a look at the forecast for this opening Divisional Round game to see whether the weather could impact the NFL odds.
Here’s my Bills vs. Broncos weather report for Saturday, January 17.
Bills vs Broncos weather forecast
The current forecast looks ideal for the Buffalo Bills vs. Denver Broncos matchup, with temperatures in the mid-40s, mostly sunny skies, and light winds on Saturday afternoon.
Winds are projected to reach sustained speeds of 9 mph with gusts as high as 15 mph, blowing north from corner to corner at Empower Stadium at Mile High.
How Bills vs Broncos weather impacts the odds
The weather will have zero impact on the odds, nor should it really impact the play on the field. Buffalo is an open-air team, and the current forecast for Denver looks a lot nicer than its recent outdoor games.
As always, playing at Mile High does come with the challenge of playing at altitude and the thin air that comes with it. That aspect could have a bigger impact, given Buffalo is playing on a short week while the Broncos are acclimated to the elevation and rested off the bye weeks.
The Bills have injury concerns following a physical Wild Card clash in Jacksonville. They’re notably thin at receiver heading into the Divisional Round. Buffalo plays at a controlled pace, anchored in its run game to chew up the clock and keep possession.
Denver, however, will push the pace more, operating at the fifth-highest no-huddle rate in the NFL (12.9%). The Broncos are also fourth in offensive plays per game and could utilize that tempo to compound the effects of the thin air on the Bills' defense, wearing them out in the second half.
Bills vs Broncos bets to watch
Denver has very much been a second-half team this season. The Broncos average 10.9 first-half points and then pump that up to 12.2 in the final 30 minutes, while the defense has allowed only 8.4 points against in the second half.
Given how Sean Payton can put is foot on the gas pedal in the final 30 minutes, we could see Buffalo’s defense buckle in the final two frames. This offers value in the “highest scoring half” markets, with the 2H listed at -130, or could be an angle for the in-play odds, depending on how the first half goes.
Monitor gametime conditions with our live NFL weather info and learn how weather impacts NFL betting.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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