Buffalo @ Denver preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 24, 2011 ) Denver 14, Buffalo 40

The Denver Broncos are undefeated at home and in the mix for the top overall seed in the AFC as they prepare to host the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. The Broncos have rebounded with back-to-back victories following a stunning 22-7 loss at St. Louis and hold a one-game lead over San Diego atop the AFC West while sitting in a tie with New England for the best conference record - although the Patriots hold the tiebreaker. C.J. Anderson has emerged as a force in the backfield to augment an already explosive attack.

Buffalo also has won two straight and is among a cluster of six teams at 7-5 who are battling for the final playoff berth but faces a brutal closing schedule that includes matchups against Green Bay and New England. Kyle Orton, who replaced EJ Manuel as the starter in Week 5 and has guided the Bills to a 5-3 record, returns to face the team that benched him in favor of Tim Tebow three years ago. "We're right there where we need to be with four games to go," Orton said after last week's 26-10 win over Cleveland.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Broncos -10. O/U: 47.5

ABOUT THE BILLS (7-5): Orton was successful in his return to Denver on New Year's Day 2012, guiding Kansas City to a 7-3 victory, but one touchdown won't cut it against a Peyton Manning-led offense averaging 30.1 points. Orton has thrown for 13 touchdowns versus five interceptions but has failed to pass for 200 yards in two of the past three games, due to part to the struggles of rookie wideout Sammy Watkins, who is battling a hip injury and managed only 13 catches for 105 yards in four games last month. Robert Woods has helped pick up the slack with 13 receptions over the last two games and Fred Jackson provided a spark to the ground game with a season-high 70 yards last week. Buffalo leads the league with 48 sacks and the ability to pressure Manning will be a key to the game.

ABOUT THE BRONCOS (9-3): Manning has thrown for a league-high 36 touchdowns, including six the past two weeks, but his overall numbers in the last two wins have been relatively pedestrian due to the emergence of Anderson in the backfield. Anderson, who started the season behind Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman, churned out 167 yards in a 39-36 win over Miami on Nov. 30 before amassing 168 yards in last week's 29-16 victory at Kansas City. That provides another weapon to a passing game that features 1,000-yard receivers in Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, who have combined for 170 catches and 17 touchdowns. Tight end Julius Thomas has an NFL-best 12 TDs despite missing the last two games, while Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware have racked up 12 and 10 sacks, respectively.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Manning has thrown a TD pass in 51 straight games, the third-longest streak in history behind Drew Brees (54) and Tom Brady (52).

2. Jackson needs 21 receiving yards to become the third undrafted RB in history to record 5,000 yards rushing and 2,500 yards receiving.

3. Manning has been sacked only 13 times and faces the only defense in the league to feature three players with at least nine sacks apiece.

PREDICTION: Broncos 30, Bills 17