When the Denver Broncos host the Buffalo Bills in Saturday’s divisional round clash at Mile High, the spotlight might not just be on Josh Allen’s arm or Denver’s defense-it might be on the guys in stripes.
Here’s why: Denver enters the postseason as the most penalized team in the NFL. That’s not just a footnote-it’s a storyline.
The Broncos were flagged for a league-high 1,149 penalty yards during the regular season, and a whopping 350 of those came from defensive pass interference (DPI) calls. That’s not just a leaky secondary-that’s a trend that could swing a playoff game.
And no one’s been more vulnerable to drawing those flags than cornerback Riley Moss. The rookie has been targeted early and often by officials, racking up 203 penalty yards on 10 DPI calls alone.
That’s the most in the league. For a young corner in a high-pressure playoff setting, that’s a stat that looms large.
Now, enter Josh Allen. The Bills quarterback has made a habit of turning penalties into points.
This season, Allen led all QBs with +5.6 expected points added (EPA) generated from opponent penalties. That’s not just a quirky stat-it’s a reflection of how Buffalo uses every inch of the field and every break they can get.
Allen’s aggressive style, paired with Buffalo’s vertical attack, forces defenders into tough decisions. And more often than not, those decisions end with a yellow flag on the turf.
So what happens when the NFL’s most penalty-prone defense meets the quarterback who’s best at capitalizing on those mistakes? You get a matchup where officiating could become a bigger factor than either team would like.
Adding another layer to this is the referee assignment. Carl Cheffers and his crew will be officiating the game.
Cheffers is the most experienced official working the divisional round this year, and his crew has a reputation-they called nearly two more penalties per game than the league average during the regular season. That’s not noise.
That’s a measurable trend.
For Denver, there’s a small silver lining: home teams fared slightly better in games officiated by Cheffers’ crew in 2025. That’s not exactly a game plan, but it’s a trend the Broncos won’t mind seeing continue-especially as the AFC’s No. 1 seed looking to make good on a strong regular season.
Bottom line: this game has all the makings of a heavyweight playoff battle, but don’t be surprised if the defining moments come not from a spectacular throw or a game-saving tackle, but from a flag flying through the Mile High air.