The Denver Broncos square off with the Buffalo Bills this Sunday in their first away game of the year. While on paper this looks like the easiest matchup of the season so far, the Bills have plenty of talent and an offensive coordinator that’s quite familiar with the Broncos offense and defense in Rick Dennison, the Broncos former coordinator under Gary Kubiak. Dennison adds an interesting wrinkle to the game.

As we do every week, we went back to check out the Bills and figure out what to expect Sunday, with the key matchups of the game and other factors to follow if the Broncos are to go 3-0.

Offense

The Buffalo Bills offense presents some of the same challenges that the Dallas Cowboys did a week ago, albeit to a lesser extent. Much like the Cowboys, the Bills are all about the ground game, led by LeSean McCoy and an offensive line that they’ve invested in heavily. Buffalo’s running attack did well Week 1 but had nowhere to go a week later, resulting in them scoring only a field goal all game. As goes the run game so does this offense.

A week ago, Denver was bullish stacking the box with eight defenders and basically challenging the Cowboys to throw the ball and try to beat their cornerbacks in man. Against Buffalo, a similar approach should have similar success as this team doesn’t have the same wideouts that the Cowboys had, though Taylor is likely a better deep ball thrower than Dak.

One wrinkle that Denver can throw at run-heavy offenses is substituting one of their safeties with a third cornerback, allowing them, even more, skill in coverage despite a loaded box. Having versatile corners opens up lots of possibilities and, as we saw last week, makes Denver very tough to beat. This strategy was also key in beating the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50.

Their passing attack is going to be powered by the play-action game as well as quarterback Tyrod Taylor’s ability to get out the pocket and throw it on the run. Containing him within the pocket is essential, much like it was with Dak Prescott.

With Dennison as the OC, they’re big on play-action bootlegs and like to use lots of heavy formations with extra tight ends and/or a fullback. Buffalo, of course, run plenty out of stretch zones, which the majority of the defense will be familiar with having practiced against this offense the two previous offseasons.

The Bills have don’t have great receivers, but they do have tight end Charles Clay, who’s more of an h-back and can be moved all over the formation. Keeping Clay locked down will be crucial. Buffalo also has receiver Jordan Matthews who, at 6-foot-3, plays a ton in the slot, making him a diverse matchup from your usual slot WRs. However, Buffalo’s pass offense has been abysmal thus far, averaging 163 yards in the air in 2017, a severe mismatch in favor of the “No Fly Zone.”

Matchup to watch for Broncos

Derek Wolfe, Adam Gotsis, and Shelby Harris against Richie Incognito

Incognito is the best lineman up front for Buffalo, and his ability to open up holes for the run game is crucial. Denver’s really been dominating opposing left guards so far this season with a deep rotation of lineman. This matchup won’t just be key for supremacy on the ground but also in creating pressure against the pass.

Von Miller and Shaquil Barrett should have favorable matchups against Buffalo’s tackles.

Defense

Buffalo plays a 4-3 defense that’s very similar to what new head coach Sean McDermott used in his time with the Carolina Panthers where they were one of the NFL’s best units. They play an aggressive hair-on-fire style with lots of one-gapping linemen who are trying attack downhill on every play. Their run defense has proved to be stout in the first two games as they’re quick to the ball and create early penetration.

Thus far, the Bills are top 10 in several key defensive categories, and the unit is powered by the defensive line; led by maybe the best pair of defensive tackles in the NFL in Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus. Unfortunately for the Bills, they’ll be without Dareus in this contest, but what’s allowed Buffalo’s front to be so good in 2017 is the emergence of left defensive end Shaq Lawson and speedy rusher Jerry Hughes, who’s been very productive so far.

In the back end, the Bills play a lot of zone, making it so that linebackers and cornerbacks are fairly close to the line, giving little cushion for quick-hitting passes underneath. They really test your ability to beat the safeties deep, but there are spaces over the seam and cushions over the top of linebackers that can be exploited.

This could mean the tight ends will come into play for Denver as could moving around Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders and placing them in favorable matchups in the slot.

There’s lots of pressure on the linebackers and safeties in this defense, and they certainly can be exploited if Trevor Siemian can pick his spots and find easy completions that’ll stress the defense and open up more holes in coverage.

Right tackle Menelik Watson will be tested as the Bills like to load up the storing side with extra rushers and also like to have their left defensive end attack the right tackles inside shoulder, a weakness of Watson’s so far that led to a sack-and-fumble against the Cowboys.

Using multiple tight ends to the strong side could help to counter this, plus Virgil Green’s prowess as a blocker will be crucial in limiting Watson’s struggles with inside moves and overloaded rushers to his side.

Matchup to watch for Broncos

Demaryius Thomas against Buffalo’s cornerbacks

Thomas was called out to start the season by new Broncos head coach Vance Joseph saying “it’s time” for DT to be a dominant receiver. So far he’s done that. Facing lots of zones and being a physically imposing wideout, DT will have a chance to win in press coverage and gain outside leverage, allowing him to stress the safeties and gain opportunities in single coverage deep.

Buffalo has lost lots of talent at cornerback this offseason, and the group can easily be exploited, meaning it could be a huge game for No. 88.

Keys to the game

It all starts with stopping Buffalo’s run in this game, but establishing a ground game will also be key for the Broncos who are currently leading the NFL in rushing yards.

This will also be the first away game of the year, and in Buffalo, we should fully expect ample crowd noise. How the offense reacts to a silent count and adverse conditions will be very important to see, particularly against a fierce front four.

One way to attack the disguises that Buffalo will throw Denver’s way on defense is with play-action, limiting the ability of linebackers and safeties to drop into their proper zones on time. Another way is for DT and Sanders to beat press coverage when they face it and win outside leverage, forcing the safeties to have to cover sideline to sideline instead of hash-to-hash and really putting pressure on Buffalo’s inexperienced cornerbacks.

This won’t be an easy matchup, but if the Broncos can muster a similar performance to what we saw in Week 2, they should be just fine.