Bills set up Allen v Jackson MVP showdown & Eagles edge Packers

The Buffalo Bills marched into the second week of the NFL play-offs with a largely dominant 31-7 victory over the Denver Broncos and the Philadelphia Eagles won a brutal battle with the Green Bay Packers on Wildcard Weekend.

Josh Allen threw for 272 yards and two touchdowns and James Cook ran for 120 yards and a score during a punishing rushing performance from the Bills.

Buffalo's victory sets up a mouth-watering meeting at home against the Baltimore Ravens next week, where Allen will go head-to-head with fellow MVP favourite Lamar Jackson.

The Houston Texans will visit the Kansas City Chiefs in the other AFC Divisional Round game.

In the NFC, the Packers committed four turnovers and suffered even more injuries as they lost a hard-hitting scrap 22-10 against the Eagles in Philadelphia.

Denver's last play-off game came in Super Bowl 50 in February 2016 in what was NFL legend Peyton Manning's last match - and the following eight-season drought was the second-longest in the league.

Rookie quarterback Bo Nix could well be the answer and he stunned an expectant Bills crowd in Buffalo by launching a 43-yard touchdown pass to Troy Franklin on just the fifth play of the game.

Will Lutz hitting the post with a field goal try on the stroke of half-time was as close as they came to adding more points though, and the pressure told in the second half as Buffalo's extra quality saw them run away with it.

Allen produced a dazzling touchdown throw to Ty Johnson on a fourth down in the third quarter that proved the tipping point for Denver's worn-out defence, and a 55-yard touchdown catch and run from Curtis Samuel added the finishing touches.

Buffalo's 210-yard rushing performance included some crucial runs from Allen, who is the undoubted star of a team desperate to win their first Super Bowl - and just get back to the big game for the first time since losing their fourth in a row in 1994.

MVP chants rang out around Highmark Stadium for Allen and those fans will witness the two favourites for this year's award go at it next week as Jackson's Ravens visit Buffalo.

The Ravens hammered the Bills 35-10 in Baltimore earlier this season when Buffalo had no answer for Jackson or Derrick Henry - the rematch will determine who moves one game away from the Super Bowl.

Green Bay should have known it was not their night when they fumbled the opening kick-off allowing Jalen Hurts to throw a touchdown pass to Jahan Dotson just three plays later.

And it did not get much better for the Packers as, despite their defence playing well in an armwrestle of a game, untimely penalties, injuries, a missed field goal and three interceptions from quarterback Jordan Love sealed their feat.

Only occasional attacking moments punctuated overall defensive dominance on both sides - Dallas Goedert's muscular 24-yard touchdown was the highlight for Philadelphia.

Hurts looked rusty after only just returning from concussion, as Saquon Barkley carried the Eagles attack again with 119 yards rushing, but Philadelphia could have been in deep trouble had Green Bay not continually shot themselves in the foot.

They could do nothing about top wide receivers Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed being just two of numerous injuries they picked up, leaving running back Josh Jacobs to lead the charge with his touchdown and 121-yard performance briefly giving the Packers hope.

Philadelphia saw it out though to advance, but they will need to seriously improve on offence heading into next week's Divisional Round.

AFC Divisional Round