Pat Surtain II Wants To Change Last Year’s Playoff Experience Against Buffalo

The Denver Broncos haven’t talked much about last year’s playoffs. Which is understandable, given that they got pasted in their first playoff appearance in years, as the Buffalo Bills tuned up the Broncos by a 31-7 count.

But this year, it’s the Broncos’ turn. They have Buffalo at home as the top seed in the AFC, and this year Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen is dealing with several significant injuries.

That doesn’t take away the pain for certain players, however.

“We left with a sour taste,” said cornerback Pat Surtain II, via the team’s website in a piece written by Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. “That wasn’t the result we wanted, but there’s a lot to learn from and take away from that game. We know that we’re a whole completely different team. Last year’s in the past.”

Surtain is right about that, of course. The Broncos were the seventh seed in last year’s loss, and a lot of their performance had a “happy to be here” feel to it. Denver looked overwhelmed at times, even after scoring the first touchdown of the game, but this year will be different.

The cornerback calls last year a learning experience, but this year’s defense is very different as well. They spent much of the season threatening the all-time sack record of the Chicago Bears back in the 80s, and while they didn’t quite get there, they have more than enough talent to keep Allen running for his life.

That running can be problematic, however. Allen often looks like the play is lost and off the rails when he escapes from the pocket, but that’s also when he’s at his most dangerous. He pulls big plays from out of nowhere, and if that happens on Saturday the Broncos will once again be left licking their wounds.

It will be interesting to see how the Bills approach Allen this time around. The temptation will be to get big hits and capitalize on his injuries, but that’s when Allen is often at his most dangerous. He knows how to get around rushers who come at him too hard, but he’s also a superb pocket passer if the Broncos simply try to corral him in the pocket.

It’s going to be a fascinating chess match for both Allen and the defense, and the winner will live to fight again another day with a leg up on a Super Bowl experience.