Can bizarre ending to 24-22 victory be beginning of miraculous playoff run for Broncos?

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Bizarre does not begin to describe how the Broncos kept their playoff dream alive.

With Bills celebrating on the field at the sight of Denver kicker Wil Lutz missing a 41-yard field goal as the fourth quarter expired, a flag came flying to save the Broncos. Buffalo had 12 men on the field.

Given a second chance, Lutz nailed the kick that slammed the Super Bowl window on the reeling Bills’ fingers and gave Denver a 24-22 victory on Monday Night Football.

On a three-game winning streak, the Broncos’ record is now 4-5. And much-maligned Russell Wilson has now beaten Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, generally regarded as the top two quarterbacks in the league, in back-to-back games.

Wilson has completed more than 3,500 passes in his NFL career. But few have been more remarkable, and I’m willing to wager none have been more improbable, than the tug-on-Superman’s-cape and spit-into-the-wind touchdown he threw to Courtland Sutton that staked the Broncos to a 9-0 lead in the second quarter.

Deciding to forego a gimme of field goal in the red zone, Wilson took the snap on fourth down at the 7-yard line and was immediately stalked by a rambling bear of a free rusher named Shaq Lawson. Spinning away to save his hide, Wilson scrambled more than 15 yards before launching a once-in-a-blue-moon shot toward the corner of the end zone in a window opening that was too tiny to fit a sparrow, much less a football.

And Sutton made a catch so amazing an official on the spot refused to believe it at first glance, initially ruling his feet out of bounds and the pass incomplete, until a replay confirmed a little miracle had indeed taken place. Those good nerds at NFL Next Gen Stats calculated the play had a 3.2% chance of success, or approximately the same chance that Travis Kelce has of living happily ever after with Taylor Swift.

Too bad the league’s trade deadline passed on Halloween. If not, I’m guessing Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane would’ve been on the horn with Broncos counterpart George Paton as Denver took a 15-8 lead at halftime to offer Allen for Wilson. Straight up.

Through two quarters, Wilson looked more like a quarterback bound for the Hall of Fame. And it wasn’t particularly close. Prior to halftime, Wilson completed 12 of 14 passes for 114 yards. Dinky-and-dunky? Yes. But safe and effective.

Allen, however, chased away the boos raining down on the Bills by rallying Buffalo. When he beat Denver linebacker Baron Browning to the pylon on a 6-yard touchdown run with 1:55 in the fourth quarter, the Bills took a 22-21 lead.