With Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey back after missing seven weeks and leading a strong charge with a sack and forced fumble on Buffalo's first possession, the sputtering Bills gained negative 2 yards in the first quarter and fell behind 13-0.

But after the first act, the Bills decided they wouldn't follow the script.

Like a struggling boxer who changed his mind after agreeing to play the patsy in a fixed fight, the Bills picked themselves up and fought back, and the Broncos defense couldn't find any answers.

Buffalo went on to rally for a 30-23 victory, denying the Broncos a division title and a playoff berth.

"To have a chance to clinch at home today, we couldn't have had a better scenario than what we had today," cornerback Dre Bly said. "But Buffalo, man, they came out and played. They got down 13-0, but mentally they stayed in it. They were able to bounce back and make some plays."

The game seemed to turn after Broncos kicker Matt Prater missed a 54-yard field-goal attempt with 1:55 left in the first half.

Buffalo quarterback Trent Edwards, who had a miserable 1-of-4 first quarter and a fumble on Bailey's sack, led a no-huddle attack 56 yards in the remaining time, and the Bills scored a touchdown on Marshawn Lynch's 2-yard run to cut their deficit to 13-10 at halftime.

"It was a big pick-me-up for everybody," Bills coach Dick Jauron said. "To go into halftime (trailing) 13-6 would have been OK, but to take it down the field and put it in the end zone was huge for us."

The late first-half touchdown sparked the Bills offense, and Buffalo scored on four straight possessions in the second half against the Broncos' reeling defense.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Edwards took advantage of linebacker Jamie Winborn's pass coverage on Fred Jackson and fired a 65-yard pass to the speedy running back to put the Bills on the Broncos 3-yard line.

Two plays later, Edwards burned Bly with a short touchdown pass to receiver Steve Johnson.

It was only Johnson's second touchdown of the season and it gave the Bills a 23-20 lead.

A Broncos field goal tied the score 23-23, but a short kickoff gave the Bills a start on the Broncos 45.

Edwards quickly dissected the Broncos again, throwing two passes for 27 yards. Jackson, who replaced Lynch in the backfield when Lynch left because of an injury, ran twice for 10 and 8 yards, the second going into the end zone standing up, to score the go-ahead touchdown.

The change of fortune left the Broncos defense perplexed.

"I'm disappointed that we couldn't finish the job," defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban said. "We started fast, but we just have to learn how to finish the last three quarters like we started."

Buffalo was outgained 532-275 but didn't turn over the ball. Even when Edwards fumbled on Bailey's sack, it was recovered by the Bills to reduce the damage.

Edwards, who had missed the Bills' previous two games, recovered from his rough start to complete 17-of-25 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown.

"He was a little bit rusty at first," Jauron said. "But he is a very tough guy. He is not a person to panic. It is really great to have him back on the field."