The Buffalo Bills have always been dependent on quarterback Josh Allen all season long. He took his play to another level in the NFL Playoffs this year. Despite the 42-36 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, he played out of his mind and did all he could do.
Buffalo’s defense let him down big time after he threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Gabriel Davis with 13 seconds remaining in regulation time. The Bills had a 36-33 lead.
The Kansas City Chiefs got into field goal range in that span on big completions by Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. Harrison Butker drilled the game-tying 49-yard field goal as time expired.
Kansas City won the coin toss and marched down the field and Patrick Mahomes threw the game-winning 9-yard touchdown pass to Travis Kelce.
Buffalo didn’t get a chance to touch the football in overtime and every fan on Twitter seemed to be outraged except for Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills.. Allen is right that had been them in that situation, they wouldn’t be complaining about it. He knows his defense needs to stop them and couldn’t. I mean the Bills did have the number one ranked defense throughout the NFL regular season and you can’t stop them for 13 seconds, even though the Kansas City Chiefs had three timeouts remaining? Come on.
Josh Allen took his game to another level. He completed 27-of-37 passes for 329 yards and four touchdowns. Allen was also their leading rusher with 68 yards on 11 carries. He deserved better big time and there is nothing else you can ask of him. Josh Allen had nine total touchdown passes in two playoff games and only had 12 incompletions.
The Buffalo Bills will probably win a Super Bowl one day with him at the quarterback position and it could have been this year if the defense didn’t fail him.
Gabriel Davis had a coming-out party with eight receptions for 201 yards receiving and four touchdowns. Stefon Diggs was held in check with three receptions for seven yards receiving.
Unfourtanely for Josh Allen, his performance will be out shadowed by Patrick Mahomes because he was the winning quarterback and Josh Allen wasn’t. Mahomes completed 33-of-44 passes for 378 yards and three touchdowns. He was also the Kansas City Chiefs leading rusher with 69 yards on seven carries and one touchdown.
Travis Kelce caught eight passes for 96 yards receiving and a touchdown. Tyreek Hill was Kansas City’s leading receiver with 11 receptions for 150 yards receiving and a touchdown.
This football game was an instant classic and I am sure that we are going to see many more epic battles between Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes over the next decade.
The Kansas City Chiefs (14-5) will host the Cincinnati Bengals (12-7) in the AFC Championship Game next Sunday. Cincinnati beat Kansas City earlier this season. This is the fourth consecutive season that the Kansas City Chiefs will host the AFC Championship Game.
The Buffalo Bills (12-7) season concludes. Buffalo couldn’t beat them twice in one year. The Buffalo Bills didn’t win a single one-possession game all season long, but they will be back.
-Glenn Kaplan, 12oz Sports Contributor, Live Monday’s at 3 p.m. ET & Thursday at 11 a.m. ET on 12oz Sports
Photo Credit: Twitter @BuffaloBills
