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The Buffalo Bills 42-36 playoff loss against the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime on Sunday, January 23, was arguably one of the most heartbreaking defeats in franchise history.
Just when it seemed like the Bills had a victory in the bag, supreme redemption from last year’s AFC Championship game loss against the Chiefs, with 13 seconds left in regulation, quarterback Patrick Mahomes led his offense down the field, allowing kicker Harrison Butker to kick a field goal and tie the game 36-36.
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While the Bills’ staff and players on the sideline were celebrating, as it seemed ridiculous that the Chiefs could score with just 13 seconds left on the clock, quarterback Josh Allen appeared to anticipate that exact scenario taking place.
With three seconds left on the game clock, just before Butker drilled a 49-yard field goal to tie the game, Allen’s face said it all. The 25-year-old looked determined and fearful at the same time, and a photo of his reaction reverberated throughout Twitter.
Associated Press reporter John Wawrow tweeted, “The one shot I’ll not forget, is someone, not a player, on the Bills sideline smiling while talking excitedly to someone with the Bills up by 3 and 13 seconds left, and Josh Allen staring intently, focused, expressionless, on the bench.”
Kansas City went 44 yards in just two plays in order to get into field goal position after starting on their own 25-yard line. And they did it all in just 10 seconds, which left three seconds for the game-tying field goal.
After the Bills lost the coin toss, Kansas City got the ball first, and Mahomes continued to dominate over Buffalo’s defense, which struggled to contain the former Super Bowl MVP throughout all of regulation. Allen’s face after Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce caught the game-winning touchdown, was also captured on camera.
Allen Put on a Historic Performance During the Bills’ Postseason
Allen finished on Sunday’s game completing 27-of-37 passes for 329 yards, four touchdowns, and 68 rushing yards. Overall, during the Bills’ two consecutive postseason games, he scored nine touchdowns and zero interceptions, which is a first in NFL history, per The Buffalo News’ Jason Wolf.
While the 25-year-old quarterback incorrectly guessed the coin toss in overtime, which allowed Kansas City to have the ball first, he can’t be blamed for the team’s loss.
News 4 Buffalo reporter Nick Veronica tweeted after the game, “There have only been two playoff games in NFL history where a QB had 300+ passing yards, 4+ passing TDs and 60+ rushing yards.” And that person? Allen, of course.
Allen Didn’t Offer Up Any Excuses After the Game
The fact that Allen, one of the league’s most dominant quarterbacks, didn’t even get a chance to touch the ball in overtime, had fans and analysts on Twitter calling for the NFL to change up the overtime rules.
However, after the game, Allen wasn’t looking for sympathy. “The rules are what they are and I can’t complain,” he said. If it was the other way around we’d be celebrating. We didn’t make enough plays tonight.”
“I’m proud of our guys and how we battled… Obviously, it hurts,” Allen admitted. “We don’t like feeling like this. Especially back-to-back years at the same place. So, we’ve got to find a way to get better next year and to accomplish what we want to accomplish.”
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