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The Buffalo Bills 27-24 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional round was a heartbreaker. While there were multiple lead changes, the Bills were down by three points late in the fourth quarter.
After Bills quarterback Josh Allen led the offense down the field from their own 20-yard line, he set up kicker Tyler Bass to tie the game with a 44-yard field goal. With 1:43 left in regulation, Bass, one of the highest-paid kickers in the league, missed. As the ball swung wide right, the home crowd at Highmark Stadium went silent.
After the missed field goal, Kansas City nabbed a game-clinching first down and ran out the clock. As the Bills exited the field, Allen made sure to find Bass. He put out his hand to the 26-year-old kicker and brought him in for a hug. A video of this moment quickly went viral on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Knowing the Bills’ history of missing a pivotal field goal, it was a tough night for Bass. “The two most dreaded words in Buffalo have surfaced again,” CBS announcer Jim Nantz said on Sunday night. Nantz, rubbing salt in the wound, was referencing Bills kicker Scott Norwood’s missed field goal against the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXV.
Announcer Al Michaels, who called the game in 1991, as reported by USA Today, famously said, “No good… Wide right.” And the nickname stuck. Norwood’s field goal was also from 44 yards out, per ESPN’s Jorge Sedano.
Josh Allen Refused to Blame the Bills’ Loss on Tyler Bass
Allen appeared to be a shell of himself after the game. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Co. have now eliminated the Bills from the playoffs three times in the past five years. The Bills were considered favorites to win with home field advantage. Between a botched fake punt attempt, a heavily depleted defense, and several dropped passes, the Bills couldn’t get it done.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Allen made it clear that this loss was not solely on Bass’ shoulders. “I wish it wouldn’t have been put in that situation,” Allen said.
The 27-year-old quarterback did his best to propel the team to victory. He completed 26-of-39 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown, along with 12 carries for 72 yards and two rushing scores.
‘You win as a team, you lose as a team. One play doesn’t define a game, it doesn’t define a season,” Allen said. “I know people are going to be out there saying that. We got to be there for him, because again, we execute a couple plays prior, probably singing a different tune right now.”
Tyler Bass Took Full Responsibility for the Miss Field Goal, ‘I Feel Terrible’
After the game, Bass took full responsibility for the missed field goal. “Ultimately, it’s completely on me,” Bass said, per ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg. I’ve got to do a better job of getting through to my target, I’ve got to do a better job of playing it a little bit more left when you have a left to right [wind]. I’ve been here long enough to know that you have to do that.”
Bass signed a four-year, $21 million extension with Buffalo last April. In his first three years with the team, the Bills’ sixth-round pick from the 2020 NFL Draft made 85.6% of his field goals. He finished the 2023 NFL season completing 82.8% of his field goal attempts. In the postseason, he went 2-of-5.
“You know, I was trusting my line that I had in warmups,” Bass continued. “Hit a good ball, but it didn’t work out. I feel terrible, you know? I love this team and it hurts. This one hurts bad. Yeah, I’ve got to do a better job. Totally on me.”
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