After four years of playoff disappointments and a major offseason roster overhaul, the Buffalo Bills are finally back in the AFC championship game.
And standing in their way yet again are the Kansas City Chiefs and their star quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Three of the Bills’ last four playoff appearances have ended with losses to the Chiefs, starting with a 38-24 defeat in the 2020 AFC championship game.
The following year, Buffalo lost in a 42-36 overtime thriller in which they blew a three-point lead in the final 13 seconds. Last year, the Bills fell 27-24 at home when kicker Tyler Bass missed a crucial 44-yard field goal attempt with 1:43 left.
Now, Josh Allen and the Bills are looking to prove that this year is different. If they’ve learned anything from the painful losses of the past, this Sunday’s game is their chance to show it.
To make it to the Super Bowl for the first time since losing four straight in the 1990s, the Bills need to do something they haven’t managed in 35 years: win a playoff game on the road. Buffalo is 0-4 in playoff road games under head coach Sean McDermott, with their last road win coming in the 1992 AFC championship game against Miami.
However, the Bills have changed a lot since those early playoff losses. They’ve earned respect and now have a talented roster. They matched a franchise record with 15 regular-season wins this year, plus an additional playoff win. In their 27-25 victory over the Baltimore Ravens, the Bills showed they are a well-rounded team that plays smart, complementary football.
This win over the Ravens also gave them extra motivation. Before the game, the team was shown a video filled with criticisms of their abilities, including claims that they were “not big enough” and “couldn’t stop the run.”
Defensive tackle Ed Oliver reflected on the doubts people had about the team: “They said we weren’t big enough, we weren’t physical enough, we couldn’t stop the run, da, da, da, da, da. But we won. So what are we talking about?”
In the game, Allen played efficiently, passing to eight different players and going without a turnover. Two of the Bills’ three touchdowns came on the ground, and the defense was able to generate three turnovers, resulting in 10 points. Though Baltimore outgained Buffalo in total yards, 416-273, the Ravens couldn’t capitalize.
One key moment was Ravens tight end Mark Andrews dropping a 2-point conversion attempt with 1:33 left that could have tied the game. Despite losing the yardage battle, Buffalo secured the win, marking the fourth time a playoff team has lost without punting.
Now, the Bills must face the top-seeded Chiefs. In Week 11, Buffalo handed Kansas City their first loss of the season, a 30-21 victory, but the Bills know not to take that for granted. Of the last seven meetings between the two teams, Buffalo has won four, but all three losses came in the playoffs.
“We know what they are,” Allen said. “They’re the perennial of what you want to be in the NFL. You’ve got to beat them to get past them.”
With a chance to prove they’ve learned from the past and take the next step, the Bills are ready to face the Chiefs in a game that will determine who advances to the Super Bowl.
