Buffalo Rumblings
Thoughts on another early playoff exit by Buffalo
It was supposed to be different this time...
In an AFC Championship preview article, I predicted the Buffalo Bills would finally take down the Kansas City Chiefs. “It has to be the Bills,” I wrote. “It was meant to be us to slay the dragon... right?” Well, clearly, it doesn’t have to be the Bills. Once again, it wasn’t.
Buffalo’s 32-29 loss to Kansas City is a colossal gut punch, one that keeps hitting harder year after year. This knockdown punch leaves the Bills 0-4 against the Chiefs in the Allen vs. Mahomes era.
I don’t believe there’s a better word to describe it other than simply... disappointing. As another opportunity, and probably their best yet, to win Buffalo’s first Super Bowl slips away, it’s hard not to wonder: Will the Bills ever get over the hump? Additionally, is anyone going to ever beat the Chiefs in the playoffs?
In past matchups, there were excuses to cling to — infamous coaching blunders, missed field goals, or the worst 13-second sequence in NFL history. But there are no excuses this time.
Head coach Sean McDermott coached aggressively, made all the “right” decisions on game management, no turnovers, Tyler Bass even drilled a 53-yard field goal. The Bills were simply outplayed.
Unfortunately, part of that is on Josh Allen — something in which I believe he might agree. For the second straight year, Allen had the ball in his hands, down three points late in the fourth quarter.
Allen had a chance to tie or take the lead while leaving Mahomes little to no time to make a rebuttal. And for the second straight year, Buffalo couldn’t figure it out.
It wasn’t entirely on Allen either season: he could have used some help from his teammates in these key moments — Amari Cooper & Spencer Brown slipping on a third-down screenplay that may have gone to the house; or Dalton Kincaid coming up with the fourth-down catch.
Regardless, the past two years were basically the same game, and I’ll take the same situation again next year if it comes up. Down by three, under four minutes left and the ball near midfield. Next time, the Bills just have to convert.
Kansas City also showed up with new, off-the-wall play designs. So where were Buffalo’s? The officiating had some questionable moments, but if you want to beat the Chiefs, you have to leave no doubt. The Bills didn’t do that.
But let’s be clear, just because Buffalo didn’t make it the Super Bowl this year doesn’t mean they never will. It’s another painful chapter for Bills Mafia, but as long as Josh Allen is at the helm, they’ll always have a legitimate chance.
After all, maybe the Bills weren’t meant to win this season because next year, they’ll win it all and raise a banner to open their new stadium in 2026.
