Josh Allen faced a painful end to another playoff run Saturday night as he led his Buffalo Bills against Denver in the AFC divisional round, only to fall short in a closely contested 33-30 defeat. Standing before reporters afterward, Allen was visibly emotional, dabbing away tears as he reflected on the loss.
Despite the challenges of playoff football that Allen has become familiar with, this game represented a significant opportunity for the Bills to reach the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, Allen was responsible for four of the team's five turnovers on the night, a critical factor in the outcome.
Addressing the media, Allen expressed his feelings: "It’s extremely difficult," he said earnestly. "I felt like I let my teammates down." Unlike previous playoff hurdles featuring high-profile opponents such as the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, or Cincinnati Bengals, this game’s rival was the Denver Broncos — a top-seeded but relatively unproven team led by quarterback Bo Nix.
The Broncos converted Buffalo’s turnovers into 16 points, including the decisive 23-yard field goal by Wil Lutz that sealed the game’s result. Upon witnessing Lutz’s kick clear the uprights, Allen quickly rose from his seat, proceeded onto the field, and then made his way to the locker room.
Denver will advance to play either the New England Patriots or Houston Texans. They will be without Nix, who sustained a broken right ankle late in overtime and will undergo surgery, sidelining him for the remainder of the playoffs.
Reflecting on the turnovers, Allen said, "You can’t win with five turnovers. You shoot yourself in the foot like that, you don't deserve to win football games." He threw two interceptions and lost two fumbles. The Bills had earlier defeated Jacksonville in the wild-card round, but with this loss, they become the first NFL team to win a playoff game for six consecutive seasons without advancing to the Super Bowl.
Allen, who holds the record for most playoff wins (eight) by a quarterback never to appear in a Super Bowl during the Super Bowl era, joined a rare group of players. In the past 20 postseasons, only he and Arizona’s Carson Palmer have thrown two or more interceptions and lost two or more fumbles in a single playoff game.
These statistics and the outcome invite reflection on whether Allen’s eventual Super Bowl appearance remains inevitable. The 29-year-old quarterback, last season's Most Valuable Player, who often carries the Bills almost single-handedly, conveyed his sentiments postgame: "I haven’t been doing a lot of talking other than I love my teammates. Extremely sorry and disappointed." Allen completed 283 passing yards with three touchdowns, and added 66 rushing yards.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott came to Allen’s defense despite the missteps. Highlighting Allen's key fumble just before halftime that led to a Denver field goal, McDermott said, "No, it’s not on him. We all had opportunities, and I’m extremely proud of him. He’s a tremendous person, tremendous leader, tremendous quarterback. Yes, there are plays we all want back."
One critical and contentious moment occurred during overtime. Allen threw a long pass intended for Brandin Cooks that Broncos cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian intercepted. McDermott thought Cooks had possession and was down by contact, and he used a timeout to ask officials for a review. If Cooks had maintained possession, the Bills would have been well-positioned for a field goal attempt.
McDermott expressed frustration with the ruling, saying, "It’s hard for me to understand why it was ruled the way it was ruled. And if it is ruled that way, then why wasn’t it slowed down just to make sure we have this right? That would’ve made a lot of sense to me. I’m standing up for Buffalo. This is not how it should go down."
Referee Carl Cheffers explained that the receiver needed to complete the process of the catch. Since Cooks lost control of the ball when hitting the ground and McMillian gained possession, the defender was awarded the interception.
Following that turnover, the Broncos advanced deep into Bills territory, aided by two pass-interference penalties and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Buffalo defenders Taron Johnson and Tre’Davious White. Those infractions placed Denver within easy range for Lutz's final field goal, which ended the game.
Allen admitted the loss would remain with him for some time: "Losing in the playoffs is not fun." With this result, the Bills' pursuit of a Super Bowl continues to face significant hurdles despite their consistent playoff appearances and Allen's efforts.