Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills’ quest to win the franchise’s first Super Bowl ended in brutal fashion as Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals rolled into Highmark Stadium and beat them 27-10.
As opposed to last year’s gut-wrenching overtime loss to the Chiefs, the Bills were blown away by the Bengals, who advanced to the AFC Championship Game where they will take on Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.
Josh Allen attempted 42 passes and completed 25 for 265 yards and no touchdowns with one interception. He rushed eight times for 26 yards and scored the Bills’ only touchdown. On the flip side, Burrow completed 23 of his 36 pass attempts for 242 yards and two touchdown passes and rushed for 32 yards on six carries, leading the Bengals to a blowout win.
NFL fans on social media mercilessly criticized Allen’s performance. Here are some of the best reactions:
Painful playoff losses becoming a trend for Josh Allen and the Bills
For the third straight season, Josh Allen and the Bills failed to end the franchise’s long wait for a Super Bowl appearance.
The team suffered a lopsided 38-24 loss to Mahomes and the Chiefs in the 2020-21 AFC Championship Game, but a year later pushed Kansas City to the brink of elimination, only to give up enough yards in 13 seconds to see them score a game-tying field goal and force overtime. Mahomes and the Chiefs scored on the opening possession in overtime to eliminate the Bills in the divisional round.
They had a strong regular season in 2022 and would have played in the AFC Championship Game against the Chiefs at a neutral venue, but another disappointing loss today meant their wait for a Super Bowl appearance would extend to 30 years.
Josh Allen and the Bills were touted as the favorites to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl this season, but now have to be content with watching the Bengals and the Chiefs slug it out for the Conference title.
Today’s loss to the Bengals will be a painful one for Allen and the Bills to digest.
