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With a Buffalo Bills AFC Championship game scheduled against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Josh Allen will get a chance at redemption. Ahead of the Bills-Chiefs game, we'll be making our Josh Allen AFC Championship game bold predictions.
Allen must beat the Chiefs in the playoffs at some point to be taken seriously as a modern great. The three-time Pro Bowler has been elite since 2020, but has lost to Patrick Mahomes and company in all three of their postseason meetings. If Allen doesn't lead Buffalo to victory on Sunday, fans may call him a “playoff fraud.”
Meanwhile, Mahomes has already won three Super Bowls and could win a fourth this season. In that case, the 29-year-old would already be over halfway to Tom Brady's record of seven, and would even further distance himself from his peers atop the mountain.
Allen revealed his thoughts on the Chiefs after the Bills' 27-25 win over the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round on Sunday, via NFL.com's Kevin Petra.
“We know what they are. They're the perennial of what you want to be in the NFL,” the two-time Second-team All-Pro said. “You've got to beat them to get past them. So, you know, we're going to enjoy this one tonight.”
While Kansas City (16-2) is a tough opponent, Buffalo's 30-21 victory in their Nov. 17 matchup should inspire confidence. However, Allen mentioned before the Ravens game that he's not letting that win get to his head.
“The regular season is what the regular season is, and it doesn't matter how well you perform when you get to the playoffs, it doesn't really matter,” the Wyoming alum said. “It's hard to beat a team twice. We understand that. We know that. It's a team that we beat early in the season, but it's not the same team. They got some guys back on their defense and their offense, and I can't tell you enough now. I don't know much about it because I've been focusing on the Ravens, so we'll get into that tomorrow.”
Now that Allen knocked off two-time MVP and 2024 MVP favorite Lamar Jackson, he'll get his fourth playoff crack at Mahomes. Will he finally be able to beat his kryptonite?
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Allen will have 300+ total yards
While the emergence of James Cook in the backfield has enabled Buffalo to finally have a balanced offensive attack, the offense will run through Allen on Sunday. Expect the dual threat to pass for around 270 yards and rush for at least 30, similar to his performance against the Denver Broncos in the Wild Card round.
The Bills handed Allen a $43 million average annual salary in 2021 to take center stage in the biggest moments. The 28-year-old will get every chance to lead Buffalo down the field and control the clock against Kansas City, and he'll deliver.
Allen completed 27-of-40 passes (67.5%) for 262 yards with one touchdown and one interception in the November meeting with the Chiefs, as 55 rushing yards and a score on 12 carries. He's proven in both the regular season and playoffs that he can produce against them, and there's no reason to think that'll change.
Allen won't turn the ball over
The once turnover-prone signal-caller has cleaned up that area of his game. Allen threw 10 touchdowns and 12 picks his rookie year, but tossed 28 scores and just six interceptions this season. He's continued that momentum in the playoffs, with two passing touchdowns, two rushing scores, and no turnovers.
Now in his sixth season, Allen has both the talent and experience to navigate the pressure of the big stage. The 2018 No. 7 overall pick will take care of the ball against Kansas City and consistently lead his offense down the field.
Allen will have at least four total touchdowns
Between outside passes to Amari Cooper, middle-of-the-field tosses to Dalton Kincaid, and screen passes to Cook, Allen has a deep bag of tricks to use against the Chiefs. That's not to mention his power runs out of shotgun or his quarterback sneaks in short-yardage situations.
The Chiefs' defense, which is headlined by three-time First-team All-Pro Chris Jones at defensive tackle, won't go down easy. However, Allen is too dynamic and clutch at this point in his career to shut down. The best they can hope for is to contain him to around 300 yards and four touchdowns.
Allen will lead the Bills to victory
Allen will defeat Mahomes in a 35-31 shootout, sending Buffalo to its first Super Bowl appearance since 1993. The California native's legacy will reach a new level of greatness if he then leads the Bills to their first-ever championship ring, but he'll still have ground to cover to catch his Kansas City-based rival.
