The game of the year belonged to Josh Allen.
While Patrick Mahomes is the face of the NFL and a reigning back-to-back Super Bowl champion, Allen is unleashing a career season in 2024.
Josh Allen reminded the Chiefs of the Bills’ power[/caption]
Playing his most efficient ball since joining the Buffalo Bills as a No. 7 overall draft pick out of Wyoming in 2018, Allen outpassed Mahomes and beat him on the ground on Sunday night.
And while Showtime Mahomes threw two interceptions, Allen accounted for 317 of the Bills’ 366 offensive yards during an impressive 30-21 home victory over Kansas City that ended the Chiefs’ undefeated season.
“Josh Allen puts on his cape,” Tim Hasselbeck said on ESPN.
“We love breaking down the plays and saying, ‘Hey, this is why this works.’
“Sometimes it’s just because the player decides he’s going to be better than everyone else on the field.”
Allen did just that on Sunday, taking over Highmark Stadium and ensuring that the 1972 Miami Dolphins would remain as the only undefeated Super Bowl winner in NFL history.
A brilliant 26-yard touchdown run by the 6ft 5in and 237lb Allen with 2 minutes and 17 seconds remaining pushed Buffalo to 9-2 and knocked Kansas City to 9-1.
“When Josh takes off, I find myself just watching, like, ‘Wow, he’s different,’ ” Buffalo wide receiver Khalil Shakir said.
“When he took off today, I just started yelling. I couldn’t stop yelling. I was blanking in the head.”
Proud Buffalo fans did the same, surrounding Allen with echoing noise as the Bills’ veteran QB took over the MVP race.
Patrick Mahomes teased that a rematch is coming[/caption]
Allen sealed the home win with a bruising TD run[/caption]
Mahomes threw two interceptions and lost for the first time this season[/caption]
On a day when Lamar Jackson struggled and the Baltimore Ravens fell to Pittsburgh in a pivotal AFC North contest, Allen reminded the league that Buffalo is a true Super Bowl contender.
“Any time you give the ball back to Pat (Mahomes), that offense, down six with the game on the line, I like their odds in that situation,” Allen said.
“So wanting six or seven (points) to try to make it a two-score game.”
Mahomes’ inner confidence in himself and the Chiefs was immediately evident as he told Allen, “We’ll do it again, baby.”
Kansas City has knocked Buffalo out of the playoffs in three of the last four seasons, often in heartbreaking fashion.
But Allen has clearly been a better QB than Mahomes in 2024, and Buffalo is now the only team to beat the Chiefs this year.
With Allen heading toward his potential first MVP honor, Mahomes vowed to see the Buffalo QB again when it really mattered — in the playoffs.
“Josh Allen became the MVP favorite today,” one fan tweeted.
“Josh Allen really knows how to elevate his game,” a second fan posted. “That touchdown was a perfect example of a player taking charge and making a statement on the field.”
“Some players have the IT factor — Josh is one of them,” a third fan wrote.
“Great game,” a fourth fan said. “Josh Allen played great. He clearly wanted it and he went and took it.”
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