In the NFL, playoff success is often what defines a quarterback's legacy. Greatness is measured by the ability to perform under pressure, to lead a team when it matters most. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is well aware of this as he heads into another AFC Championship Game matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Allen and the Bills defeated the Baltimore Ravens by a final score of 27-25 on Sunday night to punch their ticket back to the AFC Championship Game where they will meet a familiar foe. This time, Allen is hoping for a different outcome.
The three-time Pro Bowler has faced the Chiefs in the postseason three times but has yet to secure a victory. If he fails to change that ugly 0-3 record, he’ll join an exclusive and frustrating club led by none other than New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Hall of Fame QB is 0-4 against the San Francisco 49ers in the postseason.
Josh Allen is 0-3 vs Chiefs in playoffs. Only QB to who is 0-4 against 1 opponent is Aaron Rodgers vs #49ers
— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) January 20, 2025
Josh Allen and the Bills hope to exorcize their Chiefs demons on Sunday
The Josh Allen-Patrick Mahomes rivalry is already well on its way to being one of the most defining quarterback matchups of the modern NFL era. The only pair of quarterbacks to meet more frequently in the playoffs in league history are Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.
But for this rivalry to feel like a true competition, Allen and the Bills need to exorcize their demons and finally overcome the Chiefs in the playoffs.
A win this upcoming Sunday would send the Bills to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1994. It would be a culmination of decades of heartbreak and near-misses, a moment that Bills fans have been waiting for since the franchise’s heyday in the early ’90s.
For Josh Allen, it's a chance to change the narrative.
This game is more than just another playoff battle; it’s a chance to rewrite history and secure Allen's legacy. The Bills have been close before. They were a Tyler Bass field goal away from possible glory against the Chiefs in the Divisional Round last year. The less said about the 2022 Divisional Round loss the better.
It's not like Allen has performed poorly against the Chiefs, either. The future NFL MVP has thrown seven touchdowns and just one interception while completing over 65 percent of his passes in three postseason games against his cross-conference rivals.
But history isn't written in the box score — it's written in the results. Josh Allen has an opportunity to rewrite his playoff story against the Chiefs this upcoming Sunday.