There are games on the NFL calendar that are decided by scheme, depth, and margins. And then there are games that come down to one force capable of bending all of that to his will.
For the Buffalo Bills, that force has been, and will always remain, Josh Allen.
Last week’s 27–24 Divisional Round win over Jacksonville was a reminder of just how wide Allen’s influence stretches, as he wasn't merely productive; he was decisive and dominant at times. A 10-yard quarterback sneak for a touchdown in the second half was the defining snap of the afternoon, a play that encapsulated the Bills’ identity and Allen’s role within it. When the offense needed momentum, physicality, and belief all in one moment, the ball went to No. 17, and the outcome followed.
Buffalo Bills’ postseason formula always comes back to Josh Allen
That same formula now travels to Denver, where Buffalo faces arguably the most complete defense in football. The Broncos are disciplined at the second level, disruptive up front, and built to suffocate explosive plays on the backend with reigning DPOY Pat Surtain II. They force offenses to sustain drives, win late downs, and finish in tight spaces, and against units like that, the margin for error shrinks. Quarterbacks have to create answers when the play call runs out of clean options, but luckily for Buffalo, Allen has made a living doing exactly that.
It's where Allen separated himself, as his value isn't confined to yardage totals or touchdown counts. He is Buffalo’s problem-solver. When protection falters, he extends. When coverage holds, he challenges leverage. When nothing is there, he becomes the run game. Few quarterbacks stress a defense horizontally, vertically, and physically on each and every play, and even fewer still can do it without losing command of the moment.
Denver, meanwhile, will not only counter with its defense, but its own ascending signal-caller. Second-year quarterback Bo Nix has grown rapidly, showing improved timing, command, and poise within structure, and his progress has fueled the Broncos’ rise and made them a legitimate threat to represent the AFC in February. But make no mistake, the matchup heavily tilts toward experience and inevitability as Allen has lived in these games many times before.
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Sometimes it takes one player to turn the tide of a ballgame, not once but repeatedly, and Allen is that pendulum. As the Bills eye their second straight AFC title appearance, the path once again runs directly through his shoulders, his decision-making, and his refusal to let the moment outrun him.