Josh Allen Not 'Committed?' Bills QB Being Wrongfully Blamed for Chiefs Playoff Loss

Was Josh Allen the reason the Buffalo Bills were on the wrong side of Sports Illustrated's winners and losers from the 2023-24 season?

Placing any blame on quarterback Josh Allen for the Buffalo Bills' loss 27-24 to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round is certainly a head-scratching take that'll cause some a stir. 

Sports Illustrated's Gilberto Manzano listed his winners and losers from the 2023-24 season, and Buffalo was among the teams listed as a loser. Beyond that, he also said the Bills need to make sure Allen is committed to potentially playing in a different scheme if they have to trade Stefon Diggs in order to create cap space. He also noted that the Bills quarterback needs to improve on his "lack of productive, savvy plays during crunch time."

Josh Allen / © Mark Konezny, USA TODAY

"It wouldn’t be surprising to see Diggs traded in the offseason," Manzano writes. "If the Bills decide to tweak their offensive scheme, they better make sure Allen is fully committed because he tends to go away from the productive, savvy plays during crunch time. For example: the final quarter against the Chiefs in the divisional round."  

Yes, because it was certainly Allen's fault that Diggs dropped a 60-yard bomb that could have been a go-ahead touchdown or position the Bills to take the lead. Allen's lack of productive, savvy plays in the fourth quarter also led to Tyler Bass missing the potential game-tying field goal wide right with under two minutes left to play. 

Allen's lack of productive, savvy plays late in the game were costly in 2022 too when he gave Buffalo the lead twice in the fourth quarter against the Chiefs and left the field with a 36-33 lead with 13 seconds left in the fourth quarter. 

The only slight hiccup from Allen in the fourth quarter Buffalo's loss to the Chiefs this postseason, if you even want to call it that, was missing Khalil Shakir on a potential go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter, though, Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones pushed the Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins into Allen's lap, which affected the throw. 

Anyone with two functioning eyeballs can see that without Allen, Buffalo wouldn't have had a shot against the eventual Super Bowl champions. The Bills' defense got torched by Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, allowing 21 first downs on 47 plays, which included three kneel-downs at the end of the game. Allen was the team's leading passer and rusher and didn't get much help from a receiving corps that struggled to get open and had four drops in the loss. 

Manzano then later compared Allen to Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, saying neither is an elite quarterback. 

"Like Josh Allen, Jackson needs to be better in the postseason to be regarded as an elite quarterback," Manzano writes. 

If Allen and Jackson aren't elite quarterbacks, Mahomes must be the only one to hold that distinction in the NFL. While Jackson has been one of the best quarterbacks in football in the regular season, the two-time MVP can't hold a candle to Allen in the playoffs. 

The Bills quarterback has thrown for 2,723 yards, 21 touchdowns and four interceptions, and has run for 563 yards and five scores in his postseason career. Jackson has thrown for 1,324 yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions and running for 521 yards and three touchdowns. 

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The Bills aren't without their flaws and they'll have to get creative if they're going to improve the team despite more than $40 million over the cap. Even a potential trade for Diggs would put the Bills more over the cap, according to Spotrac. 

The Bills have reached the point where it's Super Bowl or bust. Being labeled as a loser from last season after they fell two games short of that is right. But casting any blame on Allen for the team's struggles when he's clearly the only reason they have a chance against the NFL's elite is inexplicably wrong.