Josh Allen got his overtime chance this time… and he blew it

Josh Allen had an opportunity to save the Bills from a shocking overtime loss to the Vikings. After creating the need for it, he failed.

At the end of the Buffalo Bills’ divisional round loss against the Kansas City Chiefs last season, there was a great hue and cry that the Bills didn’t get a chance to match the Chiefs’ overtime touchdown. There was a rule change in the offseason, allowing the team that gives up a touchdown in overtime to try and match that score.

On Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, the Bills and quarterback Josh Allen got a chance to win a game late in overtime, and not only did Allen create the need for overtime in the first place, he let the Vikings off the hook near the end of that overtime period.

In one of the craziest games you’ll ever see, the Vikings overcame a 27-10 third-quarter deficit, at which their Win Probability was 2%. When Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins was stuffed at the Buffalo one-yard line on fourth-and-goal with 50 seconds left in regulation, the Vikings had a Win Probability of 1%.

Then, Allen fumbled the ball at his own one-yard line on the next play, and the Vikings got the touchdown on defense they so desperately needed on offense.

Eric Kendricks’ fumble recovery in the end zone made the score 30-27 in Minnesota’s favor, but Allen drive his team downfield with precious seconds left, and got the Bills in range for Tyler Bass’ game-tying 29-yard field goal with two seconds left.

The Vikings took the ball first in overtime, and went on a long drive that ended in a 33-yard Greg Joseph field goal with 3:45 left in the fifth quarter. Allen once again got his team in line for at least a field goal with both his arm and his legs… and then, he attempted a pass in the end zone to receiver Gabe Davis.

That’s when 12-year veteran cornerback Patrick Peterson swooped in to end the thing.

“Losing sucks,” Allen said after the game. “It sucks even worse this way. Horrendous second half. I have to be better.”

Allen finished the game with 29 completions on 34 attempts for 330 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. He also led the Bills with 84 rushing yards on just six carries, and his rushing was key to Buffalo even being in place to do anything in overtime.

But as a quarterback, you are defined by your work in big moments, and there’s no other way to put this. As talented as Josh Allen is, and as much as he’s done already in his formidable NFL career, he’s going to have to wear the goat horns on this one.