As Josh Allen’s Bills fall to Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs for third time in four playoffs, what’s next for Sean McDermott and Buffalo?

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Thirty-six minutes after the clock had expired, Josh Allen was still in uniform.

Allen’s season was over, the Kansas City Chiefs (yes, them again) having outlasted his Buffalo Bills 27-24 on Sunday in a divisional-round playoff game at the Bills’ Highmark Stadium.

The quarterback sat on the wooden stool by his locker. He alternated between staring down and staring out into space, between crossing his hands and looking at his phone. His backup quarterbacks, for much of the stretch, flanked him at their respective lockers. Center Mitch Morse offered a handshake and quiet words on his way out before tight end Dawson Knox pulled Allen into an embrace.

But after each interruption, be it a farewell handshake or an embrace standing or seated, Allen returned to his post. He returned to the distant place where he seemed to lose himself long after his teammates had showered, changed and mostly gone home.

Allen was in no rush. Thirty-six minutes after his season expired, why hurry?

He needed six seconds to gather himself before answering the first question he received at the podium.

“Sucks,” Allen said. “Losing sucks. Losing to them, losing to anybody at home sucks.”

Bills QB Josh Allen: “Every season if you don’t win, it’s a failed season. That’s the nature of the business. There’s one happy team at the end of the season, really. And when it’s not you, and you’re so close, it sucks.

“Losing sucks.” pic.twitter.com/RCjjL8OkoS

— Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) January 22, 2024

He shrugged. As he offered some semblance of answers, the ones he wanted most eluded him.

For the third time in four years, a promising Bills season has ended at the hand of Patrick Mahomes. Some might derive optimism from the Bills’ advancing to six postseasons in the past seven years after 17 straight seasons in Buffalo ended before the playoffs. Others could pin their hope on the Bills’ six straight wins entering this game. Buffalo rallied from a 6-6 season…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/as-josh-allens-bills-fall-to-patrick-mahomes-chiefs-for-third-time-in-four-playoffs-whats-next-for-sean-mcdermott-and-buffalo-073815716.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-01-22 07:38:15

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