Bills, Allen add another heartbreaking chapter to playoff faults after falling short vs. Broncos

Under fading, sunny skies on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Colorado, another chapter in the long saga of the Buffalo Bills’ classic heartache moments was born.

And just as “wide right” and “13 seconds” have become timeless tragedies in the Bills’ anthology, the memory of what took place in overtime against the Denver Broncos in this AFC Divisional Playoff game is likely to last a good, long time.

At a point in the game where it is literally “next score wins”, Bills quarterback Josh Allen hit receiver Brandin Cooks with a 54-yard pass, which the receiver possessed as he fell to the ground at the Broncos 20-yard line.

From there, the Bills would have been in reasonable field goal range for their kicker, who had nailed one from 10 yards further away at the end of regulation time to force overtime.

But although Cooks hit the ground with the ball, his failure to maintain possession through the process of hitting the ground made it a non-catch. The fact that it ended up in the hands of Denver Broncos defensive back Ja’Quan McMillan without hitting the ground made it an interception, it was ruled.

Bills head coach Sean McDermott expressed his dismay from the post-game podium about having to call a timeout to allow sufficient time for the play to be reviewed by replay officials. But his later comments to the NFL’s pool reporter went further, questioning the validity of the call itself.

“That’s a catch all the way,” McDermott said. “I sat in my locker, and I looked at it probably 20 times, and nobody can convince me that that ball is not caught and in possession of Buffalo. I just have no idea how the NFL handled it, in particular, the way that they did. I think the players and the fans deserve an explanation.”

All of which will only serve to keep the fires burning back home in a conversation that will burn hot from now until the opening of training camp in late July.

Of course, the Cooks interception wasn’t the only cruel jab Buffalo took in this game; there were many.

Such as having two touchdown throws against them during very short instances where, first, safety Cam Lewis and later, corner Tre White, had to leave the game briefly with injuries, only to watch from the sideline as their replacements were being targeted and burned for scores.

Such as the five turnovers committed by Buffalo, four of which came at the hands of the most ball-secure playoff quarterback in NFL history.

Two of Josh Allen’s turnovers were excusable, the Cooks play and one that occurred on a strip-sack.

The third-quarter interception on a throw to Curtis Samuel was a pass he forced at a time he didn’t need to.

But the unexplainable one occurred just before halftime, when the Bills took over the ball at their own 30-yard line with just 16 seconds remaining in the half, trailing 17-10.

Ordinarily in those circumstances, McDermott is prone to take a knee, knowing his team has the first possession of the opening half and that anything that might occur before halftime doesn’t pass his risk-reward test, especially with no timeouts remaining.

But for some reason on this occasion, he opted to run a play, which turned into an Allen upfield run to nowhere, one that should have ended with him sliding. Instead, it ended with a fumble and a completely unexpected field goal opportunity for Denver, which they converted and which proved absolutely critical to the game’s final result.

The fact that the Bills were in overtime of a game in which they lost the turnover battle 3-1 in regulation time suggests this was a valiant effort, which it was.

And one with came an ending that no one will ever forget.

But peel away all the details and the what-ifs, all the players who were missing from the lineup or the officials’ controversial calls, and you are left with something very much reflective of the endings of other recent Bills seasons.

When they absolutely needed to score a touchdown to win the game at the end of regulation time against Denver, they didn’t get one. When a field goal in overtime would have won the game, they couldn’t produce that either.

Similarly, when the Bills’ defence needed a stop late in the fourth quarter with a 24-23 lead, they couldn’t get it. And when they needed a strong defensive stand after the controversial interception, they didn’t get that either.

For three seasons in a row, the Bills have had the ball in Josh Allen’s hands in circumstances where a touchdown would win the game. And all three circumstances have ended in defeat.

That’s a small dent on the resume of a quarterback who has accomplished so much. But being unable to get his team in the end zone in each of those circumstances is why Allen will see the end of his 20s without ever playing in a Super Bowl.

Which isn’t to suggest it’s all on him, but those are the results of circumstances in which he’s been a key figure.

So, what to do about the pattern of how the Bills’ seasons are ending?

“Fixing” that sort of thing is challenging because efficiency in game-winning drives is something teams already relentless focus-open – both making and stopping them.

Being better in those circumstances has to flow naturally from some mix of talent, execution, coaching, experience and mental toughness.

All qualities of which the Bills seem to possess lots, from their head coach on down.

Just not to the degree of consistency it requires to see themselves in a Super Bowl.