Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills defeated the Baltimore Ravens 27-25 in the Divisional Round. They will now face the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game, the fourth matchup in the playoffs between these two teams in the last five seasons.
Allen is 0-3 against Mahomes in the playoffs, but Colin Cowherd thinks the Bills will win the Super Bowl this season. He even drew major similarities between Buffalo and Kansas City based on how the Bills won against the Ravens.
Colin Cowherd Draws Similarities Between the Bills and the Chiefs
In a recent segment on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd,” the FS1 analyst discussed how the Bills’ lack of mistakes and reckless play this season has put them in a position to reach their first Super Bowl since 1994.
“The Buffalo Bills, and this is not generally what they have been since Josh Allen arrived, avoided losing more than they won that football game, with no turnovers and one penalty,” Cowherd said. “Smart, adult, focused football. They’ve always been gifted but a little loose, never quite disciplined.”
"Meet the Buffalo Bills. They are the new Kansas City Chiefs."
— @ColinCowherd pic.twitter.com/ZLeRemaxAJ
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) January 20, 2025
“Felt kind of reactionary, not this team from the opening drive, ran the ball, not heavily reliant on Josh Allen. This is what the Kansas City Chiefs did when they moved off Tyreek Hill,” added Cowherd. “I watched that game, and I thought: Meet the Buffalo Bills, they are the new Kansas City Chiefs with a more dynamic offense.”
The Bills, like the Chiefs, benefited from the mistakes made by the opposition. Lamar Jackson’s two turnovers and Mark Andrews’ costly fumble, along with a drop in the fourth quarter on a failed two-point conversion, made sure the AFC East team didn’t need Allen to play hero ball to win.
Mahomes and Allen didn’t have big statistical games in the Divisional Round, and their team played basic football. Not turning the ball over in the playoffs is key, and both the teams in the AFC Championship Game have been among the best at avoiding it this season.
The Bills and the Chiefs previously played each other in the AFC Championship Game in 2021. Mahomes’ team won that game 38-24, with Allen throwing an interception. Even a single mistake could be costly this upcoming Sunday, so both teams have to play nearly a perfect game to come out on top.
Josh Allen Will Be Under Pressure Next Week
In the public eye, Jackson was under more pressure to win in the Divisional Round than Allen due to his multiple MVP awards. However, that isn’t the case this upcoming week, as the Bills quarterback cannot afford to lose another playoff game against Mahomes.
Allen is 4-1 against the Chiefs in the regular season but 0-3 in the playoffs. Although he has personally played well against Kansas City, none of that matters until he wins against them and leads his team to a Super Bowl appearance regarding public opinion, fairly or unfairly.
The win against Jackson and the Ravens was huge for Allen, but getting eliminated by the Chiefs in four of the last five seasons could be mentally tough for the Bills. As Cowherd said, this year, the Bills are a different team. However, even if this version cannot get a result against Mahomes and Co. in the playoffs, it will be hard to imagine when they actually would.
In two playoff games this season, Allen has thrown for 399 yards and two touchdowns, completing 75% of his throws with a passer rating of 113.1. So far, his team has been able to win without him passing the ball much, but it might not be enough against the Chiefs. As a result, the Bills quarterback must be at his best to get his first win against Mahomes in the postseason.
