The Buffalo Bills have been on the cusp of greatness for years, but their last AFC Championship appearance remains a haunting memory. The 2020 season marked the franchise’s first trip to the conference title game in 27 years, and it sparked a playoff trend against the Kansas City Chiefs that the team hasn’t been able to overcome since. Let’s take a closer look at that pivotal game and its lasting impact.
Bills’ Last AFC Championship Appearance
In 2020, the Bills were on a mission. Led by dynamic quarterback Josh Allen and a high-powered offense, they put together one of their most exciting seasons in recent memory. After securing the AFC East title for the first time since 1995, Buffalo advanced to the AFC Championship to face the Kansas City Chiefs, the reigning Super Bowl champions.
It was a game filled with high hopes and anticipation. Buffalo started strong, taking an early two-score lead. The opening drive produced a field goal, and a muffed punt by the Chiefs set up a touchdown to give the Bills momentum. However, as the game progressed, the Chiefs proved why they were the team to beat. Kansas City responded with three consecutive touchdowns before halftime, turning the tide of the game.
In the second half, the Chiefs’ offense continued to roll. Despite the Bills’ best efforts, they could only muster two field goals. Allen was spectacular, accounting for 90.1% of the Bills’ total offensive yardage, throwing for 287 yards and rushing for 88 yards. But the Chiefs’ offense, led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, was simply too much for Buffalo to handle.
Mahomes finished with 325 passing yards, three touchdowns, and an impressive 76.3% completion rate (29 of 38). The Chiefs’ dynamic duo of Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce combined for 22 receptions, 290 yards, and two touchdowns. Despite a valiant effort from Allen and the Bills, Kansas City pulled away to win the game 38-24.
Bills’ NFL Playoff History
Buffalo’s playoff history has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows. Before their appearance in the 2020 AFC Championship, the Bills hadn’t reached the conference finals since their four consecutive Super Bowl appearances in the early 1990s.
After those painful losses, the team fell into a period of decline, missing the playoffs for a significant stretch. But since 2017, Buffalo has been rejuvenated. Under head coach Sean McDermott, the Bills have made the playoffs in four of the last five seasons, with 2020 standing out as their most successful. The team’s resurgence has been largely driven by Josh Allen, who’s blossomed into one of the most electrifying dual-threat quarterbacks in the league.
However, despite their progress, the Bills have been stymied by one team: the Kansas City Chiefs. In the past four years, Kansas City has eliminated Buffalo three times in the playoffs, including in the 2020 AFC Championship.
As they prepare for the 2024 AFC Championship, the Bills have one thing on their mind: revenge. But standing in their way is the same powerhouse that has dominated the AFC for years. The Chiefs are playing in their seventh straight AFC title game (one short of tying the New England Patriots’ record) as they try to become the first team in NFL history to win three straight Super Bowls.
Will the Bills break through and finally conquer the Chiefs, or will Kansas City again prove why they’ve been the AFC’s top team for the better part of a decade?