“Super Bowl” remains unchecked on the list as it stares back at Josh Allen.
Allen’s entire body of work in the postseason so far has been elite despite his four uncharacteristic turnovers playing a large part in Buffalo’s latest playoff exit.
Allen is 8-7 in the postseason. Eight wins are the most ever for a quarterback without a Super Bowl start. No other QB has more than five.
Josh Allen’s Playoff Stats
In 15 playoff games, Josh Allen has put up the following stats:
- 66% completion percentage
- 3,900+ passing yards
- 39 total touchdowns
- 6 interceptions and 4 fumbles lost
- 700+ rushing yards
The 2024 MVP has basically put up an elite regular season of football over the course of 15 playoff games.
He also has five total go-ahead touchdowns in the fourth quarter, tied for the third most among quarterbacks.
Let’s look at each of the one-score playoff losses where Allen did have a few hiccups, but for the most part, he put on the Superman cape only for his defense and special teams to let him down.
Only once did his defense come up with a clutch stop to get him a game-winning drive, and that was this year against Jacksonville.
2025 Divisional, 33-30 OT Loss vs Denver
In the fourth quarter, Buffalo had three offensive possessions. Josh Allen led them to a score (TD, FG, FG) on all three, including a game-tying drive in 55 seconds to force an extra period. He accounted for 145 total yards and went 8-of-16 passing.
After his defense came up with a stop in overtime, this was Allen’s opportunity to take the offense downfield and get into field goal range. Instead, Allen coughed up the football for the fourth time and let his team down.
2024 AFCCG, 32-29 Loss vs Kansas City
In the final frame, the Bills’ defense on three possessions gave up a field goal, a touchdown, and couldn’t give Allen the ball back one more time with two minutes to go. On the other hand, Allen was ruled short of a controversial fourth-and-1 with Buffalo looking to go up two scores.
Down seven halfway through the fourth, Allen took the Bills downfield and they tied the game at 29 all.
On the final offensive snap of the season, Allen desperately threw a pass, giving Dalton Kincaid a chance, and it was nearly caught.
For the most part, the defense didn’t do their part, allowing a score on five of seven drives, (excluding kneeldowns) while Allen and the offense were quite literally inches away from keeping a critical drive alive.
2023 Divisional, 27-24 Loss to Kansas City
All three phases let Bills Mafia (at home) down in the fourth quarter.
The defense gave up a go-ahead touchdown. They allowed a score on the first five of seven drives. Allen had three chances — including a rocket attempt to Stefon Diggs — to re-take the lead.
On the final drive of this season, Allen took the Bills downfield and set up Tyler Bass for a game-tying 44-yard field goal that went wide right.
But let’s be real. Even if Bass ties the game, Patrick Mahomes has just under two minutes to respond and break Buffalo’s heart with a walk-off field goal.
2021 Divisional, 42-36 OT Loss to Kansas City
An instant classic. Allen went Superman mode — converting multiple fourth downs to either keep the drive alive or score a touchdown.
He led Buffalo to two go-ahead touchdown drives. But it was the defense that couldn’t stop a nosebleed. They allowed the Chiefs to score on their final four possessions (FG, TD, FG, TD), including a field goal in 13 seconds to force overtime. In total, they allowed seven scores on nine drives in regulation.
2019 Wild Card, 22-19 OT Loss to Houston
Josh Allen’s playoff debut was an absolute rollercoaster. His first career playoff touchdown was a receiving score.
He had a lost fumble in the fourth quarter and took a sack on fourth-and-27. The defense did not help, giving up a field goal and a touchdown that gave Houston the lead late.
On the last drive of regulation, down three, Allen scrambled for a first down and then out of his mind, he lateraled the ball back, which nearly cost Buffalo.
It was a lack of situational awareness. If it were fourth down and he still needed more yardage, the lateral attempt would have been fine, but because he had picked up a first down, there was no need to be that reckless. After that, Allen made a couple of clutch throws to get Buffalo into field goal range and ultimately tie the game for overtime.
That started the Josh Allen experience.
In overtime, Buffalo’s defense forced a punt to hand the ball back to Allen. Buffalo was driving and Allen got to Houston’s 38-yard line but a blindside block penalty killed the drive and ultimately, Houston won.
The Lone Game-Winning Drive: 2025 Wildcard 27-24 Win vs Jacksonville
In the fourth quarter, Allen led two go-ahead touchdown drives (one pass TD and one rush TD), and his defense came up with an interception late to clinch Allen’s first career game-winning drive in the fourth quarter. He racked up 124 total yards and went 9 of 11 passing.
A well overdue postseason game-winning drive where Allen scores the go-ahead touchdown and his defense gets a clutch stop. Not only did they get a stop — it took them one play to end Jacksonville’s drive as Cole Bishop intercepted a pass to seal it.
A Winner Is a Loser That Tries One More Time
More times than not, Josh Allen has excelled in the postseason. A ton of tough breaks for him, where he comes up big only for his team to break his heart. The elusive Super Bowl championship is still up in the air for him and the Bills to grab.
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