Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – A tearful Josh Allen took the blame as his Buffalo Bills’ latest bid to capture their first ever Super Bowl ended in an agonizing 33-30 playoff defeat to the Denver Broncos in overtime on Saturday. Allen threw two interceptions as top-seeded Denver rallied from the brink of defeat late in the fourth quarter and pushed through a season-ending injury to their own quarterback to clinch the crucial divisional round clash. The Bills have never won a Super Bowl despite reaching four consecutive editions in the 1990s, and defeat to the Broncos was the seventh time their reigning Most Valuable Player quarterback has fallen short in the postseason.
“I feel like I let my team-mates down tonight,” said Allen, wiping away tears in the post-game press conference. “I hate how it ended…when you shoot yourself in the foot like that you don’t deserve to win football games,” said the quarterback, who also gave up two fumbles on sacks. “I’m extremely sorry and disappointed in how this ended.”
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There was also heartbreak for his opposing number Bo Nix. The victorious quarterback fractured a bone in his right ankle during the penultimate play of overtime. Nix will require surgery, said Broncos coach Sean Payton. The injury robs Nix of the chance to play next weekend’s home-field AFC Championship Game against either the New England Patriots or Houston Texans — and a potential Super Bowl.
– ‘Proud’ –
The game had gone to overtime after a gripping battle during regulation. The Bills fought back from a 13-point third quarter deficit to inch into a 24-23 lead in the fourth quarter following touchdowns from Keon Coleman and Dalton Kincaid. A field goal left Buffalo 27-23 ahead with just over four minutes remaining, the momentum seemingly carrying the Bills towards victory. But Nix showed superb composure to lead Denver on a 73-yard touchdown drive to give the home side a 30-27 advantage.
Allen responded to nervelessly maneuver the Bills into field goal range, giving Matt Prater a 50-yard kick to tie the game 30-30. The Bills seemed to grab the advantage after forcing Denver to punt on the opening drive in overtime, leaving Allen only needing to get Buffalo into field goal range. Yet Denver’s defense came up big when it mattered, Ja’Quan McMillian snaffling an interception to give the Broncos the chance to grab a winning score. Nix duly delivered, playing through what turned out to be a season-ending injury to set up kicker Wil Lutz’s winning field goal.
“They gave us their best shot on a short week so hats off to them,” Nix said immediately after the win, when his injury had not yet been announced. “We just found a way to win again and our defense made stops.”
– Superb Seahawks –
In Saturday night’s other game, a visit to NFC top-seed Seattle proved a bridge too far for the injury-ravaged San Francisco 49ers, who fell to a thumping 41-6 defeat. Seahawks fans were in raucous form at kickoff and were rewarded with a perfect start as Rashid Shaheed caught the game-opening kickoff and sprinted and zig-zagged 97 yards for a touchdown.
Seattle’s phenomenal intensity never let up, as the Seahawks defense swarmed San Francisco, forcing three turnovers, and the offense was clinical. A backpedaling Sam Darnold, playing through an oblique injury, launched a pinpoint pass to Jackson Smith-Njigba for a 17-0 first quarter lead after Seattle’s defense stripped the ball from Jake Tonges. The Seahawks ratcheted up the pain further, with Kenneth Walker rushing for a touchdown before halftime, and two more after the break.
The 49ers — playing without several key personnel, including last weekend’s injury to George Kittle — could only manage two field goals and were left to lick their many wounds and start planning for next season. Seattle will play the Los Angeles Rams or the Chicago Bears for a place in next month’s Super Bowl.
© 2024 AFP
