The Buffalo Bills suffered more playoff heartbreak at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night, losing a devastating 27-24 decision on a missed field goal in the final seconds.
Mahomes Leads Chiefs to Another Comeback Win Over Bills
The Bills held a 24-20 lead and appeared poised to finally beat the Chiefs and reach their first Super Bowl since the 1993 season. But Patrick Mahomes engineered another incredible comeback drive, leading the Chiefs into field goal range in the final minute. Harrison Butker nailed a 45-yard kick with just 3 seconds left to give Kansas City the lead.
On the final play, Bills kicker Tyler Bass pushed a 50-yard attempt just right, cementing an all-too-familiar playoff exit for Buffalo versus Mahomes and the Chiefs. It was Kansas City’s third straight playoff win over Buffalo, including overtime thrillers in the previous two postseasons.
“It sucks losing. Sucks losing to the Chiefs, it sucks losing to anybody at home,” said a devastated Josh Allen after the game. Despite an MVP-caliber performance from their star quarterback, the Bills will be heading home instead of on to another AFC title game.
Bills vs Chiefs Playoff Meetings
| Year | Result |
|---|---|
| 2021 | Chiefs 42, Bills 36 (OT) |
| 2022 | Chiefs 42, Bills 31 (OT) |
| 2024 | Chiefs 27, Bills 24 |
Questionable Officiating Decisions Prove Costly for Buffalo
There were a couple of controversial officiating calls that left the Bills and their fans fuming by the end. In the second quarter, Stefon Diggs had a touchdown catch overturned when he was judged not to have maintained control throughout the process of the catch. That drive resulted in just a field goal instead of seven points for Buffalo.
Later, in the frantic final two minutes, the Chiefs benefited from two pivotal holding calls against Buffalo that helped facilitate their game-winning drive.
“There were some calls that I didn’t think were penalties,” said Bills coach Sean McDermott, clearly frustrated but biting his tongue.
While the Chiefs and their brilliant quarterback certainly deserve credit for another electric playoff victory, it was hard not to feel that the Bills were cheated to some degree on Sunday night. The “what ifs” around some of those pivotal officiating decisions will sting all offseason.
Social Media Shows Outpouring of Support for Bass After Costly Miss
As the Bills solemnly shuffled off the field after Bass’ final kick sailed wide right, social media erupted with words of encouragement for the young kicker. Thousands tweeted messages telling Bass to keep his head held high and that the loss was not his fault.
A GoFundMe campaign for the local Ten Lives Club cat adoption charity that Bass supports raised over $100,000 within hours after the game.
“We are blown away by the support for our friend Tyler Bass,” the animal rescue group posted on Twitter.
Bass himself decided to temporarily deactivate his social media accounts in the aftermath of the gutting loss. No doubt he wanted to avoid seeing some of the cruel comments that athletes inevitably have to deal with after such high-profile mistakes.
Tweets in Support of Tyler Bass
We love you Tyler Bass 🫶 never forget true @BuffaloBills fans know this game isn’t lost because of you💙 #BillsMafia will be sending lots of love your way!
— Christie 🦬 (@ChristieBuff34) January 23, 2024
That game wasn’t loss bc of Tyler Bass. Hold your head high brother.
— Harrison Phillips (@horribleharry99) January 23, 2024
All Eyes Now Turn to Ravens Showdown with Chiefs
While Bills fans will spend the offseason second-guessing Sunday night’s loss, the focus now shifts to next Sunday’s AFC Championship Game between the Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens. Kansas City will head to Baltimore looking to reach their third Super Bowl in four years.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson finally won his first career playoff game this past weekend, leading Baltimore to a dramatic win over the top-seeded Cincinnati Bengals. Jackson and the Ravens will have enormous confidence taking on the Chiefs after crushing them 33-10 when the teams met earlier this season.
Most oddsmakers have installed Kansas City as early 1-point favorites for the AFC title tilt. But if Jackson can match the brilliance of Mahomes, Baltimore has an extremely strong chance to notch another upset and prevent the Chiefs from winning yet another conference crown under Andy Reid and Mahomes.
Looking Ahead to 2025 and Beyond
The future remains incredibly bright for these Bills, although that provides little comfort in the immediate aftermath of this devastating defeat. Josh Allen has clearly entered the ranks of elite NFL quarterbacks, and he’s locked into a long-term contract in Buffalo. Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis and several other weapons on offense all remain in the primes of their careers as well. Buffalo’s defense also consists of a number of rising young stars like linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and cornerback Kaiir Elam.
So while the Chiefs will still stand in their way as the AFC’s preeminent franchise for now, most NFL observers believe these Bills could vault their way to multiple Super Bowl appearances over the next 5-10 years. The front office has constructed a roster built for sustainable success and winning.
Heartbreak can only fuel this group’s motivations going forward. The breakthrough to finally conquer not only the Chiefs, but the entire NFL landscape, seems inevitable in the near future. Josh Allen and the Bills will enter 2025 more determined than ever to transform all this pain into the sweetest reward – a Lombardi Trophy.
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