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Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills are the dynasty that never was

Originally posted on Inside The Star
By Mario Herrera Jr. | Last updated Jan 18, 2026 10:06 AM ET

Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen, through tears and sobs at the podium after losing a heartbreaker to the Denver Broncos in overtime, took full responsibility for the loss.

Allen claimed he let his team down, but his teammates, namely OL Dion Dawkins did not agree.

The Bills, led by Allen, finished the season with a 12-5 record and the sixth seed in the conference.

He had his usual statistical results, throwing and running all over defenses, willing his team to victory, and finishing the year with 3,668 yards passing, 39 total touchdowns, and just 10 interceptions on 69.3% passing.

Many will point to the officials after questionable calls in overtime directly affected the results of the game.

First, with the Bills driving for the go-ahead score in overtime, Allen threw a deep post to Brandin Cooks.

Cooks secured the football in the air, but when his back hit the ground, the ball popped free from his arms and was wrestled away by the Broncos defender.

The Bills’ sideline was arguing that Cooks was down by contact, but after review, the initial call stood. Broncos football.

Nix drove the team down the field for the game-winning field goal after a couple of ticky-tack pass interference calls granted them 47 free yards.

With the loss, the Buffalo Bills have become the fourth team in NFL history to win a playoff game in six consecutive seasons.

The bad news is, they are now the first team in NFL history to accomplish that feat and NOT win at least three Super Bowls.

Bittersweet Accomplishment

With the Wildcard victory over the Jaguars last week, the Buffalo Bills matched the Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, and Kansas City Chiefs with a playoff victory in six consecutive seasons.

Let’s walk through the path they took to get there.

Going back to the 2020 Covid-19 season, the Bills have won a playoff game in every season since.

In 2020, they defeated the Indianapolis Colts in the Wildcard round, then knocked off the Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional round to advance to the AFC Championship Game.

They lost a back and forth affair with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. It was the first time Mahomes and Allen would play an instant classic in the playoffs, but it wouldn’t be the last time.

In 2021, the Bills dominated the Patriots in the Wildcard round, but yet again lost a heartbreaker to Mahomes and the Chiefs 42-36.

The next season in 2022, the Bills had a chance to secure the top seed in the AFC, but S Damar Hamlin literally died on the field, and the game was ruled a no contest.

Due to that, the Chiefs secured the top spot, forcing the Bills to take a longer and more difficult path to the Super Bowl.

Buffalo won over Miami in the Wildcard, but lost the following week against the Bengals.

The 2023 season again saw a Wildcard victory. This time over the Pittsburgh Steelers, but another date with Mahomes and the Chiefs ended in defeat in the Divisional round.

Last season in 2024, Buffalo again reached the AFC Championship Game with wins over Denver and Baltimore before again losing to Mahomes and the Chiefs in a nail-biter.