The Buffalo Bills were up three points with 13 seconds left against the Kansas City Chiefs. They were 13 seconds away from advancing to the AFC Championship Game.
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs still managed to tie the game in the final seconds, going 44 yards in two plays to set up Harrison Butker's game-tying 49-yard field goal as time expired to force overtime. The Bills could have squib kicked the ball and given the Chiefs less time (taking approximately four or five seconds off the clock) but potentially better field position.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott didn't expand on what happened at the end of the game, when a series of questionable decisions cost his team an opportunity to take down the Chiefs.
"I don't really want to get into specifics. Overall, there were things we talked about and we can just execute better. That starts with me and goes all of the way down," McDermott said. "I don't want to get into specifics now. I am really proud of the guys and their effort. Obviously, they made a couple of plays down the stretch, so I will just leave it at that."
Allen finished 27 of 37 for 329 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions (136.0 rating). He also had 11 carries for 68 yards. Allen is the only player in NFL history to throw for 300 yards, throw for four touchdowns, and rush for 60 yards in a playoff game -- and he accomplished the feat on consecutive weekends.
He lost the game and stood on the sidelines as Mahomes and the Chiefs willed themselves to victory. All the Bills had to do was hold the Chiefs off for 13 seconds, with Kansas City getting the ball at their own 25-yard line.
"Again, I'm going to put it on the execution at this point and myself. I'm just going to leave it at that," McDermott said. "I am proud of all of them. These guys came through a lot. They really did and to come out here and the game come down to pretty much 13 seconds, I think they all feel the same way I do.
"We are all sick to our stomach and it hurts. We worked really hard to get here, number one. I know the fans are disappointed, and I wish I could take that off of them. I wish I could take it off of the team, but we can't. What doesn't kill you will make you stronger, and this will make us stronger. It will take some time, but it should make us stronger."