Josh Allen gave a heartbreaking verdict on the Buffalo Bills' loss to the Chiefs after they missed the Super Bowl again.
Despite another valiant effort by Allen and his teammates, who took the two-time defending Super Bowl champions to the wire in the playoffs once again, they came up short.
After a costly fourth drop by Dalton Kincaid, the Bills had to watch Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs ran out the final seconds in a 32-29 victory in the AFC championship game on Sunday night.
For the fourth time in the last five seasons, the Chiefs had ended Buffalo's postseason run.
“To be the champions,” Allen said after emerging from the locker room, “you have to beat the champions.”
The Chiefs will head to New Orleans and attempt to become the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowls.
Josh Allen delivered a heartbreaking verdict on the Buffalo Bills' loss to the Chiefs on Sunday
For the Bills, they will return to Buffalo regretting another missed opportunity in their first trip to the big game since January 1994.
Allen did everything he could, moving the Bills in the second half, trying to answer every Kansas City score with one of his own.
He finished with 237 passing yards and two touchdowns without an interception, and his touchdown throw to Curtis Samuel with 3:59 left in the game tied it at 29-29.
But the Bills defense, missing Taylor Rapp and Christian Benford in the backfield due to injuries, couldn't make a play when it mattered, and Mahomes marched to Kansas City within range of Harrison Butker's field goal.
Even then, the Bills had a chance to win. They took over with 3:33 left, and Allen soon picked up a first down with a 13-yard scramble.
But his next two passes were sprouted at the line of scrimmage, and a short throw to Amari Cooper on Third Down could have been so much more if not for a reduced tackle that emerged fourth.
As the Chiefs often do under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, they brought a heavy blitz, and Allen had to back off defenders.
Allen played well and had 237 passing yards and two touchdowns without an interception.
But he dropped a daring fourth pass to tight end Dalton Kincaid, ending his chances.
He threw out a wobbly prayer downfield, and it was nearly answered by tight end Kincaid, who only missed the drag on the throw and kept the Bills' comeback hopes alive.
The Chiefs took charge, ran out the clock, and were ready to take their party to the big, easy Philadelphia Eagles.
In the Bills' last eight games against Kansas City, they have won all of them in the regular season, including in Week 11 this season.
But in all four of their postseason matchups, it has been the Chiefs who have been left standing at the end.