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Alaina Getzenberg
DENVER — The lectern in the bowels of Empower Field at Mile High Stadium stood empty for minutes.
The first arrival after every Buffalo Bills game is quarterback Josh Allen, quick to give his postgame news conference in full uniform as soon as the team breakdown in the locker room ends and things begin to settle. Even after the toughest and most emotional of losses.
This time, his arrival was not speedy. A public relations staff member came out several minutes prior to his arrival. And then eventually, about 16 minutes after the game came to a close, in walked Allen.
His face was visibly red as he looked down, sniffled and fidgeted, hitting his fingers against the wooden lectern. Tears were in his eyes and on his face. He was emotional throughout his news conference.
The reigning MVP was asked how hard it was to get to the AFC divisional round of the playoffs and have this outcome happen again.
«It’s extremely difficult,» Allen said with his voice choked up. «I feel like I, feel like I let, let my teammates down tonight.» His teammates, however, felt much differently. «We know we wouldn’t have a shot in hell to win a football game without him there,» right tackle Spencer Brown said.
The Bills lost in the divisional round for the fourth time in five seasons, falling to the Denver Broncos in overtime, 33-30. The loss continues the Bills’ streak of not having a Super Bowl appearance since losing four straight from 1990 to 1993. And it extends their record of the most wins in a seven-season span without a Super Bowl appearance, including playoffs (91).
«Just missed opportunities throughout the game,» Allen said of the reason for his emotions. «It’s been a long season. I hate how it ended, and that’s going to stick with me for a long time.»
After his news conference, the quarterback returned to his locker and sat, sometimes with his head down. It has become an all-too-familiar postgame scene for Allen, sitting in his locker looking simply depleted after yet another season comes to a close, while teammates stop by to offer their best and the backup quarterbacks talk with him. His bruises are signs of the many injuries the quarterback played through yet again to be on the field — the right foot, left knee and right finger the latest.
«He’s been carrying us all year, and the way I think about it is, somebody step up to be able to alleviate some of that from him,» wide receiver Brandin Cooks said. «And when you great and you feel like you have to do so much, you have the opportunity to be able to force some of those things. And that’s what I think about Josh. He’s greatest quarterback in this league. Everybody else around him got to come up. Be able to make plays, so he doesn’t always have to be the one to feel like, ‘Man, I got to win this game.'»
Cooks began to cry when asked about Allen being emotional.
«I look back and like, ‘Man, what can I have done to be able to alleviate some of that pressure from him,'» Cook said. «You just love this game so much. And when you come up short like this, it’s going to sting for a long time.»
The eight-year veteran finished the game completing 25 of 39 passes for 283 yards and three passing touchdowns. He was sacked three times and rushed for 66 yards on 12 carries.
Allen had four turnovers in the game — two fumbles lost and two interceptions — and noted that you «can’t win with five turnovers,» and that «when you shoot yourself in the foot like that, you don’t deserve to win football games.»
One of Allen’s fumbles came on a drive that started with 16 seconds remaining in the first half and no timeouts. The Bills elected not to kneel, and Allen lost the ball on a scramble and the Broncos kicked a field goal to end the half.
«Just trying to be aggressive. I can’t do that,» Allen said. Coach Sean McDermott said he wanted to see if Buffalo could get a chunk play and try to kick a field goal before halftime. «Understand wanting to be aggressive, but didn’t work out,» McDermott said. Allen then fumbled again two offensive plays into the third quarter, which led to another Denver field goal.
Matt Prater field goal.
On the offense’s lone possession of overtime after the defense forced a Broncos punt, Allen’s final turnover was a controversial one as Cooks initially seemed to catch a pass that was ultimately ruled an interception by Broncos cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian. Although that play would have set the Bills up for a winning field goal, there were many other missed plays throughout the game.
Players shed tears in the locker room as the reality set in. Left tackle Dion Dawkins was among them.
When Dawkins heard Allen said he felt like he let the team down, Dawkins got choked up himself, quietly saying, «He didn’t let us down.» Dawkins then embraced Allen before leaving the locker room.
Allen’s records of not making it to a Super Bowl now extend into yet another offseason. He has the most playoff wins (eight) and starts (15) by any quarterback without a Super Bowl start in the Super Bowl era. The comeback magic that had characterized this Bills team wore out.
«I haven’t been doing a lot of talking other than I love my teammates and I’m extremely sorry,» Allen said. «I’m disappointed in how this ended.»
