The Buffalo Bills‘ season ended with a bitter taste and a flood of questions after being eliminated in the Divisional Round with a 33-30 loss to the Denver Broncos a few weeks ago. For their quarterback, Josh Allen, it is time to step forward and put an end to any narrative of self-pity.
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Images of Allen crying after the game spread across sports media following the Bills’ elimination. That night, Allen admitted part of the blame.
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“It’s extremely difficult… I feel like I, feel like I let, let my teammates down tonight,” Allen said on that somber evening.
Josh Allen makes new statements
Just hours before Super Bowl LX, Josh Allen has firmly rejected using his diminished physical condition as a justification for the collective failure after dealing with injuries prior to the game against the Denver Broncos.
In a direct interview with Sports Illustrated, Allen was asked whether his ailments affected his performance. His four-word response was quick and emphatic: “No, I don’t think so.”
The No. 17 chose instead to shoulder responsibility for mental execution: “It had more to do with decision-making and a couple of throws I wish I could have back; that’s what ultimately would have changed the outcome,” he stated.
A body pushed to the limit: No excuses for the “MVP”
Despite medical reports confirming a fracture in his right foot suffered against Cleveland, in addition to a broken nose reported in the Wild Card round, Allen insisted that the pain disappeared once he stepped onto the field and therefore does not see it as an excuse for the loss to the Broncos.
“I was able to play with it and there was no risk of re-injury. On game days it felt perfect; there’s no excuse there,” explained the passer, who despite the pain managed to record three touchdowns and 66 rushing yards in his final appearance.
For Allen, the loss hurt even more because of missed opportunities, such as the overtime interception that sealed his fate. “We simply lost opportunities throughout the game. This is going to stay with me for a long time,” he confessed with evident frustration as he watched another year of Super Bowl aspirations vanish by the narrowest of margins, yet he refuses to move on from the goal and continues to think about the Lombardi Trophy.
“I want it so badly. I want to bring the Lombardi back to Western New York. Obviously I haven’t been able to do it, but that’s just pointing the thumb back at myself.”
This setback marks the end of an era, as Allen will face his first season without Sean McDermott. The quarterback took an active role in meetings to define the franchise’s future, backing the promotion of Joe Brady as head coach.
Allen now faces a 10-week recovery following his surgery, but his mindset is already focused on returning with the goal of reaching the final game of the season-and winning it.
