Revisiting Josh Allen's historic playoff performance against the Patriots
Josh Allen may have had the greatest performance in a playoff game, causing heartache among New England Patriots fans as he led the Buffalo Bills to a 47-17 romp on Jan. 15, 2022 in an AFC wild-card playoff game.
Although New England beat the Buffalo Bills 14-10 in a windy Monday Night game in the regular season on the same field on Dec. 6, 2021, Buffalo got them back. Bill Belichick was dished out the worst playoff loss of his long NFL coaching career by Sean McDermott.
Allen missed very few throws, going 21-for-25 for 308 yards and five touchdowns, and put 14 points on the board in the first quarter, both touchdowns going to Dawson Knox. A fantastic Micah Hyde interception prevented a certain Patriots touchdown and may have started the blowout. Two rushing touchdowns for Devin Singletary left the Patriots gasping for air, giving Buffalo a 27-0 lead with 1:53 before halftime.
New England kicked a field goal just before halftime to trail 27-3. Mac Jones did not have the luxury of his defense bailing him out following an interception, as his turnover ended with a 34-yard Emmanuel Sanders touchdown and a 33-3 lead with 8:48 left in the third quater. Jones' 3-yard TD pass got Buffalo within 33-10 with 4:12 remaining in the third.
Josh Allen threw two more touchdowns before the final whistle, hitting Gabriel Davis for a 19-yard score and Tommy Doyle for a 1-yarder and a 47-10 lead.
Mac Jones, who was 24-for-38 for two TDs and two interceptions and was sacked three times, led another consolation touchdown, a 4-yard TD toss to Kendrick Bourne with 1:44 to play, on the final offensive play of the Patriots season.
Allen, who was not sacked, did not get a perfect passing rating (157.6, just short of a perfect 158.3), believe it or not. The Buffalo Bills did not punt the ball once. Belchick's defense has never been so crushed.
Josh Allen and the Bills have Patriots' number
To say Tom Brady owned the Buffalo Bills and the AFC East division would be an understatement. Brady won 17 AFC East Division titles. You may not believe this, but he was 33-3 in his career against the Bills. He even beat the Bills in the one game he played against them with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The tide has turned. The Bills are 6-1 against the New England Patriots since December 2020. Josh Allen has thrown 13 touchdown passes to one interception in his last five regular season games against New England. Buffalo has won the AFC East three years running.
Those long years of Tom Brady breaking Bills' hearts is long over. The Bills now have the edge on New England.