Josh Allen’s playoff struggles comparison has ignited frustration among Buffalo Bills fans, as their star quarterback continues to face heartbreak in critical moments. Since 2018, Allen and head coach Sean McDermott have brought consistency to a franchise long plagued by postseason failures, but their inability to win when it matters most remains a glaring issue.
The Bills’ Pattern of Playoff Disappointment
The Buffalo Bills have a painful history of coming close but falling short in the playoffs, a legacy dating back to their four Super Bowl defeats in the 1990s. Allen has emerged as a dynamic quarterback, alongside McDermott’s steady leadership since 2017, yet the team’s postseason results reveal a disturbing trend. Despite dominant regular seasons, their strategies unravel in high-pressure situations, with success in the fall undoing in January.
This inconsistency has drawn sharp commentary from former Bills general manager Doug Whaley, who voiced serious concerns about the team’s performance under pressure. Speaking on The Zach Gelb Show, Whaley described how the Bills flounder when the game is not scripted, revealing a critical weakness late in contests.
The thing that I struggle with in Buffalo is when everything’s scripted, that team seems to be okay. But when it comes down to a fourth quarter… they always seem to dribble down their leg.
—Doug Whaley, Former Bills GM
Pressed on whether this faltering points to McDermott’s coaching, Whaley was direct:
I think so… every time it came down to crunch situations late in the game where he had to make a decision that was not on his script, something always went wrong.
—Doug Whaley, Former Bills GM
Whaley’s blunt critique highlights a problem that the numbers reinforce. Since 2019, Buffalo is 5-6 in playoff games, with several narrow defeats influenced by questionable coaching decisions in clutch moments. Key losses include:
- 2020 AFC Championship: A defensive breakdown against Kansas City with just 13 seconds remaining
- 2023 Divisional Round: Missed 44-yard field goal by Tyler Bass following overly cautious play-calling
- 2024 AFC Championship: Controversial spot ruling on a QB sneak against the Chiefs
The Root of Buffalo’s Playoff Failures: Strategy or Timing?
These setbacks are not due to a lack of talent—Allen’s playoff stats reflect impressive production with 21 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions. Instead, the frustrations stem from breakdowns in execution during pivotal moments where improvisation and swift decision-making are required. Until this flaw is fixed, the Bills risk remaining trapped in a cycle of almost reaching greatness but falling short.
Whaley’s harshest judgement targets Allen himself, drawing a stark parallel that reverberates through Buffalo’s fanbase. He compared Allen’s legacy to that of Charles Barkley, a Hall of Fame NBA player known for brilliance yet eternally shadowed by Michael Jordan’s dominance.
Josh Allen and the Burden of Being the NFL’s Charles Barkley
Whaley suggested that Buffalo is repeatedly bumping against an invisible ceiling, preventing them from achieving championship glory. The analogy to Barkley is striking:
to me, Buffalo will always just hit that proverbial ceiling and they can be the Charles Barkley to the Michael Jordan, unfortunately for Josh Allen, because he’s an incredible talent.
—Doug Whaley, Former Bills GM
This comparison resonates because Allen’s playoff success continually clashes with the extraordinary postseason run of Patrick Mahomes, much like Barkley’s NBA Finals aspirations were overshadowed by Michael Jordan’s Bulls. Buffalo and Kansas City have met three times in the playoffs since Allen’s arrival, and on each occasion, the Bills have been denied victory, including the 2025 AFC Championship where Allen rallied from an 11-point deficit but ultimately lost in the closing moments.
The Bills’ continued frustration contrasts with other franchises like Baltimore, which Whaley mentioned as still potentially positioned to overcome similar hurdles:
I think Baltimore still has a chance,
—Doug Whaley, Former Bills GM
Both Barkley and Allen share a series of hauntingly similar traits in their careers:
- MVP-level performances at their peaks (Allen’s 2024 season, Barkley’s 1993 campaign)
- Remarkable individual games under pressure despite team losses (Allen’s four-touchdown game versus Kansas City in 2022, Barkley’s stellar Finals performance with 32 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists)
- The legacy of “almost” — Barkley’s six NBA Finals losses to Jordan and Allen’s 0-3 playoff record against Mahomes
At 28 years old, Allen still has time to rewrite his NFL legacy, yet the window for championships in football is notoriously short. The Bills’ past attempts, led by legends like Jim Kelly who took Buffalo to four straight Super Bowls without winning, foreshadow the immense challenge Allen faces. Whaley’s Barkley analogy underscores a brutal reality: sometimes greatness is eclipsed not by lack of talent but by unfortunate timing and competition.
For the passionate Bills Mafia, the agony is intensified by the fact that their chief rival’s star, Patrick Mahomes, seems destined to redefine the NFL’s history, leaving Buffalo locked in a cycle of frustration and dashed hope. This dynamic between Allen’s skill and postseason shortcomings raises pressing questions about the trajectory of both his career and the Bills franchise going forward.