ORCHARD PARK — Quintin Morris won’t get over Sunday’s loss until the Super Bowl is finished. The sting will linger without much reprieve.
Watching the Kansas City Chiefs play for the AFC championship bites a little deeper. After losing to the Chiefs 27-24 on a 44-yard missed field goal by Tyler Bass, it’s a lot easier to think the Buffalo Bills could be in that position rather watching from the couch. If they make the Super Bowl, that feeling will fester even more.
But after a third consecutive second-round exit after the playoffs, the Bills are still pondering what it’s going to take to make other teams feel their pain, while still believing they are close to reaching that goal. Buffalo didn’t take a step back in losing to the Chiefs, it just didn’t inch any closer to winning a Super Bowl.
“People are going to say what they’re going to say,” the Bills tight end said. “People were saying we were 6-6 and had not shot of making the playoffs and here we are in the second round. It’s about proving the naysayers wrong. The ultimate goal is the Super Bowl … but to make it this far, I say it’s a win.”
Where the Bills see frustration in this particular loss, is not just in losing to the Chiefs or losing in the divisional round again, but because they felt everything was flowing in their direction this time. Buffalo overcame self-inflicted mistakes that resulted in a 6-6 record, only to rattle off six consecutive wins, including one against the Chiefs on the road that spark the whole run.
The Bills were finding different ways to win rather than relying on quarterback Josh Allen’s heroics. They ran for more than 150 yards five times in the last 10 games after doing so four times in the previous 15 games dating back to last season.
Buffalo also seemed to get over late-game debacles that cost them early in the season. After losing four fourth-quarter leads — three in the final two minutes — in the first 12 games, the Bills held off opponents three times in the final minute over the last five games of the regular season.
And after surrendering at least 120 yards rushing six times in the first 12 games, they gave up 97.7 in their six-game winning streak.
Even in games the defense squandered a late-lead, Allen and the offense made eight fourth-quarter comebacks to tie or take the lead, including five in the last two minutes. And yet all of those went out the window against the Chiefs.
Kansas City ran for 146 yards on 6.1 yards per carry, the Buffalo running game fizzled in the second half, accounting for just 58 yards after running for 124 in the first half. And for the first time this season, the offense couldn’t convert on a tying or go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter.
“It sucks because you feel like you’re stating to find pieces to the puzzles and obviously you’re not so it leaves you at a loss for words,” Bills receiver Gabe Davis said. “Especially yesterday because you feel like everything was clicking so well, especially on offense. So to be able to not be practicing today is a little weird.”
Then again, the Bills were once again among the last four AFC teams remaining in the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season and haven’t lost a regular-season game by more than one score since 2021. And while they won’t be able to take another crack at a Super Bowl with same core again next year, there are still plenty of pieces to make another run if general manager Brandon Beane can finagle the salary cap obstacles.
Although the Bills have 29 free agents-to-be, they have chance to get younger. Thirty-three of the 37 players under contract next season are currently younger than 30 years old, with 19 being 25 or younger.
The Bills also have 14 starters under 30 on the books at the moment, with seven under 25 years old. Beane will also have to hit on more draft picks this season, an area he’s typically good, and Buffalo has nine picks this year — including the No. 28 pick in the first round — and are expected to land a third-round compensatory pick after linebacker Tremaine Edmunds signed with the Chicago Bears for $72 million during the offseason.
Although the draft-and-develop strategy offers no guarantees, it’s the best and cheapest way to accrue talent long-term. And, after all, a quarterback like Allen is the equalizer to mask other deficiencies.
“I believe in what we’ve got going on here and the people that are in charge,” Allen said. “I believe in myself. And that’ll never change.”
NOTES
The Bills announced Monday they signed practice squad players CB Kyron Brown, DE Kameron Cline, OL Richard Gouraige, CB Ja’Marcus Ingram, WR Andy Isabella, OL Kevin Jarvis, TE Tre’ McKitty, WR Tyrell Shavers and WR Bryan Thompson to reserve/futures contracts. … Bills also signed WR K.J. Hamler and S Kendall Williams to the same deals.