Jaguars Fall as Josh Allen Powers Bills to First Playoff Road Win in 33 Years

Bills quarterback Josh Allen proved his MVP bona fides on Sunday, willing his team down the field to score the game-winning touchdown in the final minutes of Sunday's Wild-Card opener in Jacksonville.

The Buffalo Bills knocked off the Jaguars 27-24 at Everbank Bank Stadium to advance to the NFL divisional round next week, when they'll face the No. 1 seed Denver Broncos.

Allen threw for more than 100 yards in the fourth quarter alone and rumbled to the 1-yard line before scoring late in a game that broke the NFL record for most lead changes in playoff history.

The lead changed four times in the fourth quarter before Allen bulled his way into the end zone with 1:06 minutes on the clock.

Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence threw an interception on the ensuing possession to end the game. The turnover encapsulated Lawrence's woes throughout the game.

The AFC Player of the Month for December, Lawrence went 18-for-30 for 207 passing yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. He was under pressure from the Bills for much of the game and was sacked once. One of the league's top-rushing quarterbacks this season, Lawrence had six carries for 31 yards Sunday.

The Jaguars leaned on their league-best run defense against Allen and running back James Cook III, who led the NFL in rushing yards in the regular season. Cook was limited to 46 yards on 15 carries. But Allen made the difference, scoring twice on his 11 carries and 33 yards, as the Jaguars couldn't stop the final goal-line stand.

The Bills ended their 33-year road playoff drought with the victory, giving head coach Sean McDermott his first playoff road win in six tries. Until Sunday, Buffalo had not won a playoff game on the road since 1992.

Jaguars head coach Liam Coen takes the loss in his first year leading an NFL team. One of this season's Coach of the Year candidates, Coen led the Jaguars to a surprisingly successful season, despite the loss on Sunday.

Allen finished with 273 passing yards on 28-of-35 attempts with one passing touchdown. He was under pressure for most of the game and was sacked once.

Kicker Cam Little's missed field goal attempt as time expired in the first half proved disastrous by the end of the contest. Little's 54-yard attempt veered just left of the goal post, sending the Jags into the locker room trailing 7-10.

Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. did double duty against the Bills, scoring a go-ahead touchdown on a 14-yard catch with 4:03 minutes to go in the contest. Etienne had the second-most receiving yards on Sunday – five catches for 49 yards and one touchdown. He also carried the ball 10 times for a team-leading 67 yards, his longest a breakaway of 26 yards.

Jacksonville's backfield was just one factor for the team's explosive plays on offense. Tailback Bhayshul Tuten carried the ball for four explosive runs Sunday, and finished with those four carries for 51 yards – he broke one for 12.8 yards.

Jaguars fans, who turned out all in teal Sunday for the team's first playoff game since 2022, saw numerous spectacular plays from Jacksonville's receiving corps. In addition of Etienne's receiving TD, Brian Thomas Jr. and Parker Washington provided sparks for the offense, scoring one TD apiece.

Washington, who briefly left the game in the first quarter to be checked for a concussion, was back in the second quarter to lead the Jags with seven catches for 107 yards, his longest a 34-yarder from Lawrence. Thomas pulled in two catches for 21 yards.

Washington, a sixth-round pick in the 2023 draft out of Penn State, was among the bright spots in Sunday's game, providing a spark that Lawrence (and Little) couldn't convert into a win.