Bills, Josh Allen never stopped pushing, and the Super Bowl dream is alive

Billy Heyen

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Bills, Josh Allen never stopped pushing, and the Super Bowl dream is alive image

The Buffalo Bills wanted to get the tush push abolished. They were one of the teams, spearheaded by head coach Sean McDermott, who didn't like the specialized QB sneak run by the Philadelphia Eagles.

Good thing their side of that vote didn't win out in the offseason. Because on the biggest play of their season, the Bills put fullback Reggie Gilliam behind MVP quarterback Josh Allen. Gilliam pushed, and then a whole host of Bills joined in.

Allen needed a foot. He got 10 yards.

A play later, Allen was in the end zone. And two players later, the Bills picked off Trevor Lawrence, securing a wild, 27-24 win in the AFC Wild Card Round on Sunday afternoon.

It snapped a road losing streak in the playoffs that extended back to the '90s.

And it keeps the dream of a Super Bowl alive.

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The Bills could've broken down on numerous occasions in this one.

Early on, Allen had his helmet landed on by a Jacksonville player as he laid on the ground, bending his neck awkwardly.

But there he was on the next drive, having cleared concussion protocol, back in the game.

In the second quarter, Allen hurt his throwing hand and his left knee on the same drive before running in a touchdown.

And of course, he didn't miss a play.

Allen is the reason the Bills believe. Allen is Buffalo's everything.

The AFC playoff bracket doesn't have the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes, the Ravens and Lamar Jackson, the Bengals and Joe Burrow.

But it's got the Bills, and the Bills have Allen.

He made the throw of the day just before that legendary tush push, a bomb down the left sideline to new guy Brandin Cooks, pressure crushing Allen as he threw but delivering on the money anyway.

He snuck forward for necessary yardage on fourth down multiple times before the crucial carry.

Allen got plenty of help, too. 

Tre'Davious White was tremendous from his cornerback spot in a season where many have felt his age is showing.

Khalil Shakir was targeted 12 times and caught all 12.

Dalton Kincaid had a smooth TD catch to give the Bills a lead early in the fourth quarter, before the Jags took it back.

Matt Prater, dealing with a quad injury to his kicking leg, didn't miss a kick all game.

And then in the end, it was Josh, because of course it was. A push to the 1, then another push to paydirt.

White played the role of closer, tipping a pass that fell into Cole Bishop's arms to secure the victory for good.

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Buffalo's next opponent will only be determined by the results of the other AFC game, but the Bills won't be too worried.

That old catch phrase from NC State's legendary coach Jim Valvano, "survive and advance," applies here as much as ever.

Allen is the best quarterback on the planet. He's the best quarterback in the playoffs. He's Superman when he needs to be, as CBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson called him, to his face, after the win.

The Bills haven't stopped pushing throughout this Allen era, which has featured devastating losses to end what were otherwise special seasons.

They sure as heck aren't going to stop pushing now.

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News Correspondent