Former NFL quarterback-turned-analyst Dan Orlovsky sat on the ESPN desk for “Get Up” the day after Championship Sunday along with his head down.
Taking a breath, he spoke his thoughts after seeing the Buffalo Payments fall to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs once more within the playoffs – 4 straight occasions Josh Allen & Co. fell to Patrick Mahomes.
“I feel it’s essentially the most haunted group and is likely to be essentially the most haunted participant within the historical past of the NFL,” Orlovsky informed his colleagues. “4 straight Tremendous Bowl losses 30-plus years in the past, and now 4 straight losses to Patrick Mahomes when your quarterback performs simply pretty much as good. Simply pretty much as good in all these video games, and the purpose differential is barely 5 factors.”
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Buffalo Payments quarterback Josh Allen walks off the sphere after the AFC Championship towards the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs at GEHA Discipline at Arrowhead Stadium. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Photos)
Does Orlovsky have a degree? Are the Payments, and Allen, essentially the most haunted group and participant within the historical past of the league?
There are 12 groups who’ve by no means gained a Tremendous Bowl, 4 of which have by no means seen the “Massive Sport” on their schedule: Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Of these 12 groups, solely two have been to the Tremendous Bowl 4 occasions however misplaced each time – the Payments and Minnesota Vikings. However there’s just one staff within the historical past of the NFL to go to 4 straight Tremendous Bowls and lose all of them, and “Payments Mafia” needed to cope with 4 years of the best of highs adopted by the bottom of lows when it comes to fandom.
There have been the “Curse of the Bambino” and “Curse of the Billy Goat” for the Boston Crimson Sox and Chicago Cubs, respectively, although they snapped these this century with World Collection titles. For the Payments, the “Curse of Mahomes” is likely to be the title for this Allen period, however the woes for the group and fan base began within the 1990 season with an notorious kick.
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WIDE RIGHT
Tremendous Bowl XXV noticed two New York groups, the Payments and Giants, going towards one another for the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Within the fourth quarter, Jim Kelly, very similar to Allen in that they have been each bonafide stars on the quarterback place on the time of the Payments’ success, had 2:16 remaining for a game-winning drive. On the staff’s remaining possession, he led his offense down the sphere, transferring the ball rapidly with quick passes and a few runs.
The Payments managed to get in discipline purpose vary, the place kicker Scott Norwood may try a game-winning kick from 47 yards out. However when Norwood linked with the ball, it went extensive proper, and the Giants ran out the clock to win their second Tremendous Bowl title for the franchise.
HOW ‘BOUT THEM COWBOYS
The NFC East wasn’t form to the Payments throughout this stretch, as they have been overwhelmed in Tremendous Bowl XXVI by the Washington Redskins, 37-24, when Buffalo wasn’t capable of put up a first-half level within the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis in 1992.
Dallas Cowboys operating again Emmitt Smith in motion towards the Buffalo Payments throughout Tremendous Bowl XXVII on the Rose Bowl. The Cowboys defeated the Payments, 52-17. (Necessary Credit score: Tony Tomsic-USA TODAY NETWORK)
And if that was dangerous, it was even worse in 1993 when the Dallas Cowboys, led by a number of Corridor of Famers in coach Jimmy Johnson, quarterback Troy Aikman, extensive receiver Michael Irvin and operating again Emmitt Smith, destroyed Buffalo, 52-17.
Kelly and the Payments received off to a scorching begin after Thurman Thomas scored from two yards out, but it surely was actually all Cowboys from there. Jay Novacek had a 23-yard landing catch from Aikman, and a fumble recovered for a landing by Jimmie Jones gave Dallas the lead they wouldn’t look again from.
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It didn’t assist that Kelly received injured within the second quarter and Frank Reich needed to take over at quarterback. However for a 3rd straight 12 months, Buffalo went dwelling empty-handed.
These two groups would meet once more in Tremendous Bowl XXVIII for a rematch, this time within the Georgia Dome. However a second-half goose egg on the scoreboard led to a 30-13 defeat for the Payments, and Smith gained MVP after scoring two touchdowns and dashing for 132 yards on 30 carries.
4 straight years and no {hardware} is a troublesome tablet to swallow, and what’s worse, the fan base hasn’t been again to the “Massive Sport” since then.
ALLEN VS. MAHOMES – PT. 1
For his regular-season profession, Allen is 4-1 towards Mahomes and the Chiefs, and he’s gained every of the final 4 video games. That included this season, the place Allen broke a number of tackles on a 4th-and-short run to attain the game-sealing landing in a improbable efficiency at dwelling.
However Allen and the Payments have recognized because the 2020 NFL marketing campaign that Mahomes and the Chiefs are a special animal within the playoffs.
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The primary assembly was the AFC Championship Sport in 2021, the place the Payments had a 9-0 result in begin the sport, however Mahomes turned up the warmth within the second quarter, scoring 21 factors that led to a 21-12 first-half end they wouldn’t look again from.
Mahomes would end the sport 29-of-38 for 325 yards with three touchdowns, whereas Tyreek Hill had a franchise-record 172 yards on 9 catches and Travis Kelce totaled 13 catches for 118 yards and two scores – essentially the most receptions by a receiver in a convention title sport.
The Chiefs wouldn’t go on to win that Tremendous Bowl, falling to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 31-9, at Raymond James Stadium. However it was obvious to the Payments who you needed to undergo within the AFC to get again to the Tremendous Bowl.
Buffalo Payments quarterback Josh Allen drops again to move towards the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs throughout the first half of the AFC Championship at GEHA Discipline at Arrowhead Stadium. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Photos)
13 SECONDS LEFT
Arguably, one of many biggest postseason soccer video games of all-time didn’t go within the Payments’ favor, and that is maybe the most important intestine punch of all of them lately.
Allen couldn’t have performed any higher on this 2022 AFC Divisional Spherical sport, going 27-of-37 for 329 yards and 4 touchdowns, all of which went to receiver Gabe Davis, who set a playoff file along with his 4 scores, which got here on eight catches for 201 yards.
Davis’ remaining landing at Arrowhead Stadium was imagined to be the dagger within the Chiefs’ hopeful return to the AFC Championship, as there have been simply 13 seconds left on the fourth-quarter clock when the Payments’ kickoff commenced.
Go away it to Mahomes, although, as he threw a 19-yard move to Hill, which ran 5 seconds off the clock, after which Kelce was left extensive open for a 25-yard catch-and-run, which was one other 5 seconds. So, with a game-tying discipline purpose at 36-33 on the road for Harrison Butker, he drilled a 49-yard try and pressure time beyond regulation.
With the outdated time beyond regulation guidelines, the place a landing ends it, the Chiefs took full benefit after they gained the coin toss. Mahomes wanted only one run and 5 passes to get into the pink zone, the place he discovered Kelce on an 8-yard move for the win.
Sports activities followers will let you know the place they have been and what they have been doing for the most important, and worst, moments of their favourite groups. It is a reminiscence that’s really haunting.
Buffalo Payments kicker Tyler Bass missed what would have been a game-tying discipline purpose. The Payments misplaced to the Chiefs within the divisional spherical, 27-24. (IMAGN)
WIDE RIGHT…AGAIN
Payments followers had déjà vu final season throughout the Divisional Spherical in a sport that wasn’t Allen’s finest, however there was nonetheless an opportunity to get their very own time beyond regulation revenge.
In a sport at Buffalo this time, the Payments discovered themselves down three factors within the fourth quarter with an opportunity to drive and at the very least kick a game-tying discipline purpose to maintain hopes alive for a visit to the AFC Championship.
However very similar to Tremendous Bowl XXV, the place Norwood missed his game-winning discipline purpose extensive proper, Tyler Bass did the very same. Payments followers at Highmark Stadium couldn’t imagine historical past was repeating itself, as Mahomes and the offense picked up the mandatory first right down to seal victory.
Mahomes would go on to win back-to-back Tremendous Bowls with an time beyond regulation victory over San Francisco, whereas Allen and the Payments needed to wait for an additional crack in 2024.
“IT’S JUST NOT FUN”
That was Allen’s quote after the 32-29 loss in Kansas Metropolis within the AFC Championship, marking the fourth straight dropped to Mahomes and the Chiefs. And there have been certainly some controversial calls, just like the Xavier Worthy catch close to the purpose line that was dominated a catch regardless of the ball touching the bottom throughout replay assessment.
However the greatest of all of them got here within the fourth quarter, when the Payments have been up 22-21 over the Chiefs and had an opportunity to additional their lead with one other good drive. On Third-and-short, Allen whipped a display screen to Dalton Kincaid, who scampered ahead for what seemed to be a primary down. Nonetheless, he was dominated quick regardless of referees not seeing his knee by no means touched the bottom the place he appeared to get tackled.
As an alternative of a problem coming from the Payments’ sideline, they moved rapidly to get Allen arrange for a quarterback sneak. When the ball was snapped, Allen received stuffed, however not earlier than he appeared to cross the road to realize with the soccer.
As soon as once more, although, the refs known as him quick, turning it over on downs. 5 performs later, Mahomes rushed in for the second time within the sport and a two-point conversion gave them a seven-point lead.
Allen, although, with ice in his veins, tied the sport with a 4th-and-goal move to Curtis Samuel, and the Payments’ protection received the cease they wanted to pressure only a discipline purpose for the Chiefs, who now owned a 32-29 lead.
Sufficient time was on the clock, and Allen had the ball once more late within the sport with the power to tie the sport or take the lead. However on 4th-and-5 on the two-minute warning, the Chiefs’ blitz had Allen scrambling, although he was capable of heave a move downfield to Kincaid. The tight finish had a shot at making it a miraculous throw-and-catch effort, but it surely bounced off his arms and the Chiefs would go on to win.
Buffalo Payments quarterback Josh Allen dives for a primary down towards the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs throughout the second half of the AFC Championship. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Photos)
ALLEN STATS THAT SHOCK
Contemplating how nice Allen and the Payments are, and the truth that they beat the Chiefs within the common season, one would assume Buffalo would pull considered one of these out.
However when Bass missed the sphere purpose extensive proper this previous season, the Payments tied the New Orleans Saints throughout their 2017-21 stretch with essentially the most regular-season wins in a five-year stretch (58) with out a Tremendous Bowl look.
As for Allen, the final three Chiefs matchups within the postseason have resulted in 752 whole passing yards and 179 dashing yards for a complete of 931 yards with a 68.12% completion charge and 9 whole touchdowns with no turnovers.
So, regardless of averaging 310 yards per sport during the last three conferences with the Chiefs within the playoffs and never turning the ball over, the Payments haven’t been capable of win.
It’s why former NFL star receiver Brandon Marshall informed Fox Information Digital that Allen was simply introduced into the “incorrect period to be a quarterback.”
“Generally you run right into a Michael Jordan,” Marshall stated. “Generally you run right into a Tiger Woods of their prime, and you bought to cope with it.”
WHAT NOW?
Allen’s post-game response this 12 months stated all of it: “To be the champs, you bought to beat the champs.”
The one factor he and the Payments can do is hold grinding, work on their fundamentals and execution and hope the Chiefs can someway make these one or two errors that may flip the sport of their favor.
As a result of what followers and consultants alike can see is that Kansas Metropolis is buttoned up in these clutch moments whereas the Payments haven’t had issues go their manner.
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Is it as a result of they’re haunted by a ‘90s stretch that would have a curse on them now? Or is it, like Marshall stated, the incorrect period to go towards somebody like Mahomes, who has already entered the dialog as the most effective quarterback of all-time?
Whichever college of thought you fall into doesn’t matter. On the finish of the day, the Payments have gotten so shut, and but they’re on the skin trying in for the previous 31 years.
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