Bills bring experience versus upstart Jaguars in AFC wild-card game
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills don’t have to beat Kansas City, Cincinnati or Baltimore to reach the Super Bowl.
The team with the reigning MVP and the AFC’s most playoff experience faces a new path, beginning with a wild-card game in Jacksonville. Although this journey doesn’t seem as daunting as those in recent years that included Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow or Lamar Jackson, it might be equally treacherous.
Especially with the Bills being on the road – and the streaking and surprising Jaguars already feeling overlooked.
Allen opens his latest quest to get Buffalo back to the NFL’s ultimate stage on Sunday. That’s the way most outsiders will look at the matchup featuring the third-seeded Jaguars (13-4) and the sixth-seeded Bills (12-5).
Here’s another:
“The whole football industry is going to be watching us,” Jaguars running back Travis Etienne said. “People who haven’t been seeing us, we get to show them who we are.”
The Jaguars have won eight in a row while averaging 33.6 points a game and have derived extra motivation from being underappreciated all season, whether it’s perceived slights from national pundits or actual snubs like Pro Bowl votes cast by players, coaches and fans.
For this game, the Jaguars merely need to peek at the betting line to find fuel: BetMGM installed Buffalo as a one-point favorite at EverBank Stadium, where the Bills last won in 2013.
Buffalo also is 0-5 on the road in the playoffs under coach Sean McDermott, starting with a 10-3 loss at Jacksonville in the 2017 wild-card round. The Bills have dropped eight consecutive postseason games on the road since winning at Miami in the 1992 AFC championship game. It’s the NFL’s second-longest active playoff road skid.
“Just got to go out there and play,” Bills running back James Cook said. “You only got one game left, so every game, you just got to play like it’s your last.”
Buffalo has been at its best when Cook is, well, cooking. The Bills are 8-1 when the NFL rushing leader tops 100 yards on the ground. He’s facing a tough task against the Jaguars, who haven’t allowed anyone to reach 75 yards rushing while becoming the league’s top run defense in 2025.
“What a great opportunity for us to be the only team playing,” Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen said. “Great opportunity for us to maximize what we can do and be on a platform to where people can watch our games everywhere and see what type of team we are.”
All eyes will be on the quarterbacks, and for good reason.
Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence is playing as well as anyone. Lawrence has accounted for 24 touchdowns during the team’s winning streak.
Allen, meanwhile, carried the Bills as usual – he has four fourth-quarter comebacks this season – and made the Pro Bowl for the fourth time. Could this finally be his Super Bowl year?
“Josh just wants to win,” Bills receiver Gabe Davis said. “He’s a huge competitor. And I feel like when it comes to these moments, it’s when he really shines.”
Buffalo’s kicking concerns
Bills kicker Matt Prater, 41, will try to play after aggravating a quadriceps injury last week.
“I just want to feel confident and feel good,” said Prater, who took over the kicking duties after Tyler Bass was sidelined by hip and groin issues before the season opener. “I’m going to do everything I can to get back and play. But we’ll see what happens.”
If Prater can’t go, the Bills have Matthew Wright on the practice squad. Wright has six seasons of NFL experience, including 14 games with the Jaguars in 2021.
Jaguars want to get home with four
There’s a common theme in Buffalo’s five losses: Allen was under intense pressure in each game, leading to sacks and turnovers. Eight sacks and two interceptions against Houston. Five sacks and two fumbles against Philadelphia. Four sacks, two interceptions and two fumbles against Atlanta. Three sacks, an interception and a fumble against Miami. One sack, an interception and a fumble against New England.
Jacksonville’s goal: Pressure Allen with a four-man rush and don’t let him scramble for big plays.
“Huge test for those guys,” Jaguars coach Liam Coen said. “I believe they’ll be up for the challenge.”
Bills feeling the heat?
With Kansas City, Cincinnati and Baltimore missing the playoffs, Buffalo has been a trendy pick to win the AFC. Does that put more pressure on the Bills?
“Aren’t we the sixth seed?” left tackle Dion Dawkins quipped. “The whole world’s not saying the Bills. Nobody’s talking about the Buffalo Bills. So I feel like all the stress is not on our shoulders.
“We play to be in the dance. We’re dancing. Now we just need to be prom king and queen at the end.”
AFC Wild Card: Buffalo at Jacksonville
When: 10 a.m. PT Sunday
Where: EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, Fla.
TV: CBS (Ch. 2)