“They Tried To Draw Them Offsides”: Analyst Details Josh Allen’s ‘Cat and Mouse’ Game Against Kansas City Chiefs

The Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs played another classic in Sunday’s AFC Championship. Unfortunately for the Bills, some things never change, as the Chiefs prevailed 32-29 to advance to Super Bowl LIX. Kansas City is now the first back-to-back Super Bowl champion to reach the Super Bowl for a third consecutive year.

Josh Allen is now 0-4 against Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs with this loss. Buffalo’s talented signal-caller did everything he could to get the Bills over the hump. That included literally jumping above the fray to convert a key fourth down in the fourth quarter. CBS analyst Tony Romo dissected the play in real time to give fans insight into Allen’s intentions.

“They tried to draw them offsides… that was smart… now they’re actually going to run a play… this is absolutely huge. Josh kept it. Kansas City, what a plan they’ve had today… [the Bills] always run left [there]… Buffalo goes to the timeout and decides to switch it up a little bit. That’s the cat and mouse. The chess game.”

Josh Allen leaps over the pile and keeps possession for the first down

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— NFL (@NFL) January 27, 2025

Allen’s headfirst dive was a switch-up from his typical QB sneak approach. Buffalo was the cat to Kansas City’s mouse in this battle. However, in the war, the Chiefs remained the feline and again relegated the Bills to rodent status.

Buffalo falls short because of QB sneak failures

As Romo mentioned, Josh Allen frequently favors the left side of his offensive line when executing a QB sneak. Kansas City knew this and did everything possible to make Allen change that today. Prior to the above play, Allen hadn’t done so. As a result, Buffalo was “[zero] for three”, per Romo, on Allen’s “Tush Push” opportunities. One of their failed attempts was a two-point try at the end of the first half.

KC’s defense holds strong on the two-point conversion attempt.

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The Bills took an extra point off the board to attempt that two-point conversion. Their inability to score the first time led them to go for two again in the third quarter. They didn’t score on that try, either. These shortcomings left four points on the board in a three-point loss.

The most pivotal play of the game was also an Allen QB sneak. Moments after leaping over the pile, Allen faced 4th-and-1 from the Chiefs’ 41-yard line. He reverted to old habits on the play and tried going left again. Once more, Kansas City stopped him.

Does Josh Allen do enough to get the 1st down here? pic.twitter.com/7h8Y20qEWM

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There was incredible outrage at Allen being ruled short on the play. Whether he actually reached the line to gain can be debated until the end of time. What’s indisputable, though, is that the Bills’ and Allen’s stubbornness about going left on his QB sneaks cost Buffalo points.

Bills Mafia now can only wonder what could have been as they pick up the pieces after another heartbreaking end to a season.