Bills overcome Jaguars 27-24 to end road playoff woes
- - Bills overcome Jaguars 27-24 to end road playoff woes
Field Level MediaJanuary 11, 2026 at 11:02 PM
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Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Greg Newsome II (6) brings down Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir (10) during the first quarter in an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. Bills lead 10-7 at the half over the Jaguars. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] (Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Josh Allen threw a touchdown pass and ran for two more scores to lead the Buffalo Bills to their first road playoff victory in 33 years in a 27-24 win over the host Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday in an AFC wild-card round matchup.
Allen, who went to the injury tent twice in the first half after sustaining head, hand and knee injuries, led a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown drives, scoring the game-winner on a 1-yard keeper with 1:04 left.
On the first play of the ensuing drive, Trevor Lawrence's pass was intercepted by Cole Bishop off a deflection to secure the victory with 54 seconds remaining.
The Bills snapped a streak of eight straight road playoff losses at the end of a dramatic fourth quarter which saw 28 points scored -- more than the 23 scored in the first three quarters. Four fourth-quarter lead changes were tied for the most in a postseason game in NFL history.
Allen completed 28 of 35 passes for 273 yards and ran for 33 yards, leading the Bills to their sixth straight win in a playoff opener. Khalil Shakir caught 12 passes for 82 yards, and Brandin Cooks had three receptions for 58 yards, including a 36-yard grab on the game-winning drive.
NFL rushing leader James Cook III was held to 46 yards on 15 carries.
Lawrence threw three touchdowns, two of which gave the Jaguars a lead in the fourth quarter, along with two interceptions on 18-of-30 passing for 207 yards.
Parker Washington had a game-high 107 receiving yards and a TD on seven receptions despite missing much of the first half while being evaluated for a concussion. Travis Etienne Jr. had 67 rushing yards, 49 receiving yards and a touchdown catch for Jacksonville.
Buffalo struck first after taking over at the Jaguars' 33 on a Shaq Thompson interception. However, the Bills were unable to pick up a first down and forced to settle for Matt Prater's 50-yard field goal.
Jacksonville did not waste its first scoring chance, converting on a 3-yard pass from Lawrence to Brian Thomas Jr. to give Jacksonville a 7-3 lead with 14:14 left in the first half.
The Jaguars had a prime chance to extend that lead when they forced a fumble on the ensuing kickoff but came up just short on Lawrence's fourth-down keeper in the red zone.
Buffalo delivered a 10-play, 92-yard drive finished with a 2-yard Allen TD run to take a 10-7 lead with 5:37 left in the half. Jacksonville's Cam Little missed a field goal just before halftime.
The teams traded field goals to begin the second half before Jacksonville forced a punt and reclaimed the lead at 17-13 with 12:55 left on Washington's 6-yard touchdown catch.
Buffalo responded with a touchdown drive of its own, with Allen finding Dalton Kincaid for a 15-yard score to take a 20-17 lead with 8:56 left.
Jacksonville moved back in front on a 14-yard catch by Etienne with 4:03 left.
--Field Level Media
Source: “AOL Sports”
