It just wasn’t to be for the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night.
With a spot in the AFC Championship game on the line, Buffalo was trailing by three points against their old foes, the Kansas City Chiefs.
With time ticking away, Bills quarterback Josh Allen masterminded a 16-play, 54-yard drive in the fourth quarter to set up a potential game-tying 44-yard field goal which would have heaped pressure back on the reigning Super Bowl champions.
Up stepped Buffalo kicker Tyler Bass, who hadn’t missed any of his career nine field goal attempts in the last two minutes of fourth quarters or overtimes when his team was tied or trailing by three points or fewer.
In short, his previous resume suggested Bass would convert the kick and send the game to overtime.
However, Bass’s kick – after beginning its trajectory accurately through the goal posts – swerved right and was no good, leading to Kansas City’s 27-24 victory.
And, as Jim Nantz said on the CBS broadcast: “The two most dreaded words in Buffalo have surfaced again.
“Wide right.”
Chiefs’ 26-7 victory over the Dolphins on Saturday, January 13. The temperature at kickoff was -4 degrees Fahrenheit in Kansas City, with a wind chill of -20 degrees. That made it the fourth-coldest game in NFL history, according to the Peacock broadcast.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”3000″ width=”2860″ loading=’lazy’/>
Bill Belichick watches from the sideline as they take on the New York Jets on January 7. Belichick confirmed on January 11 that he is leaving the New England Patriots after 24 seasons, during which the franchise won six Super Bowl titles. ” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”2000″ width=”3000″ loading=’lazy’/>
securing a spot in the playoffs. It will be the Browns’ first postseason appearance since 2020, and third since 1999.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”2000″ width=”3000″ loading=’lazy’/>
Chiefs’ disappointing 20-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on December 25. The loss ensured the Chiefs cannot earn the No.1 seed in the AFC and postponed the sealing of their eighth consecutive AFC West title, as they fell to 9-6.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”2191″ width=”3000″ loading=’lazy’/>
Staley and general manager Tom Telesco were fired the next day. The game was a franchise record for points scored by the Raiders, and a franchise worst for points allowed by the Chargers, per NFL.com.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”2000″ width=”3000″ loading=’lazy’/>
they scored two touchdowns late to win 28-27 in regulation.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”2000″ width=”3000″ loading=’lazy’/>
ran it to the other end of the field, weaving through the scrambled defense, for an astonishing 99-yard interception touchdown. The Dolphins beat the Jets 34-13.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”3222″ width=”3000″ loading=’lazy’/>
The Eagles beat the Chiefs 21-17 in the Super Bowl rematch.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”2001″ width=”3000″ loading=’lazy’/>
injured late last season.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”3036″ width=”2204″ loading=’lazy’/>
Joshua Dobbs reaches for the pylon during the Vikings’ 31-28 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on November 5. Dobbs, who was acquired by the Vikings in a trade last week, threw for 158 yards with two touchdowns in the air and one on the ground.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”2000″ width=”3000″ loading=’lazy’/>
who was set to make history with a win, threw two interceptions and no touchdowns.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”2000″ width=”3000″ loading=’lazy’/>
Dick Butkus before the Bears’ game against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field in Chicago on October 15. Butkus, a hard-hitting Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker who played nine seasons for the Bears, died October 5. ” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”2000″ width=”3000″ loading=’lazy’/>
cheers on the Kansas City Chiefs from the family suite of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce on September 24. Swift’s show of support comes after weeks of speculation — by various NFL broadcasters and the vast majority of Swifties — that she and Kelce are dating. Swift had plenty to cheer about as the Chiefs beat the Chicago Bears 41-10.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”2001″ width=”3000″ loading=’lazy’/>
suffering a knee injury in a Monday Night Football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 18. He was carted off the field in the second quarter. Before leaving the game, the star running back had 10 carries for 64 yards.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1067″ width=”1600″ loading=’lazy’/>
suffered an ankle injury and was carted off the field after the play, which occurred during the team’s first drive in the first quarter. Before being traded in the offseason, Rodgers had spent the first 18 seasons of his NFL career with the Green Bay Packers.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1066″ width=”1600″ loading=’lazy’/>
The best photos from the 2023 NFL season
Bills fans have heard those two words before.
The franchise had built a winning team in the late 1980s under head coach Marv Levy, which had booked its spot in Super Bowl XXV in 1991.
Playing the great New York Giants team of that era under legendary head coach Bill Parcells, Buffalo went toe-to-toe with them, trailing by one point as time ticked down.
Led by the team’s famous quarterback Jim Kelly, the Bills drove down to the Giants’ 29-yard line, setting up a 47-yard field goal to clinch the franchise’s first ever Super Bowl title.
Bills kicker Scott Norwood entered the frame to potentially etch his name into folklore. But he ended up doing so for a very different reason.
In a moment with striking similarity to Bass’ miss, Norwood’s kick flew wide right of the posts, beginning a bittersweet run of four losses in four successive Super Bowls for the Bills.
This time round, it was Bass not Norwood whose attempt flew wide right, but members of the Bills were keen to stress that their kicker was not to blame.
Allen was shown on TV cameras seeking out Bass after the game to console him and sought to take the pressure off him in his postgame press conference.
“I wish it wouldn’t have been put in that situation,” Allen told reporters. “You win as a team, you lose as a team. One play doesn’t define a game. It doesn’t define a season. I know people are gonna be out there saying that. We’ve got to be there for him because, again, we execute a couple plays prior, probably singing a different tune right now.”
However, after the miss sealed the Chiefs’ sixth consecutive AFC championship game spot, Bass took full responsibility.
“Ultimately, it’s completely on me,” a dejected Bass told reporters in the locker room. “Got to do a better job of getting through to my target. Got to do a better job of playing it a little bit more left when you have a left-to-right.
“I’ve been here long enough to know that you have to do that. I was trusting my line that I had in warmups. Hit a good ball, it didn’t work out. I feel terrible. I love this team, and it hurts. This one hurts bad. I’ve got to do a better job.”
Market Of Bliss
