The Bills Dynasty is Finally Over. Yet Again.

It truly has become a tradition unlike any other:

Like a sadder, even more tragic version of the Bills early '90s run where they went 0-4 in Super Bowls, except getting past the conference championship round is nothing more than a fantastical, unachievable dream. And with Kansas City in the role previously played to perfection by Washington, Dallas and San Francisco. 

Josh Allen is now 4-1 against the Chiefs in the regular season, and winner of their last four meetings. But he's 0-4 in the playoffs against them. No data point could sum up this era of football in Buffalo better. It should be the Bills epitaph as we finally bury this dynasty that was supposed to happen but never came to pass.

From this week two years ago, when they lost at home to Cincinnati:

To this time last year:

That game last year was a 3-point loss that ended with Tyler Bass Scott Norwooding a 44-yard field goal. But should be remembered for this:

Last night's 3-point loss ended with this:

But really should be remembered for so much more. The bad calls that always broke Kansas City's way, to be sure. But much more significant is the fact Buffalo had their opportunity. They had every chance to get up off the autopsy table and change the narrative. To write their own history. They were 1st & 10 from their own 30. With 3:33 left and all their time outs. And they ran six plays for 17 yards, on a drive that lasted 1:39.

That's their legacy. You can blame the refs. Complain that the Chiefs get every break. Bellyache about how unfair it all is. But when you had it all laid out for you can can't even reach midfield, that's on you. As Dwight Shrute put it:

True winners come up big in big moments. Against this same team, in this same stadium, in this same round of the playoffs, and dealing with (for all intents and purposes) the same officials, Tom Brady found himself down by four with 2:03 to go. He completed three passes for 56 yards and a rushing touchdown gave his team the lead with 0:39 left. Then when Patrick Mahomes managed two quick chunk plays and KC kicked a field goal to tie it, Brady got the ball in overtime and put this drive together:

--Passing attempts: 9

--Completions: 4

--Passing yards: 60

--1st downs: 4

--3rd & 10s converted: 3

--Total yards: 75

That's two drives with the weight of the football world on the Patriots shoulders. And under all that pressure, thanks to the GOAT's mighty leadership, they put together not one but two touchdown drives totally 140 yards, the go-ahead score and the final nail in the Chiefs' coffin. Under Allen's leadership, the Bills managed 12% as many yards and scored 0% the points. 

The irony of all this is that for the better part of two decades the Bills entire strategy for success was based on one thing and one thing only: Getting Brady out of the division so they could finally have a chance. Only to find out the hard way that their real enemy is themselves. They've got a new nemesis that they're no better at defeating when it matters most than Brady was. In fact, the irony of all ironies is that Brady was the only one capable of beating KC in the postseason. And he did it twice. 

And so I find myself repeating this for the third consecutive January. And will continue to until such time as the Bills stop losing to the Chiefs this time of year:

Sometimes it happens in sports where a great athlete or team simply comes along at the wrong time. And they're cursed with the misfortune of existing alongside someone who is generationally great that they cannot beat. Whoever the No. 1 contenders where when Joe Louis was the champ. There was a horse named Alydar who came in second to Affirmed in all three legs of the Triple Crown. In the 1950s, it was the Brooklyn Dodgers losing World Series to the Yankees. In the '60s, the Lakers to the Celtics, and so on.

So once again, it's Rest in Peace, Bills Dynasty. See you again next January for yet another funeral.