QB Allen has faith Bills’ window will remain open

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Josh Allen expressed confidence in what’s ahead for the Buffalo Bills after the team’s season had a familiar ending falling short of an AFC title game and Super Bowl appearance again on Sunday night.

The Bills battled back from 6-6 to win the AFC East and put together a six-game winning streak, but it came to a halt in familiar fashion against the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round. It was the third straight season Buffalo failed to make the AFC Championship Game, which Allen has reached just once in his six seasons.

This was seen as a key season for the Bills, with the team facing many questions heading into the offseason.

But Allen,27, said he isn’t worried about the championship window closing on this team.

“I believe in what we’ve got going on here and the people that are in charge,” he said. “I believe in myself. And that’ll never change.”

Despite the success Allen has had in 10 career postseason games — 64.6% completions, 21 passing touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 83 rushing attempts for 563 yards and 5 rushing scores — Buffalo is just 5-5 in those games. With this postseason’s loss to the Chiefs, Buffalo became the first team to be eliminated by the same team three times in a four-year span since the 49ers lost three straight years to the Green Bay Packers from 1995-97.

Since Allen was drafted in 2018, only two teams have a better regular season winning percentage than the Bills — the Chiefs and Ravens. The Bills’ 58 regular season wins over the last five seasons (second behind the Chiefs) is tied with the 2017-21 New Orleans Saints for the most wins in a five-year span without reaching the Super Bowl.

Teammates around the locker room on Monday talked about just how well Allen played this season and down the stretch, with many, including Allen, also in support of the job coach Sean McDermott did this season when asked.

“I think, all signs are still pointing up with this team,” Allen said. “I know, it feels bleak. And there’s probably going to be a lot of change …. That’s nothing that I know, nor can I focus on, to be honest. I just gotta continue to keep working hard and bringing the guys that are here along and keep trying to mesh everybody together. And it takes an entire organization. … Some good long looks in the mirror and conversations with people that are in and outside the building just asking, what can I do more? What can I be better at and learning and growing from that, and that’s exactly what I plan on doing.”

The Bills now go into the offseason with a complicated cap situation, about $49 million over the expected cap.

Among others, that includes 30-year-old wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who finished the final seven games of the season, including playoffs, averaging 41 receiving yards per game and zero receiving touchdowns. It’s the first time in his career he’s gone seven straight games without a receiving touchdown. Diggs is set to account for a 27.9 million cap hit.

Pass rusher Von Miller, who will be 35 in March and had zero sacks this season, will have a $23.9 million cap hit as he continues to work back from right ACL surgery in Dec. 2022 and is still being investigated for an alleged assault of his pregnant girlfriend.

Add to that mix veteran safety Micah Hyde becoming a free agent (and potentially retiring), wide receiver Gabe Davis saying Monday that he is planning to test free agency in March and both cornerback Tre’Davious White (right Achilles) and Matt Milano (right leg) working back from season-ending injuries while both are scheduled to be in the top seven in cap value, and this roster is likely set for some big changes.

“Long road ahead, long offseason,” Allen said. “Gotta continue to keep putting in the work and getting better in the offseason and getting together with guys and figuring out what we can do to get over this hump.”