Josh Allen, quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, has opened up about the team’s season-ending loss to the Bengals in the AFC Divisional Round and his elbow injury. On Sunday, less than 24 hours after the heartbreaking defeat, Allen spoke to the media at One Bills Drive as the team discussed the events that led to their season’s end. In this blog post, we will look at what Allen had to say and explore the impact of his injury on the Bills’ season.
The game
The Buffalo Bills’ playoff journey came to an abrupt halt in the NFL AFC Divisional Round when they fell to the Bengals 27-24. The loss marks the end of a season that saw the Bills make their first playoff appearance since 2017.
Josh Allen was at the helm for the Bills and unfortunately suffered a significant injury to his elbow late in the fourth quarter that put an end to his night. Despite the injury, Allen spoke to the media after the game to share his thoughts on the loss and how it felt to see his season end this way.
i don’t want to discredit everything we did this year. The team dealt with a lot of adversity throughout the year,” said Allen. “I can agree with that. I don’t know for me personally. But, again, you gotta play your best against really good teams, and we didn’t yesterday.
When asked about his performance in the NFL’s AFC Divisional Round and his elbow injury, Allen explained: “It’s very tough… especially going into halftime knowing we’re in a position to win the game if we could come out and continue to build off our first half momentum.
But then getting hurt in the 4th quarter and not being able to finish out the game is heartbreaking”. He went on to say that while he doesn’t regret playing through the injury, he knows he needs to take some time to rest and heal before he can return to the field next season.
Allen concluded by saying: “At the end of the day, this isn’t about one person or one individual but about what this team has accomplished together and what we have ahead of us. We have a bright future here in Buffalo, and I’m looking forward to doing all I can next year to help get us back here”.
The injury
On the second play of the second quarter in the AFC Divisional Round, Josh Allen suffered a bruised elbow that ultimately ended his season. In the immediate aftermath, there was concern that he may have injured something more serious and required surgery.
Allen stated that he “just knew something wasn’t right” after the play, but after further review, it was determined that he had simply suffered a bruise. This was confirmed by an MRI and X-Rays the next day.
However, Allen’s condition didn’t improve quickly enough to allow him to return to the game.
While it was initially thought that Allen would miss only one game, it soon became clear that he would be out for the rest of the playoffs. Allen noted that “it was obviously a tough decision, especially after how well we were playing, but in the end, it was the best decision for my long-term health.”
Ultimately, the Bills season ended with a loss and Josh Allen details season-ending loss due to his elbow injury. It was a disappointing end for the team and their star QB, but Allen is already looking forward to getting back to work for the 2022-23 season.
Despite missing out on the chance to compete for the Super Bowl this year, Allen remains positive about what lies ahead: “I’m confident I’ll be ready for next season, and I can’t wait to get back on the field and help this team make another run at a championship.”
Allen acknowledges that sustaining the elbow injury has been difficult to deal with mentally, but he remains committed to improving both physically and mentally heading into the new season. The deceased’s teammate says that all my teammates have been very helpful and motivational during this time, and for that I’m grateful.
It’s been a trying few weeks since the AFC Divisional Round, but Josh Allen is adamant that he’ll come back even stronger from the experience.
What he’ll remember
Josh Allen is no doubt feeling the disappointment of the Bills’ season-ending loss in the AFC Divisional Round. But despite the defeat, Allen has a lot of positive memories from the 2022-23 season that he will cherish.
When asked what he’ll remember most, Allen recalled the team’s resiliency and relentless effort throughout the year.
“The toughest part of this whole thing is that I won’t get to suit up with my brothers anymore. It was an unbelievable year filled with lots of highs and lows. We went through a lot of adversity and our group stayed together and fought until the very end.”
Allen also touched on his own performance, despite dealing with a nagging elbow injury for much of the season.
“I’m extremely proud of myself and my teammates for being able to fight through it all. Even with my elbow injury, we were still able to accomplish great things. I just wish we could have done more and gone further in the playoffs.”
In summing up his thoughts, Allen was thankful for the chance to play in Buffalo, and the memories he’ll have from his time there.
I’ll never forget the experiences we had together this season, and it will always be special to me.”