Josh Allen rushed for a season-high 109 yards and passed for 308 more to lead the Buffalo Bills back from a 21-point halftime deficit inside Raymond James Stadium on Sunday.
It was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that struck last, clinching a 33-27 victory when quarterback Tom Brady found receiver Breshad Perriman for a 58-yard touchdown in overtime.
The loss lowers the Bills' odds to make the playoffs to 65 percent, according to the New York Times playoff machine. They remain in the third and final AFC wild card spot – seventh overall – at 7-6, holding a four-way tiebreaker over Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Denver. Indianapolis, now the sixth seed, is also 7-6 but holds the tiebreaker over Buffalo based on conference winning percentage.
Buffalo has a less-than-one-percent chance to earn the No. 1 seed in the AFC and a bye week in the playoffs, according to The Times. It has a 20-percent chance to win the AFC East, now trailing New England by two games with a second and final head-to-head matchup awaiting in Week 16.
Allen – who accumulated 244 of his 417 total yards during the second half – was tended to by trainers after connecting with tight end Dawson Knox for the 15-yard touchdown that cut Buffalo's deficit to 27-10 with 9:11 remaining. He limped down the field as he led the following two drives, a 46-yard sequence that ended with a touchdown pass to Gabriel Davis and a 70-yard march that concluded with Tyler Bass kicking the game-tying field goal with 25 seconds left in regulation.
The Bills won the coin toss and had possession of the ball to open overtime but were stopped on three straight plays. The Buccaneers – pinned back to their own six-yard line to begin the ensuing drive – picked up 19 yards on a defensive pass interference called against cornerback Levi Wallace before Brady delivered the final blow with the touchdown pass to Perriman.
The Bills trailed 24-3 at halftime and 27-10 during the fourth quarter. The defense held the Buccaneers to 185 yards during the second half. Linebacker Matt Milano finished the game with nine tackles, including the third-down sack of Brady that forced a Buccaneers to punt late in the fourth quarter. The Bills tied the game on the ensuing drive.
Buffalo has four games remaining, beginning next Sunday at home against Carolina.
