Josh Allen is being singled out as the culprit behind the Buffalo Bills' annual playoff failure

The Buffalo Bills enter another season with Super Bowl expectations, and quarterback Josh Allen once again finds himself at the center of the conversation.

FOX Sports broadcaster Nick Wright believes the scrutiny surrounding Buffalo's repeated playoff failures should include more responsibility for the franchise quarterback.

Wright argued that the Bills' recent postseason exits have followed a familiar pattern. According to him, when Buffalo's season ends, the opposing quarterback has generally outplayed Allen , while the Bills star's mistakes receive attention for only a short period before the narrative shifts toward the team's roster and whether the organization has done enough to support him.

“His own mistakes or shortcomings in those season-ending losses are briefly in the public eye for a few days at the forefront of why the Bills weren’t able to get over the hump. And then, by the time we get to the lead-up to the following season. We’ve papered over all of it, and it’s a ‘Woe is Josh Allen. Why won’t the Bills do more?'” said Wright .

There's evidence behind Wright's argument. Buffalo's most recent playoff elimination came in a 33-30 overtime loss to Denver, when Allen committed four turnovers, including two interceptions and two lost fumbles.

Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, meanwhile, threw three touchdown passes and one interception as Denver erased a 23-10 deficit.

That doesn't mean Allen was solely responsible for the defeat, but his mistakes undeniably played a significant role. Turnovers have been a recurring concern throughout his career, particularly because his aggressive playing style encourages him to attempt throws and make plays that other quarterbacks might avoid.

Allen has another opportunity to change the narrative

That aggressiveness is also part of what makes Allen one of the NFL's most dangerous quarterbacks. He's developed from a prospect who faced significant doubts coming out of Wyoming into an MVP winner and one of the league's most recognizable stars.

He's also helped Buffalo win five consecutive AFC East titles and reach the playoffs seven times during his career.

Yet the biggest criticism remains difficult to escape given the Bills still haven't won a Super Bowl during the Allen era.

His postseason battles with Patrick Mahomes have become particularly important to that discussion. Kansas City is 4-0 against Allen in the playoffs, repeatedly ending Buffalo's championship ambitions.

While those games shouldn't be reduced to a simple quarterback-versus-quarterback argument, Mahomes ' success has inevitably intensified questions about whether Allen can deliver when the stakes are highest.

The arrival of Joe Brady as Buffalo's head coach gives Allen another chance to change that perception. CBS Sports recently left the Allen-Brady pairing out of its top-10 quarterback-coach combinations, although the ranking came with a qualification because Brady is entering his first season as Buffalo's head coach.

That provides Allen and Brady with plenty of motivation. Buffalo's 2026 schedule includes challenging games against the Chargers, Rams, Chiefs, Packers and Bears, giving the new coach-quarterback partnership several opportunities to prove its worth.

Allen doesn't need to establish that he's an elite quarterback. His career has already done that. What remains is answering the question over whether he can play his cleanest, most disciplined football when one mistake can end Buffalo's season.

Until the Bills finally reach the Super Bowl, Allen will continue to face that scrutiny.