No Lamar Jackson, no Patrick Mahomes, no Joe Burrow – the quarterback field in the AFC playoffs is missing some absolute top stars. For Josh Allen, this is the opportunity of a lifetime – but at the same time, it’s also a mission. A commentary.

When the 2025 NFL season kicked off a good four months ago, the AFC was considered the playground of elite quarterbacks.

Reigning MVP Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills, Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens, Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals, and Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers were at the top of most quarterback rankings.

And individually, not much has changed in that regard. But at the beginning of January 2026, one thing is certain: only two of this renowned quintet have made it to the playoffs: Allen and Herbert.

In Herbert’s case, however, the offensive line has crumbled somewhat, which is why the Chargers are clear underdogs going into the Wild Card Game at the New England Patriots. The situation is quite different for the Bills, where Allen has really turned things around in recent weeks. It’s a golden opportunity for the 29-year-old to shake off his traumatic playoff experiences to date and finally make his way to the Super Bowl.

NFL: Josh Allen has valuable playoff experience

The Chiefs, the Bills and Allen’s kryptonite, who have defeated them four times in the past five years, are not standing in their way this time. And Burrow and Jackson, who would be the logical replacements to fill the Chiefs’ void, are also out.

Instead, the AFC field includes quarterbacks such as C.J. Stroud and Bo Nix, who have been average at best this season and have relied primarily on their defense. Drake Maye and Trevor Lawrence are probably the most likely to keep up with Allen individually, at least based on recent performances.

But Maye has no playoff experience, while Lawrence has only played two games in the 2022 season. This gives the Bills, and Allen in particular, an invaluable advantage. The playoffs are different from the regular season; the pressure is different.

This could already become apparent on Wild Card weekend, when the Bills face the Jaguars and Lawrence away from home. Jacksonville has steamrolled almost every opponent in recent weeks, with the quarterback playing at a level never before seen in his career. But can he keep it up?

Josh Allen and the Super Bowl: Now or never!

Either way, Allen has no more excuses. If he wants to secure his place in NFL history, he has to seize this opportunity and make it to the Super Bowl. Now is the time to decide whether he is just one of many good players – or a true great.

Allen needs to make his mark on these playoffs; he is challenged to capitalize on the absence of his prominent competitors. His qualities as a passer, combined with his skills as a runner and his vast experience, make him a complete package that is unique in these playoffs.

Of course, this also comes with a very different set of expectations than in previous years. While defeats against Mahomes or Burrow were understandable, there would be far fewer excuses for another early exit this season – regardless of the Bills’ weaknesses.

For Allen and the Bills, there can therefore only be one motto before the playoffs begin: now or never!