JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — With the season on the brink and the clock ticking under two minutes, Josh Allen delivered the kind of moment that defines playoff legacies.
Trailing 24-20 in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s AFC Wild Card showdown at EverBank Stadium, the Buffalo Bills quarterback faced heavy pressure from the Jacksonville Jaguars’ pass rush. Yet, staring down the blitz, Allen calmly stepped up and unleashed a perfect deep ball down the left hash. There was Brandin Cooks, streaking wide open behind the secondary in a stunning coverage breakdown, hauling in the 36-yard completion to the Jaguars’ 20-yard line just before the two-minute warning.
The NFL’s official account captured the electrifying play in real time: “ALLEN TO A WIDE OPEN COOKS. 36 YARDS.” The post quickly lit up social media, with fans marveling at the gaping hole in Jacksonville’s zone coverage. One observer summed up the collective disbelief: “that coverage breakdown was criminal, how do you leave cooks that wide open in the playoffs.”
What followed was vintage Allen heroics. The reigning NFL MVP orchestrated a methodical march into the red zone, converting a crucial fourth-and-short with the signature “tush push” that carried him forward for extra yards. On the next play, he powered into the end zone himself for the go-ahead touchdown, capping a drive that flipped a late deficit into a 27-24 victory — Buffalo’s first road playoff win since 1992.
The 36-yard strike proved to be the pivotal play in a back-and-forth affair that featured four lead changes in the final 15 minutes, tying an NFL playoff record. Allen finished 28-of-35 for 273 passing yards and one touchdown through the air, while adding 33 rushing yards and two scores on the ground. Despite absorbing heavy hits throughout — a recurring theme that had fans holding their breath — he never wavered.
For the Jaguars, the loss was a bitter end to a remarkable 13-4 season under first-year head coach Liam Coen. Trevor Lawrence threw for 207 yards and three touchdowns but also suffered two interceptions, including a game-sealing pick by Buffalo’s Cole Bishop with under a minute remaining.
The play also highlighted Cooks’ veteran savvy at 33 years old. The speedy receiver, once a deep threat in New England and Houston, provided the exact explosive element Buffalo needed in crunch time. Social media reactions poured in, with Bills supporters joking about their “40-year-old” wideout becoming the team’s most reliable option in the biggest moment.
As Buffalo advances to the divisional round — likely facing a tough matchup ahead — this win reinforces why many view Josh Allen as the AFC’s most dangerous weapon remaining. In a postseason filled with drama from the opening weekend, the 36-yard dime to Cooks may be remembered as the throw that kept the Bills’ Super Bowl dreams alive for at least one more week.