Dalton Kincaid found himself in the eye of a storm following the Buffalo Bills’ narrow defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game. The Chiefs edged out the Bills with a 32-29 victory, securing their spot in the Super Bowl. While Kincaid faced online backlash for his role in the game, his teammates and coaching staff rallied around him, underscoring their support and confidence in his abilities. Kincaid, who has been battling significant knee injuries, was notably absent from Monday’s media availability.
The Buffalo Bills faced challenges across all three phases of the game in their recent playoff matchup. Despite their valiant efforts, the loss to Kansas City marked the fourth time in five postseasons that the Bills have fallen to the Chiefs. The team holds an unenviable record for the most wins by any team over a six-year span without a Super Bowl appearance. Despite these setbacks, Josh Allen, the Bills' quarterback, expressed unwavering confidence in coach Sean McDermott's leadership, asserting that he is "extremely confident" in McDermott's ability to guide the team to a championship.
"It's going to sound weird. I'm just so proud of Coach," – Josh Allen
Allen himself played a crucial role in the playoffs, adding six receptions for 71 yards on ten targets. However, his performance came at a physical cost. During a failed two-point conversion attempt, Allen injured his right hand, which is now swollen and "a little banged-up." Despite this setback, Allen does not anticipate needing surgery.
Kincaid's performance this season has been commendable, considering the physical challenges he has faced. He finished his second year with 44 catches for 448 yards and two touchdowns during the regular season. Against the Chiefs on Sunday, he caught two of four targets for 13 yards. His contributions have been vital to the Bills' success, as highlighted by his teammates.
"Watching that play back, I mean he's running full speed one direction. Josh had three guys in his face and just had to throw up a pop fly, and Dalton had to completely change directions and dive for the ball. The fact he even got contact on the ball is impressive, first of all," – Dawson Knox
"I told him we wouldn't have even been in that game if he wasn't on this team. What he brings to this offense, the incredible weapon he is, I don't know if we would've won the division without him. I don't know if we would've made the playoffs without him. So, if he tries to shoulder this as his fault, I'll probably just laugh at him like, 'Dude, you're acting crazy right now.'" – Dawson Knox
Teammates like Terrel Bernard and Dawson Knox have been vocal in their defense of Kincaid, emphasizing the unfairness of attributing the loss solely to him. Bernard expressed his discontent with such narratives.
"I think it's unfair, honestly, to even say [Kincaid lost them the game] and put him in that situation," – Terrel Bernard
Allen also acknowledged his responsibility in maximizing Kincaid's potential on the field. He admitted that he did not place Kincaid in enough favorable situations this year and expressed a commitment to improving their synergy.
"He can sit there and think about that play over and over, but I got to be better for him. That's what it comes down to, and get him more involved." – Josh Allen
"I got to be better for him. I didn't feel like I put him in enough good situations this year, ball-placement-wise," – Josh Allen
Despite their recent setback, the Bills have consistently shown resilience and skill by winning the AFC East for six consecutive years. Their determination remains unwavering as they look ahead to future seasons with aspirations of breaking their Super Bowl drought.
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