2025 NFL playoffs: Why Bills can be next sports team to get over the hump vs. ‘big brother,’ win elusive title

In a way, the Chiefs feel inevitable. They are going to keep finding miraculous ways to win, they’ll keep beating the Bills and every other obstacle that stands in the way of another Super Bowl. It has a Michael Jordan and Bulls dynasty vibe. Nobody was going to stop their three-peats and nothing is going to stop Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. 

Especially not the Bills, right? You can’t ignore the past. The 0-3 record vs. Mahomes in the playoffs, always Kansas City’s doormat to the Super Bowl. The 0-4 record in Super Bowls, or even the 0-7 record in the last seven road playoff games. It’s probably hard to push down the sinking feeling that you are going to lose again, and experience another chapter of heartbreak. But, there’s still hope, too. Hope that the Bills will break the mold and finally step out of big brother’s shadow and deliver a championship to a long-suffering fanbase. 

I’m here to ignite that hope because history says it’s happened plenty of times before in sports, and it will surely happen again. So it’s time to circle the wagons, Bills fans! Push aside that doubt and step into destiny. Find inspiration in suffering franchises and legends that have walked down this road before and come out the other side, champions!

Georgia Bulldogs: 2021 CFP National Championship vs. Alabama

The Georgia Bulldogs entered the 2021 College Football Playoff national title game seeking their first title since 1980. To pull it off, they would have to beat possibly the greatest program and coach in college football history, who absolutely had the Bulldogs’ number. Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide had won seven straight games against Georgia, which included three SEC championship games and a heartbreaking national championship defeat courtesy of Tua Tagovailoa’s game-winning touchdown pass in overtime. Speaking of big brother: Saban had the number of all his former assistants, which included George head coach Kirby Smart. The inevitable did not happen. Georgia won its first title in over four decades and denied Alabama its seventh title with Saban. The Bulldogs would win the following year as well.

Washington Capitals: 2018 second round vs. Penguins

The Alex Ovechkin-Sidney Crosby rivalry definitely had a Peyton Manning-Tom Brady, Josh Allen-Patrick Mahomes thing going entering their playoff matchup in 2018. Crosby easily had the upper hand between the two greatest hockey players of this generation. Crosby was 3-0 in the playoff series versus Ovechkin and the Capitals. Each time the Penguins won, they went on to win a title, too. They entered 2018 going for a three-peat and Crosby was seeking a fourth championship, mirroring what Mahomes and the Chiefs are going for in 2025. Finally, though, the Capitals reversed history by beating the Penguins and winning their first championship later that postseason. 

If Bills fans should be looking to anything for inspiration, it’s Brady-Manning. The Colts were seeking their first Super Bowl trip in 36 years entering the 2006 AFC title game. But, you wouldn’t have blamed them for being pessimistic about their chances. Manning was 0-2 against Brady in the playoffs at that point, losing both games in Foxborough. He was 2-6 against Brady overall, and had fallen short in the playoffs time and time again in his first eight seasons. Brady was seeking his fourth title in six years, just like Mahomes is now. The game seemed destined to go in Brady’s favor again as the Patriots led 21-3, but instead Manning and Co. engineered the largest comeback in conference championship history and went on to beat the Bears in the Super Bowl. Manning would ultimately win two championships in his career while beating Brady in their final three head-to-head playoff matchups. 

Boston Red Sox: 2004 ALCS vs. Yankees

If you think you’ve suffered, Bills fans, you haven’t heard about the Boston Red Sox. They had an 86-year World Series title drought and were haunted by the “Curse of the Bambino” entering the 2004 ALCS versus the Yankees. The Yankees had won 26 World Series titles since the Red Sox infamously traded them the best player in baseball history: Babe Ruth. Boston had won zero since then. New York was only a few years removed from its three-peat, and had beaten the Red Sox on Aaron Boone’s walk-off home run in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS to extend the curse. Instead of wallowing in shame as they faced an insurmountable 3-0 deficit in the 2004 ALCS, the Red Sox mounted the greatest comeback in sports history to win the series and eventually their first of four World Series titles this century. The series had everything movies are made of. Dave Roberts’ clutch stolen base, David Ortiz’s walk-offs, Johnny Damon’s grand slam and Curt Schilling’s bloody sock. Sports immortality, and it’s not out of reach for the Bills, either. 

Chicago Bulls: 1991 Eastern Conference finals vs. Pistons

Finally, I’m going to evoke Michael Jordan (even though I already used him as Patrick Mahomes in this story) to give Bills fans hope that Josh Allen and and Buffalo can step onto a path that Jordan once walked through. Yes, in a way, Allen has to be M.J. to beat M.J., if you can wrap your head around that. 

• Michael Jordan had zero rings and was in his seventh season entering the 1991 Eastern Conference finals.
• Josh Allen has zero rings and is in his seventh season entering the 2025 AFC Championship game.
• The Bulls had never won a championship entering the 1991 Eastern Conference finals.
• The Bills have never won a Super Bowl entering the 2025 AFC Championship game.
• Michael Jordan was 0-3 in playoff series vs. the Pistons entering 1991.
• Josh Allen is 0-3 in playoff games vs. the Chiefs entering 2024.
• The Pistons were seeking a three-peat entering that series.
• The Chiefs are seeking a three-peat entering Sunday’s game.

1991 Michael Jordan vs. 2024 Josh Allen entering conference title game

The symmetry is all there, people! A generational player yet to receive his coronation as a champion and eventually a GOAT, with a familiar and seemingly insurmountable foe standing in his way (he had also waited out the Celtics dynasty before struggling to get past the Pistons). M.J. beat the “Jordan Rules” and the “Bad Boys” by sweeping the Pistons and eventually winning his first of six NBA championships.

I don’t want to say it, Bills fans, but even if you do lose again, there’s yet another silver lining. Wilt Chamberlain lost his first five playoff series vs. Bill Russell before finally climbing that mountain and winning a championship in his eighth season. It would be a pretty nice consolation to follow in the footsteps of a two-time champion and four-time MVP.

But let’s focus on Sunday. This is your year, Bills! Georgia eventually beat Alabama. Ovechkin beat Crosby, Manning got past Brady, the Red Sox beat the Yankees and Michael Jordan beat the Pistons. I’m sure there’s countless other examples, too. Time to channel your Michael Jordan, David Ortiz, Alex Ovechkin and Peyton Manning and exorcise all the playoff demons with two more wins.