The AFC South Champion Jaguars (14-4) lost for first time since Week 10, ending an eight-game winning streak. They are 8-9 all-time in the postseason, 4-2 in Jacksonville. The wild-card Bills (13-5) advanced to the AFC Divisional Playoff Round.
“Obviously, you think you’re going to keep rolling and you’re planning on playing next week,” Lawrence said. “It’s playoff football, and you’ve got to close out those games. We weren’t able to do it today.”
The Bills led 10-7 at halftime, with Allen’s 2-yard run giving them that lead with just over five minutes remaining in the second quarter. The Jaguars missed an opportunity to take at least a seven-point lead when Lawrence was stopped inches short of a first down at the Bills 8-yard line on the possession before Allen’s touchdown.
The Jaguars missed a chance to tie at halftime when kicker Cam Little’s 54-yard field goal on the final play of the second quarter bounced off the left upright.
“I wish I made one or two decisions a little bit differently, threw a better ball here or there,” Lawrence said. “You’ve got to live with it. It’s life. You don’t get do-overs. That’s a bummer, but I know that we left everything out there.”
Allen completed 28 of 35 passes for 273 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions. He rushed for 33 yards and two touchdowns.
The Jaguars registered one takeaway and one sack Sunday, with linebacker Devin Lloyd recovering a first-half fumbled kickoff return and defensive end Josh Hines-Allen registering a second-half sack.
“Shout-out to my team,” Hines-Allen said. “We fought all year. We battled. This was the most fun I’ve had in a very long time, and I’ve got a lot of guys that can say the same thing.
“This is a growing step for us, a growing moment.”