- Allen turns up the heat when the weather cools: His 91.8 overall grade in the playoffs is the second-best for quarterbacks in PFF history, marginally trailing Patrick Mahomes.
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When the NFL calendar transitions from the regular season to the playoffs, the intensity and nerves can ratchet up. After all, 60 minutes decides the fate of an entire campaign, with far-reaching ramifications and legacies to boot. But for Josh Allen, that brighter stage only means a transcendent level of play.
Indeed, the Bills quarterback answered the call yet again on Sunday afternoon. Allen vaulted Buffalo to its first road playoff victory in over 20 years, downing the Jaguars 27-24 in a seesaw affair.The superstar’s clutch playmaking was on full display in yet another postseason, including a 36-yard heave to Brandin Cooks with just over 2 minutes left and an improbable 10-yard run up the gut on fourth down with the game in the balance.
What makes Allen’s effort so impressive is that he graded out at an elite level in virtually every category. When under pressure, Allen completed 8-of-12 passes for 140 yards, two big-time throws, zero turnover-worthy plays and only one sack — good for a 91.8 overall PFF grade. Likewise, Allen went 11-for-14 when blitzed by standout defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, not being taken down once while picking up seven first downs. Even throwing down the field against one of the NFL’s better defenses didn’t faze Allen, who completed 7-of-11 attempts of 10-plus yards with three big-time throws and a 95.7 PFF passing grade.
Altogether, Allen’s stellar afternoon yielded a season-high 94.0 overall PFF grade with a 93.7 PFF passing mark, both of which were his best of the 2025 season. Moreover, each of those figures was among the highest in Allen’s illustrious playoff career.
Josh Allen's Highest Single-Game Grades in the Playoffs
WeekOverall PFF GradePFF Passing Grade2021 Wild Card94.890.72025 Wild Card94.093.72021 Divisional92.288.62024 Wild Card90.085.52020 Wild Card89.090.32023 Wild Card88.076.3The context of other NFL quarterback performances in the 2025 Wild-Card Round also distinguishes Allen’s showing that much more. Through the five wild-card games played before Monday night, Allen was the quarterback to record an 80.0-plus overall PFF grade, and one of three to even reach the 75.0 threshold — joining Caleb Williams and Jordan Love. Meanwhile, tremendous players like Matthew Stafford, Justin Herbert and Drake Maye all finished below a 65.0.
Saturday’s win was another chapter in what’s becoming an unmistakable postseason novel for Allen. Following Buffalo’s win, the reigning Most Valuable Player is now the second-highest-graded quarterback in PFF history, which began during the 2006 season.
Highest-Graded Playoff Quarterbacks in PFF History (min. 250 snaps)
PlayerSnapsOverall PFF GradePFF Passing GradePFF Rushing GradePatrick Mahomes1,37392.188.591.9Josh Allen93691.888.190.2Aaron Rodgers1,40090.689.371.0Nick Foles37490.388.655.4Russell Wilson1,02390.285.979.4As the Bills prepare to clash with the No. 1-seed Broncos in the divisional round, they enter Empower Field at Mile High as an imperfect team. In particular, Buffalo’s run defense is 30th in EPA per play, while its 74.4 team PFF receiving grade is 14th — fueled by a lackluster wide receiver room.
Yet with Allen playing like the best talent left in the playoffs by a sizable margin, those other elements might not carry major gravity. Allen’s combination of efficiency, explosiveness and fundamental tenacity make the Bills arguably the AFC favorite in an open year — with his presence single-handedly enough to overcome his team’s deficiencies.
By repeating his wild-card outing twice more, Allen would be in prime position to lead Buffalo to its first Super Bowl since the 1993 season. Based on Allen’s career history in January, that doesn’t sound overly unrealistic in a thinner-than-usual playoff field.