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Josh Allen's Playoff Record as Underdog is Extremely Concerning for Bills Bettors vs. Ravens
The Buffalo Bills rolled through the wild card round of the NFL playoffs, beating the Denver Broncos 31-7 on Sunday.
The No. 2 seed in the AFC, Buffalo is now at home once again in the divisional round for a rematch with Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens beat Buffalo badly (35-10) during the 2024 regular season, and now oddsmakers think they can win in Buffalo in the playoffs.
That's right, after Buffalo opened as the favorite in this divisional round matchup, the odds have swung in the Ravens' direction. As of Wednesday, Jan. 15, Baltimore is a 1.5-point road favorite in this matchup at DraftKings Sportsbook.
This is bad news for the Bills and quarterback Josh Allen. In Allen's playoff career, he's been an underdog three times and has failed to cover the spread in each game -- leading to three Buffalo losses.
Josh Allen as an underdog in the NFL Playoffs
— John Ewing (@johnewing) January 15, 2025
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Allen is 0-3 SU and 0-3 ATS ❌@BuffaloBills +1 vs. Ravens pic.twitter.com/ikscoaiE0k
The first loss as an underdog for Allen came in the 2019 season against the Houston Texans. Buffalo was a 2.5-point road underdog in that game and ended up losing 22-19.
The following season, the Bills made the AFC title game, setting up a matchup with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Buffalo entered that game as a three-point underdog, but it ended up losing by two scores (38-24) in Kansas City.
Finally, Buffalo was also an underdog in the divisional round in the 2021 season, taking on Mahomes and the Chiefs once again. That game infamously went to overtime with Buffalo losing after the Chiefs found the end zone on their first drive.
Since then, Allen has not been an underdog in a single playoff game, posting a 3-2 record straight up.
If there is one positive note for Bills fans, Buffalo is a home underdog in the playoffs for the first time in the Allen era. Hopefully, playing in front of the home crowd will help the Bills avoid an exit before the Super Bowl for the sixth straight season.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Peter is a senior editor for Sports Illustrated Betting. He has worked as a writer and editor for BetSided, NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, and more. A New York City resident, he is a hoops fanatic with a soft spot for his New York Knicks.