NFL Analysts Agree With Bills' Controversial Two-Point Strategy Even Though It Failed

Was it the right call?
Josh Allen walks off the field after failing to convert a crucial two-point conversion.
Josh Allen walks off the field after failing to convert a crucial two-point conversion. / Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After struggling to do anything on offense for 90 percent of the game, the Bills' offense came alive late in the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles as a dinged-up Josh Allen proved that he can become Superman even against the stingiest defenses. When the reigning MVP plunged in for a touchdown with five records remaining, there was no hesitation from Bills coach Sean McDermott. Buffalo would be going for a two-point conversion and the win.

The Bills dialed up a perfect play but Allen's pass to a wide open Khalil Shakir fell harmlessly to the turf and Philadelphia left town with a 13-12 victory for Nick Sirianni to crow about.

It's become more common for teams to gamble on a winner-take-all play and after such a furious comeback, one can understand why the Bills were hoping to ride that momentum. On the other hand, the Eagles offense was woefully inept for the entire second half and there's a decent argument to be made that going to overtime was in Buffalo's best interest.

Of course, the extra point wasn't a given as Michael Badgley had missed his prior attempt.

Get Up's panel of thought leaders debated the issue on Monday morning, though everyone was on the same page.

By a show of hands, Dan Orlovsky, Rex Ryan and Adam Schefter thought the two-point conversion was the proper call. Mike Greenberg wasn't so sure and claimed the game could have gone five more quarters and the Eagles still wouldn't have scored.

Orlovsky then enumarated the reasons why it was the correct plan.

"Five minutes to go you have no shot of winning the game," he said. "You're down 13-0. Two, you're really just trying to find a way to steal the division. You have to win out and then New England would have to lose next week, unlikely. Three, for me, if you go into that game and you love a play call by your study in that situation ... you call the play and you trust that your players will execute at a high level."

All of these are decent points. At any time any person could have interjected and simply said "Josh Allen" to end the conversation. Because if you put winning and losing in his hands it is always a defensible proposition.


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Kyle Koster
KYLE KOSTER

Kyle Koster is an assistant managing editor at Sports Illustrated covering the intersection of sports and media. He was formerly the editor in chief of The Big Lead, where he worked from 2011 to '24. Koster also did turns at the Chicago Sun-Times, where he created the Sports Pros(e) blog, and at Woven Digital.