It’s Super Bowl week, and while Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills aren’t in Las Vegas prepping for the big game, his name is still front and center in the football conversation. That’s what happens when you’re one of the league’s most electrifying quarterbacks-and still chasing that elusive Super Bowl appearance.
On ESPN’s First Take, the debate table lit up with a question that’s been following Allen for years: Among Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, and Lamar Jackson, who’s most likely to reach the Super Bowl next season?
It’s a fair question, but the answers-especially from Saints pass rusher Cam Jordan-raised some eyebrows.
Despite Allen being the only one of the trio to lead his team to the playoffs in 2025, and despite beating both Burrow and Jackson in head-to-head matchups during the regular season, Jordan didn’t seem sold on Allen’s ability to take the next step.
“Joe Burrow has proven he can get to the Super Bowl. I would love to see Lamar Jackson get to the Super Bowl,” Jordan said.
“Josh Allen, if I thought anything, I thought this year was the year. I said, ‘Oh, all these guys are out.
It’s his time.’ And he proved what I thought about him: He plays excellent during the season, he shows up, he is Superman, and at the same time, he can’t win those big games, right now.”
That’s a strong take-and one that deserves a closer look.
Yes, Allen’s four turnovers against the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round were brutal. No question.
That performance stung, and it played a major role in the Bills falling short. But let’s not pretend this is some recurring pattern.
In 15 career playoff games, Allen has thrown just six interceptions. He’s fumbled 15 times, but only four of those were lost.
That Denver game was the exception-not the rule.
It’s easy to let recency bias take over, especially when a quarterback’s last game was his worst postseason showing. But Allen’s playoff résumé tells a much more complete-and far more impressive-story.
Let’s rewind for a moment.
This is the same quarterback who left the field with a lead against the Kansas City Chiefs in the infamous “13-second game.” The same quarterback who went into Jacksonville and played lights-out to earn his first road playoff win. He’s 8-7 in the postseason, which may not scream dominance, but it’s a winning record in a conference that’s been stacked with elite quarterbacks and loaded rosters.
Now compare that to Lamar Jackson, who Jordan seemed to back most in the debate. Jackson is 3-5 in the playoffs.
He’s turned the ball over 11 times in those eight games-more than Allen-with one more interception and the same number of lost fumbles. He’s got an MVP on his mantle, sure, but he’s reached the AFC Championship just once, and in that game, he turned the ball over twice.
Jackson’s had stability in coaching with John Harbaugh, a Super Bowl-winning head coach. He’s had five top-three scoring defenses to support him.
Allen, by contrast, has had three. And while both quarterbacks have dealt with their share of injuries and roster turnover, Allen has consistently kept the Bills in the postseason mix-and often deep into January.
Joe Burrow? He’s got the Super Bowl appearance, no doubt. But injuries derailed his 2025 season, and when he did face Allen, he came up short.
All three quarterbacks are immensely talented. All three have had their moments of brilliance-and their moments of heartbreak.
But to single out Allen as the guy who “can’t win the big one” ignores the broader picture. He’s been to two AFC Championship Games.
He’s played clean, efficient football in most of his playoff appearances. And he’s done it while carrying a franchise that, for decades, couldn’t find a quarterback to believe in.
Cam Jordan, for what it’s worth, has earned the right to speak on the game. At 36, he just wrapped up a 10.5-sack season, bringing his career total to 132.5-second among active players behind Von Miller and good for 17th all-time.
He’s been a force on the defensive line for over a decade. But even great defenders can miss the mark when evaluating quarterbacks.
The truth is, all three of these quarterbacks-Allen, Burrow, and Jackson-are under pressure heading into 2026. The Bills and Ravens will be adjusting to new head coaches.
The Bengals have major defensive issues to sort out. Injuries will always be a factor, and the AFC remains a gauntlet.
But if we’re talking about who’s most ready to break through, Allen shouldn’t be dismissed. Not after what he’s already accomplished.
Not when he’s shown he can go toe-to-toe with the best in the league. And certainly not based on one bad game in an otherwise stellar postseason track record.
The road to the Super Bowl is never easy. But if Allen keeps playing at the level he’s shown in Januarys past, that road might just lead him there sooner than people think.