This past weekend, the National Football League proved once again why its playoff structure is king compared to the rest of the sports world. Six of the 10 contests thus far have been within one-possession, two of which came down to a late overtime finish.

The conference championship matchups officially begin this Sunday. Can Drake Maye be the first New England quarterback to win at Mile High Stadium? Will the Seattle Seahawks and their electrifying defense take down the Los Angeles Rams for the second time this season?

Before we can talk about who will represent the AFC and NFC in the upcoming Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb 8, let’s look at two of the most glaring takeaways from this year’s divisional round madness.

What is a catch anymore?

It seems like the longer I watch this sport, the less I know about what referees quantify a completed catch. The rules are simple in backyard football. Does the individual have the ball in their hands when the body hits the ground? Sounds easy, right?

Saturday’s matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos seemed to throw another wrench in the rules of what counts as a catch these days. Midway through the overtime period, Bills quarterback Josh Allen was facing a 3rd and 11 on a drive that could end the game with either a field goal or touchdown.

Allen tossed the ball deep to wide receiver Brandin Cooks on a go-route deep into Denver territory. Both Cooks and defensive back Ja’Quan McMillian attempted to high-point the lofty pass, with McMillian initially seeming to rip the ball away and give his team possession.

After review, however, it was clear that Cooks caught the ball and controlled possession firmly until he hit the ground. It wasn’t until after the impact that McMillian stripped the ball away to pose the picture of an interception.

The referees didn’t see it this way, taking more time to reset the game clock than look at the game’s most critical play. Denver used this possession to churn out a 6-play, 76-yard drive that ended with a walk-off 22-yard field goal to send the franchise back to the AFC Championship for the first time since 2016.

In the days following the game, fans–especially in Buffalo–have continued to harp on the officials. Additional camera angles have only fueled the frustration. Unfortunately, in 2026, the NFL still seems unsure what qualifies as a catch.

The Josh Allen problem

Controversial calls aside, Buffalo’s woes in the postseason don’t end with the officials-they stem from the playcaller under center.

Many talking heads in the sport are now beginning to question Allen’s ability when the lights are at their brightest. The latest loss to Denver now marks seven straight years of failure in the postseason, despite posting an impressive 83-33 record in the regular season.

A handful of these losses haven’t been from the wrongdoings of Allen. Before this season, Allen’s 13 playoff games have seen averages of over 300 total yards per game while accumulating 32 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Very prolific numbers.

This latest defeat has been the first time where the finger can be pointed at Allen’s failure to rise to the occasion.

Fumbles before halftime and the opening possession of the third quarter led to 10 points the other way for the Broncos. Allen also missed multiple chances to put the game away at the end of regulation, including a deep crossing route to Dawson Knox that would have likely given Buffalo the lead as time expired.

This performance still won’t knock Allen’s status as one of the best quarterbacks in the sport. His dual-threat capabilities and success in the regular season will always give him a reason to be mentioned with the game’s greats. Unfortunately, the window of winning a Super Bowl in the city of Buffalo is only getting smaller with Allen in the mix.