A single field goal can change playoff scripts, as we saw in the Pittsburgh vs Ravens finale. For the Jacksonville Jaguars, though, kicker Cam Little wasn’t taking any chances. Before the AFC playoff matchup, the kicker showed off his leg strength, displaying intimidating range all the way from the logo. For one, Buffalo Bills‘ head coach Sean McDermott also took notice, only to laugh at the fact with some hidden admiration later.

“The guy (Little) was kicking it from East Aurora, basically,” McDermott joked as he leaned into some classic Western New York humor.

East Aurora is a small town in Western New York, not far from the Bills’ stadium. So while McDermott highlighted just how strong Little’s leg is, suggesting he could hit field goals from unreal distances, there was also a slight New York taunt in there. Of course, Little had missed a crucial 54-yard field goal just before halftime.

That miss came in the Jaguars’ final six-play drive in the first half while they were trailing the Bills 10-7. Because the Bills were flagged for a defensive offside as the clock ran down, the officials awarded one second to the hosts with a field goal opportunity. However, at Buffalo 36, Little hit his 54-yard field goal to the left, missing his chance to tie the game 10-10.

Apart from making the score even, a successful field goal could have also given more motivation to the Jaguars or given their quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, an opportunity to force overtime. When everything was done and dusted, those three points became the difference in the Bills’ win.

Unfortunately, the Jaguars went on to lose the wild-card game by three points, making that missed kick one of those moments that lingers a little longer than most. However, individually, that did little to the kicker’s resume.

Cam Little holds a glittering resume otherwise

Interestingly, that one missed field goal came after the second-year kicker holds the NFL’s top-two all-time records for the longest kicks: 68 and 67 yards against the Las Vegas Raiders and the Tennessee Titans, respectively. He has also made a 70-yarder against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the preseason.

Overall, he made 30 of 34 field goals this regular season and was running on a streak of 20 made field goals. Eight of those 30 made field goals were in a 50+ yard range. But that doesn’t mean he hasn’t struggled this season.

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In the regular season, Little lost his confidence in his abilities when the team lost its London game against the LA Rams in Week 7. Then, too, he missed a crucial field goal. However, he bounced back in the following bye week and proved that he was postseason material.

In Allen’s first playoff road win, Little finished 1-of-2 on field goals, making a 43-yard attempt and a perfect 3-of-3 on extra points. However, McDermott’s praise made it clear that Little’s leg talent stood out in his postseason debut.

While McDermott was impressed by the opposing kicker, he saved his highest praise for his own quarterback, Josh Allen, who battled through a physically demanding game.

For Sean McDermott, Josh Allen is a ‘Warrior’

Josh Allen was sharp all night. He finished 28-of-35 for 273 yards and a touchdown through the air. He also added 33 rushing yards on 11 carries and punched in two more scores on the ground. He was efficient, in control, and doing exactly what the Bills needed. However, he was far from 100 percent physically.

Right after the game, Sean McDermott summed it up simply, “He’s a warrior.”

That wasn’t coach-speak. Early in the game, Allen was forced into the medical tent twice, including once for a concussion evaluation, after a hard hit left him visibly shaken. But the scares didn’t stop there. On one of his touchdown runs, his knee appeared to twist underneath him. The way he grabbed at it had Bills fans holding their breath. He managed to return both times.

Afterward, Allen tried to downplay it.

“Yeah, it was more of a precautionary thing. Just got rolled up on and they wanted to take a quick look, but we’re all good.”

All told, it was a night with plenty of tense moments, both on the scoreboard and on the injury front. But when it ended, the result mattered most. Buffalo snapped a three-decade-long drought without a road playoff win and moved on to the divisional round. With Allen proving his toughness and the team surviving a close call, the Bills’ victory, while gritty, raises questions about their durability as they advance to a tougher divisional round matchup.