For years, overtime had been the one stage where Buffalo’s star quarterback could never finish the job. On Monday night, that finally changed.
Josh Allen led the Buffalo Bills past the Los Angeles Rams 37 to 34 in overtime on Oct. 12, 2026, earning the first overtime victory of his career.
How long had Josh Allen gone without an overtime win?
Before Monday, Allen had lost all seven overtime games he had played. Three of those defeats ended Buffalo’s season in the playoffs. The streak had followed him for years and become a frequent talking point among fans and critics.
The losses came despite huge numbers. Across those games, Allen averaged 292 passing yards, 75 rushing yards and about two touchdowns. In other words, the problem was rarely Allen himself.
How did Josh Allen take over late?
Allen saved his best for the end. Across the fourth quarter and overtime, he completed all five of his passes for 121 yards and ran six times for 91 yards and a touchdown. He also converted a two point try.
He admitted he struggled early. He said he never found a rhythm in the first half, passed up some short throws and is still working through some mechanical issues. Once the second half began, he said, things started to click.
What saved the Bills in overtime?
A defensive play kept the game alive. In overtime, the Rams lined up for a field goal that would have won the game. Edge defender Greg Rousseau blocked the kick.
Allen said he was crossing his fingers, hoping someone on defense would make a play. Once Rousseau delivered, the Bills turned conservative.
With receivers DJ Moore and Joshua Palmer out and the Rams smothering the passing game, Buffalo ran the ball four times. Running back James Cook carried twice, and Josh Allen kept it on two straight runs for 19 and 13 yards.
Those runs pushed his rushing total to 121 yards, the second highest single game mark of his career. Kicker Tyler Bass then drilled the winning field goal from 45 yards.
Can the Bills keep winning this way?
Probably not, and the team knows it. Both Allen and his head coach say they would rather not rely on the quarterback running wild. Winning with 10 Allen carries and only 12 completions is hard to sustain. The formula also puts Allen at greater risk of hits over a long season.
The coach sees Allen as sometimes a victim of his own talent. In his view, the mechanical flaws Allen fixates on often reflect an awareness most players lack. He wants his quarterback to simply play, adding that Allen at his best is more than good enough.
Monday showed why. Buffalo committed 13 penalties, allowed 40 completions, turned the ball over twice and struggled on third down on both sides of the ball. The receivers and tight ends were barely involved.
In a game like that, Josh Allen was close to the only thing working for the Bills.
What does this win mean for Josh Allen?
Relief, mostly. Cameras caught Allen breaking into a wide smile as the winning kick sailed through the uprights. It was the kind of reaction that said more than any postgame comment could.
For a quarterback whose overtime record had become a running storyline, the moment carried extra weight. Josh Allen can now set aside one of the few blemishes on his resume.
The Bills will try to build on the win Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders. If the offense around Josh Allen gets healthier, the late heroics may not need to happen every week.
