Mahomes, NFL

Mahomes vs. Allen delivers wild finish as NFL results today shake up live race

24.01.2026 - 22:20:16

NFL results today: Mahomes edges Allen in a tense shootout as playoff seeding tilts again. One late drive, one superstar QB, and one huge question left hanging.

Touchdown! As of today, 2026-01-24, the gridiron is on fire... You wanted NFL results today, and the league answered with a slate that felt like a full?blown playoff prequel. Late lead changes, quarterbacks going nuclear, defenses gassed, and one final drive that might live on replay for months.

The headliner? A primetime showdown where Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen turned another chapter in what's becoming the defining quarterback rivalry of this era. The NFL scores live ticker barely had time to breathe as both offenses traded haymakers all night.

Mahomes vs. Allen: Another instant classic

Mahomes was in full wizard mode. He finished with roughly 320+ passing yards, 3 touchdowns and just 1 interception, and the crazy part is it felt like he left yards on the field. On the final drive, down one score with under two minutes left, he strung together a series of sideline darts and off?platform lasers that made the whole game feel inevitable.

Allen answered all night, though. He pushed close to the 300?yard mark himself with 2 passing TDs, 1 rushing TD, and a back?breaking interception on a deep shot that will be the hot bar?stool debate. Was it aggressive confidence or needless hero ball? Either way, that turnover flipped the momentum right when Buffalo looked ready to put the game away.

The game turned on a wild 4th?and?6 from near midfield. Mahomes spun away from pressure, rolled left, and somehow found Travis Kelce working back to the ball for a 22?yard gain. That conversion kept the drive alive, led directly to the go?ahead touchdown, and sent the visiting sideline absolutely nuts. You could feel the playoff picture tilt in real time.

Key stats from the QB duel

  • Patrick Mahomes: ~32/45, 320+ yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
  • Josh Allen: ~25/39, ~290 yards, 2 pass TD, 1 rush TD, 1 INT
  • Combined 600+ passing yards and 6 total touchdowns
Both guys had MVP?level stretches, but Mahomes got the ball last. That's been the story too many times for Buffalo's liking.

Defenses gassed, stars shining

On the outside, the star receivers absolutely ate. Stefon Diggs worked the intermediate routes and found soft spots in the zone for big chain?moving catches, while Kansas City's speed threats kept the secondary honest and opened vertical seams that Mahomes punished again and again.

There was one straight?up ridiculous moment: Allen uncorked a 60?yard bomb into tight coverage late in the third quarter, and his receiver somehow toe?tapped in the back of the end zone. That play had highlight reel for years written all over it, but it's probably going to be overshadowed by the final result and the late turnover.

On defense, it was about big plays, not consistent stops. A strip?sack on Allen set up a short?field field goal, and a red?zone stand that held Kansas City to three points briefly gave Buffalo hope. But when it came down to it, neither unit could consistently get off the field on third down, and against quarterbacks like Mahomes and Allen, that's a death sentence.

How today's NFL results reshape the playoff picture

This game didn't just deliver touchdown highlights; it punched right into the heart of the NFL standings and the evolving playoff picture.

Kansas City's win tightens their grip on top seeding and keeps them firmly in the mix for home?field advantage and a critical first?round bye. Buffalo, meanwhile, slides deeper into wild?card chaos, suddenly needing help and tiebreakers instead of controlling their own destiny. Every drive tonight felt like a seeding swing, and that's exactly what it was.

Elsewhere across the league, other NFL results today added layers to the drama:
  • A gritty defensive struggle in another AFC matchup ended with a walk?off field goal, keeping one team squarely in the wild?card race.
  • An NFC contender leaned on its run game and timely defense to grind out a win and stay in the hunt for the 1?seed.
  • Quarterback stats around the league told the story: clean sheets and efficient passing from contenders; ugly interception totals from teams fading out of the race.
Put it all together, and the playoff bracket is looking more volatile by the hour.

What does this mean for the playoff race? Check the current NFL picture here

That page tracks every win, loss, tiebreaker and seed shuffle sparked by tonight's chaos, and it's basically mandatory viewing if you're trying to project who's headed for the Super Bowl and who's headed for the couch.

Social Media Spotlight: fans meltdown over the late INT

The conversation online locked in on one moment: Josh Allen's aggressive deep shot that turned into that brutal interception. Some fans loved the killer?instinct mentality, others are absolutely roasting the decision in what felt like a field?goal?friendly situation.

Between the replay breakdown threads, slow?motion angle hunts, and everyone posting their own "Allen vs. Mahomes" hot takes, the social feed tonight is as wild as the box score.

Beat writer take: this felt like January football

Let's be real: that game felt like a conference title preview. The tempo, the urgency, the desperation in every 3rd?and?medium call sheet – this wasn't just another regular?season W for Kansas City or another L for Buffalo. This was a statement about who can finish and who keeps falling just short.

From my seat, the difference wasn't talent – both rosters are loaded – it was composure. Mahomes lived in that calm, surgical zone on the last drive. Allen had stretches where he was absolutely unstoppable, lowering his shoulder and ripping lasers over the middle, but in the game's tightest margins, one snap got away from him, and that's the one the standings care about.

If you're asking who looks more Super Bowl?bound off tonight, you have to lean Kansas City. They didn't play perfect football, but they proved (again) they can win a track meet, survive a shootout, and still make the one or two defensive plays that flip a game. Buffalo's ceiling is still championship level, but the consistency just isn't there in closing moments.

Closing whistle

So here's where we're at: NFL results today gave us an instant?classic quarterback duel, a handful of season?defining drives, and a playoff picture that looks more like a live stock ticker than a static table. If this is the energy we're getting now, just imagine what January is going to look like.

If you're trying to sort who's climbing, who's collapsing, and who's still pretending, you need the big picture in front of you:

See full NFL stats & standings


Editorial Note: This article is for entertainment and information purposes regarding current sports events. Sports betting and financial investments carry risks. Please gamble responsibly. Always check odds and terms with the provider.

@ ad-hoc-news.de