Buffalo were the pre-season Super Bowl favourites but have had to hit the road in the play-offs having failed to retain the AFC East title, while Jacksonville won the AFC South after ending the regular season on an eight-game winning streak.
They played out a tight affair in Florida, with Buffalo leading 10-7 at half-time, then 13-10 heading into the fourth quarter, when the lead changed hands four times in a nail-biting finale.
The game turned into a quarterback shooutout, with the Jaguars’ former number one draft pick Trevor Lawrence making touchdown passes to Parker Washington and Travis Etienne, either side of a Josh Allen strike to Dalton Kincaid.
Allen then barged over for his second rushing touchdown, which proved decisive as on the first play of what could have been a game-winning drive for Jacksonville, a Lawrence pass was tipped into the arms of Buffalo safety Cole Bishop.
That clinched victory for the Bills, who are aiming to reach their first Super Bowl since 1994, and this could be the best chance yet for 29-year-old Allen to reach the NFL’s championship game.
Kansas City knocked Buffalo out in four of the past five years but the Chiefs have failed to reach this season’s play-offs.