Just hours before Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills faced the Jacksonville Jaguars in the NFL wild-card game, Buffalo suffered a setback by losing WR Josh Palmer. As if that alone wasn’t tough for Allen, more bad news followed, this time affecting him on a personal level.

With the biggest game of the season ahead, Josh Allen would naturally want familiar support in the stands. Normally, that means seeing his wife, Hailee Steinfeld, in the crowd. This time, though, that will not happen.

Steinfeld has another commitment across the country in Los Angeles. So, what pulled her away from the Queen City’s biggest moment of the year?

Earlier this month, the Golden Globes announced their presenters for the ceremony on January 8. Not surprisingly, Steinfeld’s name was right there on the list. After all, the Oscar-nominated actress made a strong return to theaters last year with the horror film “Sinners.”

The movie made big numbers at the box office and quickly became a favorite during awards season. Even without an individual nomination for her role as Mary, the film itself made plenty of noise.

In fact, “Sinners” earned seven Golden Globe nominations. Those included Best Motion Picture Drama, Best Director, Best Screenplay for Ryan Coogler, Best Performance by a Male Actor for Michael B. Jordan, and Cinematic and Box Office Achievement. Clearly, this was not something Steinfeld could pass.

Last year, Steinfeld also presented at the Golden Globes, which landed on the same day as Buffalo’s Week 18 clash with the Dolphins. In that game, the Bills handled business with a 21-14 win.

Now, as Allen leads the charge, Steinfeld will hope history repeats itself, even from a distance.

Josh Allen and the Bills have a lot to prove in the Wild Card game

For Josh Allen, this moment feels heavy, as over the past few seasons, playoff success has been missing. Allen is 0-4 in road playoff games. Therefore, a win at EverBank Stadium would mean more than survival. It would snap a 32-year drought for the Bills.

Buffalo finished 12-5 but watched the Patriots reclaim the AFC East crown. As a result, the Bills now travel instead of hosting, something they had avoided since 2020. Still, despite the bumps, Allen kept the offense humming and gave this team a real chance to make a noise in January.

The Bills scored 28.3 points per game, good for fourth in the league. Moreover, they bullied defenses on the ground, leading the NFL with 159.6 rushing yards per game. They also finished second in total touchdowns with 62.

Individually, Allen threw for 3,668 yards with 25 scores and 10 picks. On top of that, his 14 rushing touchdowns ranked third league-wide, showing how much he drives this unit.

However, Duval will not roll out the red carpet. The Jaguars bring the league’s best run defense, giving up just 85.6 yards per game. That strength could limit Buffalo’s ground attack. In addition, the Jags force 1.8 takeaways per game, second best in the NFL. Because of that, Allen must protect the ball and pick his spots carefully.

So, the pressure is real. If Buffalo falls short, major changes could follow in the offseason. Now, all eyes turn to Allen and how he answers when it matters most.