Mason Rudolph, Steelers Trolled by Fans for Flat Performance in Playoff Loss to Bills

The Pittsburgh Steelers overcame a poor start to the season to make the playoffs by winning their final three regular-season games, but there would be no overcoming an abysmal start to a road playoff game against the Buffalo Bills.

Buffalo defeated Pittsburgh 31-17 in Monday's AFC Wild Card Round at Highmark Stadium that was postponed a day because of weather concerns. The Steelers closed to within one score in the fourth quarter despite falling behind 21-0, but they ultimately had no answer for Josh Allen.

Allen finished 21-of-30 passing for 203 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions while adding 74 yards and a score on the ground.

Mason Rudolph and the Steelers couldn't keep up thanks in large part to some early turnovers, which led to criticism on social media:

Pittsburgh has a storied tradition of success but entered the playoffs in the underdog role after an inconsistent season of poor quarterback play from Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky before Rudolph turned things around by winning the last three games.

Yet there would be no momentum carryover to the start in Buffalo.

That was quickly clear when the Steelers showed no resistance during the Bills' opening drive as Allen completed all five of his passes, including a touchdown to Dawson Knox. It was part of a start to forget, as George Pickens lost a fumble and Rudolph threw a pick to Kaiir Elam in the end zone to stop a promising drive.

Allen found Dalton Kincaid for a touchdown just one play after Pickens' fumble and then ran through an arm tackle and took it 52 yards himself for another score on the ensuing possession after Rudolph's interception.

To Pittsburgh's credit, it would have been easy to fold there and play out the string of a blowout.

Instead, it blocked a field goal to set up a Diontae Johnson touchdown just before halftime. The defense also set the tone in the third quarter by stalling multiple Buffalo drives. By the time Rudolph hit Calvin Austin III for a touchdown against an injury-plagued Bills secondary in the fourth quarter, it was a one-score game.

But the thing about digging three-score holes is teams have to be perfect the rest of the way to complete a comeback. Allen made sure there would be no Pittsburgh perfection with a late touchdown pass to Khalil Shakir, who broke free of a poor tackling attempt and gave the Bills some breathing room.

Buffalo's fourth-down stop on the next possession all but ended it and earned a date with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round.