Exclusive : Once again, the “CHIEFS CURSE” strikes and Bills head coach Sean McDermott takes responsibility for the outcome.

The Buffalo Bills hopes of mounting a Super Bowl challenge ended in disappointment after they were beaten by the Kansas City Chiefs, leaving head coach Sean McDermott in a reflective mood.

Josh Allen did his utmost to lift the Bills with 186 passing yards and 26 completed passes in Sunday’s clash. He threw a touchdown pass to Khalil Shakir and ran two more himself to cap a fine season.

Unfortunately for the Bills, the Chiefs were in better shape than they have been in the regular season, with Patrick Mahomes twice finding Travis Kelce in the endzone and Isiah Pacheco’s rush clinching the game in the fourth quarter.

It was enough to give Andy Reid’s team a 27-24 victory at Highmark Stadium and put them within touching distance of reaching their fourth Super Bowl in five years.

Despite Tyler Bass missing a 44-yard field goal that would have tied the game with less than two minutes left, McDermott insisted that the buck stopped with him for their defeat.

“It all starts with me,” McDermott said, per Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein. “And I take full responsibility. We didn’t do enough to win the game.”

About the quality of his squad and coaching team, he added: “I’m fully confident in this football team. I’m fully confident in our staff.”

As the Bills’ journey concluded at the divisional playoff stage, it also brought an end to their impressive six-game winning streak.

Before Sunday’s matchup, the Bills had clinched the AFC East title against the Miami Dolphins and comfortably overcame the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wildcard Weekend. Now, it’s back to the drawing board for the 49-year-old.

The one growing issue for McDermott is that they have now stumbled across the Chiefs in three out of the last four postseasons and lost on every occasion.

Of course, losing to the current Super Bowl winners is nothing to be ashamed of, especially with Mahomes producing the goods in the pockets and one of the NFL’s best-ever tight ends in Kelce.