The Buffalo Bills have clinched a playoff berth in the AFC. After losing to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday afternoon, all three wildcard teams in the conference have the same record.
With all three teams decided, Buffalo stands to gain next to nothing by beating the New York Jets in Week 18.
However, should the Bills decide to pull their starters and end up losing the game, they will be staring down the barrel of a third matchup with their bitter rivals, the New England Patriots.
It is for this reason that head coach Sean McDermott says the Bills have a lot to think about.
“Where do you want to start? We’ve got a lot of things we need to discuss as a leadership group,” McDermott said. “You’ve got the last game in Highmark Stadium here. That’s important to me, It’ll be important to our guys, to our staff. Then there’s other things that come into consideration. It won’t be easy, but it is important that we have a good week here.”
The playoff seeding is one thing, but the health of superstar quarterback Josh Allen is another.
How Tiebreakers Will Work In AFC Playoff Picture
The first tie breaker will always be the head-to-head record. But considering that the Bills did not play either of these teams this season, it will be nullified.
The next tie breaker is then the division record. Buffalo has the worst division record of the three, at 3-2. If they were to pull their starters and also lose, a 3-3 record in the division would land them in last place.
The Houston Texans are playing the Indianapolis Colts with an opportunity to win the AFC South still on the table, so they will be giving their best shot to the 8-8 Philip Rivers-led Colts.
The Los Angeles Chargers are playing the Denver Broncos. Los Angeles stands to gain nothing, while the Broncos can secure a bye in the opening round of the playoffs.
The Bills have a big decision to make, but when choosing between a third matchup with the Patriots or a potential game against the Houston Texans, who haven’t lost in two months, it would be hard to blame Buffalo for not having a preference.
Josh Allen Still Dealing With Foot Injury
Allen suffered a foot injury two weeks ago in the narrow win against the Cleveland Browns. He finished that game and played a full game this Sunday against the Eagles.
However, before and after the Eagles game, the quarterback confirmed he was still dealing with general soreness.
Giving a player like Allen an extra week to heal in a non-consequential Week 18 seems like a no-brainer.
No decision has been announced yet, but if news does break later in the week that Allen will be on the sideline in the final game at Highmark Stadium, this is likely why.
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