Getty Josh Allen runs for a touchdown in a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Buffalo Bills have little margin for error the rest of the season, but their playoff hopes may have gotten a major boost with some good news about quarterback Josh Allen.
Allen was injured during the December 12 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, hurting his foot and playing with a noticeable limp in the fourth quarter. The ailment didn’t stop Allen from leading a furious comeback, helping the Bills erase a 21-point deficit with 17 unanswered points to force overtime. The Bills ultimately fell to Tom Brady and the Buccaneers in the extra period, but the uncertainty surrounding Allen’s injury loomed even larger over the remainder of the season.
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Bills Clarify Allen’s Status
After Allen was limited in practice throughout the week, Bills head coach Sean McDermott on Friday announced that he was healthy enough to start on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. McDermott said the team’s medical staff had been closely monitoring his progress, and Allen looked sharp enough in practice to get the nod to start on Sunday.
“[The medical team] is comfortable with where [Allen is] at and he continues to trend in the right direction,” McDermott said during an appearance on WGR 550 in Buffalo, via ESPN. “And then what I’ve seen through my own eyes at practice just yesterday, he seems to be again, able to execute the job description that goes along with the quarterback position.”
Coach McDermott: Josh Allen will be a full participant at today’s practice and should be ready to go for Sunday’s game. #BillsMafia
Allen is coming off one of his best games of the season — and likely of his entire four-year career with the Bills — against Tampa. He threw for 308 yards with two touchdowns and an interception and added another 109 rushing yards with a rushing touchdown, becoming just the fourth quarterback in NFL history to throw for more than 300 yards and rush for more than 100 in a single game.
There had been signs that Allen was trending toward playing against the Panthers. Allen had said on Thursday that he was feeling good and wanted to start for his team.
“Obviously, we’ve got a few more days, we got to rehab and obviously, I’d love to play,” Allen said, via ESPN. “I guess we’ll have to reevaluate some things in a couple of days, but as of right now, feels pretty good and fortunate enough to have the training staff that we do, getting work on it around the clock.”
High Stakes for Buffalo
Allen playing could be a major boost for the Bills. Consecutive losses to the New England Patriots and Buccaneers dropped the team to 7-6, clinging onto the seventh and final playoff spot in the AFC. The Bills may need to win out in order to secure a playoff berth, though still do have a chance at winning the division for a second straight year. They still face the 9-4 Patriots once more, and a win for Buffalo along with another New England loss would put the Bills in line to win the AFC East.
Here’s a look at Josh Allen at #Bills practice today.
Starts off with a little run before his usual throwing passes to the WRs.
In order to make the playoffs, the Bills may need to find a way to win close games, which has been a struggle this season. After going 5-1 in one-score games in the 2020 season, the Bills are 0-5 this year.
“I think four of the five that have been one-score games, we’ve had the ball with the chance to win it,” McDermott said, via ESPN. “And really offensive football, in this case, when you talk about execution is what it comes down to and just this past week (against the Buccaneers) in particular, just to name one, and we had chances.”
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