Buffalo Bills fans’ main concern going into Sunday’s Wildcard playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars is whether or not quarterback Josh Allen will be fully healthy for the team’s much-anticipated Super Bowl run.
The lingering problem has been a foot injury sustained in the final drive of the second half against the Cleveland Browns.
Allen got X-rays done in the Browns’ visiting locker room at halftime and returned to finish the entire second half.
The next week, Allen was severely limited in what he could do in the home loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Although he got the start in Week 18 against the New York Jets, Allen hardly practiced and played just one snap.
This gave the reigning MVP time to rest before the playoffs, and if Wednesday is any indication, Allen’s foot injury should not be a factor against the Jags.
“Josh Allen (right foot) will be a full participant in Wednesday’s practice, per McDermott,” ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg reports.
Wednesday Practices Are Always A Good Sign
As far as the NFL day-to-day goes, a Wednesday practice is as close as the team will get to full-speed reps at this point in the season.
Tuesday is for half-speed installs, Thursday is for redzone work. Wednesday is for fundamentals.
To see the quarterback giving it a full go on Wednesday means that the training staff and coaching staff are very comfortable with where he is at.
His injury designation never climbed above self-described “general soreness,” however, he did undergo multiple X-rays on an injury that changed the way he played for two weeks.
Allen’s Injury Showed Up On The Field
Week 17 was the worst Buffalo’s offense looked all year. Buffalo was held scoreless in the first half. Three punts and a near-redzone fumble were the result of the team’s four first-half drives.
The third quarter was more of the same, with two more punts and a turnover on downs at the Eagles’ one-yard line.
Even then, the Bills had a chance to win it with five minutes on the clock.
The first touchdown of the day came with 5:51 to play on a two-yard Josh Allen touchdown rush. But a blocked Marvin Badgley extra point put Buffalo behind the eight ball.
The next drive, it was an Allen tush-push on 4th and goal that put the quarterback in the endzone for the second time. The two-point conversion was no good, and the Bills fell 13-12.
Despite the two goal-line rushing touchdowns, Allen’s legs were nearly entirely neutralized for four quarters against Philadelphia.
He reportedly threw every single pass from inside the pocket for the first time in his NFL career and averaged less than four yards a carry for the second week in a row (5.2 on the season).
Offensive coordinator Joe Brady said his injury played a big factor in how the team called the game.
That was the last time we saw Allen in action. He will have his work cut out for him against the league’s top-ranked rushing defense.
Josh Allen Silences Injury Concerns, Full Participant In Bills Wednesday Practice