Just hours before the Buffalo Bills‘ season finale, a crucial update on Josh Allen’s status finally arrived. But any relief was short-lived, as head Coach Sean McDermott was forced to address a wave of other injuries sweeping through the locker room. With the season finale on the horizon, the latest crisis threatens to derail their entire postseason before it even begins.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, McDermott downplayed the issue, framing it as a typical late-season hurdle.

He said in the press conference, “Probably no more than it’s normal for this time of year in, you know, our society. So, it’s what happens in late December, early January. So, trying to stay as healthy as we can, best we can.”

The comments of the HC came on Friday during his press conference, where he recognized the list of sick players. He discussed the current scenario as the type of problem that all teams have concerning the season. The composure with which he spoke indicated a coach who considered injuries in late-December and early-January as normal around the league.  

However, the actual roster situation told a more complicated story. Reported by ESPN, safety Jordan Poyer (hamstring), linebacker Terrel Bernard (calf), and defensive tackle DaQuan Jones (calf) are all ruled out for Sunday’s matchup. Additionally, defensive tackle Deone Walker was dealing with an illness and did not participate in practice

The injury report doesn’t end there. Defensive end Joey Bosa (hamstring), tight end Dalton Kincaid (knee), and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips (ankle) carry questionable designations heading into the weekend. Only kicker Matt Prater and fullback Reggie Gilliam managed to get cleared for the game after missing practice earlier in the week due to injuries and illness, respectively. With so many names on the not-fit list, the next logical concern is how much risk Buffalo can realistically place on Josh Allen while still trying to make a serious postseason run.

How these injuries impact Josh Allen and Buffalo’s playoff push

Josh Allen’s status has dominated every Bills conversation this week, and Friday’s practice update delivered relief to fans already on edge. However, McDermott will likely limit Allen’s snaps similar to how the team managed him last season during Week 18, allowing the star signal-caller to preserve energy for playoff football. With Buffalo sitting as a Wild Card team, every week of health becomes currency in January. McDermott summed up the tightrope he’s walking.

“We’ve got some guys that are a little bit sore coming off of last week’s game and certainly know what’s removed a week from this weekend here. So, again, want to play well; that’s important to us. Prioritizing being smart as well through it all, so that balance is what we’re trying to strike there.”

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A loss to the New York Jets would officially lock the Bills into seventh place, eliminating any possibility of hosting a playoff game. A win, however, could move Buffalo to the 5th or 6th seed, with the Chargers–Broncos and Texans–Colts outcomes also playing critical roles in the seeding permutations. Every injury on the roster suddenly had playoff consequences extending far beyond the regular season finale.

Buffalo’s season finale now doubles as a health test and a seeding play, with every snap choice shaping how ready this roster will be for the Wild Card round. If the Bills handle the Jets and manage the injury crunch, they will set themselves up as a tougher out when the postseason finally kicks off.