The biggest question for the Buffalo Bills heading into Week 17 was Josh Allen’s availability. When your franchise quarterback walks to the locker room with a noticeable limp, everyone panics. Buffalo watched that exact scenario in Week 16 against the Cleveland Browns. But head coach Sean McDermott has finally put all the worries to rest.

“He has gotten better each day and is trending in the right direction,” McDermott noted on WG 550 on Friday, December 26. “And will be ready to play.”

Allen had notable taken a brutal sack from Myles Garett and Alex Wright in Week 16 just before the second quarter winded down, and then disappeared into the tunnel. He got X-ray at halftime but returned. He gutted the second half despite the foot flaring up, helping Buffalo escape a 23-20 win. “Just tweaked my foot a little bit,” Allen said post game. “Pain subsided, so we’re good.”

Here’s the thing: Allen’s been elite all season. Through 15 games, he’s thrown for 3,406 yards with 25 touchdowns against 10 picks. Add 552 rushing yards and 12 rushing scores, and you know why he’s been circling MVP talks all season.

But the foot clearly affected him against Cleveland. Buffalo’s offense managed just three points in the entire second half with no drive longer than 36 yards. That won’t fly against the Philadelphia Eagles. Facing the defending Super Bowl champs, the Bills need vintage Allen; not the version who just managed 130 yards and no touchdowns in Week 16.

But beyond Allen’s confirmed presence, Sean McDermott has ruled out three players for Week 17. Safety Jordan Poyer won’t play due to a hamstring injury after missing practice all week. The veteran rejoined Buffalo’s practice squad in August after spending 2024 with the Miami Dolphins. He eventually earned himself a roster spot in October, but his absence now removes experience from the secondary.

Kicker Matt Prater is out with a right quad issue. He didn’t practice Wednesday or Thursday, forcing Buffalo to lean on their backup for all kicks against Philly’s dominant defense. Defensive tackle Jordan Phillips rounds out the outs with an ankle injury. While there’s just three stars deemed out, depth matters this late in the season when bodies break down across the board.

What’s more troubling is that the injury report doesn’t stop there. But when discussing the other battered and bruised on his roster, Sean McDermott has notably taken a strategic stance.

“Case-by-case” approach for Sean McDermott

Tight ends Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox both missed practice with knee issues. Kincaid’s been productive this year; 36 catches for 523 yards and five touchdowns. But his availability remains uncertain heading into Week 17.

Defensive end Joey Bosa (hamstring) did get some limited participation this week, sparking optimism. Cornerback Taron Johnson (quad) and defensive back Cameron Lewis (hamstring) logged limited sessions. Both are day-to-day. DT DaQuan Jones (calf) did not practice, while linebacker Shaq Thompson (neck) was limited, rounding out the list. But when it comes to the availability of these players, McDermott is taking a measured stance.

“We’ll see where it goes,” McDermott said about this group. “They’re all kind of a case-by-case basis at this point.”

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While this might just be because of the uncertainty around their injuries, Week 17 could bring us a lot of lineup surprises. Could that be intentional? For now, McDermott is not giving Philly any unnecessary information.

The Bills aren’t talking the Eagles lightly, especially since Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni has hinted he will be playing the starters in the last two regular season games as well. The playoff seeding also matters big time at this point. The Bills currently sit as the AFC’s No. 6 seed at 11-4, locked into the playoffs but fighting for better positioning.

Moving up to the No. 5 seed is on the table. Buffalo has nearly a 50% chance of jumping from #5 to #6 over the final two weeks if they win out. Every game counts now, and Josh Allen’s health could determine everything. Sean McDermott has cleared him, which means the foot won’t be an excuse. For these crucial two weeks, Buffalo needs to bring their best game.