Bills’ Sean McDermott drops major hint on Josh Allen’s Week 18 availability

The Buffalo Bills are no longer fighting for the AFC East title. That aspiration disappeared Sunday when the Bills suffered a 13-12 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles at home.

The Eagles had dominated for the majority of the game and had built a 13-0 lead that they took past the midway point of the 4th quarter. The Bills (11-5) tried to overcome the Philadelphia advantage as quarterback Josh Allen scored on a 2-yard run with 5:15 remaining and then the quarterback scored again with 5 seconds remaining as he extended the ball over the goal line after taking the snap and surging from the 1-yard line.

That should have given the Bills a victory, but Bills PK Michael Badgley missed the extra point following the first touchdown when it was blocked by Eagles DL Jalen Carter. Head coach Sean McDermott elected not to give Badgley an opportunity to tie the game after the second Allen touchdown. Instead, he went for a 2-point conversion that would have won the game.

On that play, wideout Khalil Shakir got open in the end zone but Allen’s pass was 3 yards away from the outstretched receiver’s hands. That gave the Eagles the victory and ended the Bills’ chances of winning the division title. The New England Patriots have supplanted the Bills as the AFC East champions.

Bills moving on to postseason after Week 18 game vs. Jets

Despite the loss, the Bills will be in the postseason as a Wild Card team. Since the Bills can’t fight for the division title, McDermott may be thinking of resting Allen. The quarterback had a foot injury that appeared to impact him at various points throughout the game.

The Bills will finish the season as the No. 5, 6 or 7 seed. McDermott may decide to rest Allen, but it will not be easy to get the quarterback to go along with the decision. “To get 17 (Allen) off the field, I don’t know,” McDermott said. “I’m going to have to wrestle him.”

Finishing as the No. 5 or 7 seed may be the ideal spots for the Bills. The No. 5 spot would allow the Bills to play the Pittsburgh Steelers or Baltimore Ravens, while the No. 7 seed would likely play the Patriots. The Steelers or Ravens will win the AFC North title, and that team will have the worst record of the division champions. The Bills split the season series with the Patriots, and that may work in the Bills’ favor.

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