Conceptually, the Buffalo Bills can move up a spot or two in the wild card standings in Week 18.
In reality, even that doesn't guarantee much of anything. There's still movement to happen at the top half of the AFC standings that the Bills won't be able to predict in advance. Even if they knew who they wanted to play in the first round of the playoffs, it'd be hard to make that happen.
So that sets up an odd Week 18 for the Bills against the lowly New York Jets, who will likely be starting undrafted rookie QB Brady Cook once again after getting shellacked by the New England Patriots in Week 17.
And that raises the question: What do they do with Josh Allen?
That's especially pertinent given recent injury concerns around Allen's right ankle, which he appeared to tweak again in Sunday's loss to the Eagles.
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Is Josh Allen going to play in Week 18?
It's sounding like the Bills will let Allen rest.
This is what beat reporter Sal Maiorana of the Democrat & Chronicle wrote:
"(That) is probably going to be the case. Allen won’t admit it publicly, but the foot injury he suffered in Cleveland affected him in the loss to the Eagles and the prudent plan for Buffalo would be to rest him against the Jets and rely on others to beat the Jets and keep alive the chances of moving up a spot or two in the wildcard seeding."
If Allen sits, Mitchell Trubisky would start. The Bills would probably use most of their other starting players from the outset but potentially pull them early if the game is in hand.
It's gotta be all about winning in the playoffs at this point, and if that means protecting Allen now, so be it.
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