WGR

‘”Knock on wood, because sometimes things show up the next day,” said McDermott following Sunday’s regular season finale. “Now you want to be as healthy as you can be going into the playoffs, and as strong as you can be.”‘

‘It all starts next weekend in the AFC Wild Card Round with a matchup against the Denver Broncos at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. The game is set for a 1 p.m. EST kickoff on Sunday, Jan. 12.’

‘No, I don’t believe the Bills did anything to intentionally lose this game. Now that it’s over, though, we know the Patriots are not going to pick first overall in this upcoming NFL Draft.’

‘All we had to worry about Sunday during the meaningless regular season finale against the New England Patriots was the Buffalo Bills staying healthy. It appears they came out of Foxboro with no further injury issues.’

‘We know the Bills will be playing quite a few backup players in this one, and quarterback Josh Allen will only play a handful of snaps, at most. For the guys who are playing, they’ll be getting a great shot to put their best on tape for coaches and the league to see. They’ll want, and have an opportunity, to play their best football individually while helping the team get a win as they all head to the playoffs together.’

‘Meanwhile, one player the Bills will not have in the lineup against the Patriots is linebacker Terrel Bernard. Bills head coach Sean McDermott ruled Bernard out of the game on Wednesday, as he deals with a quad injury. The good news, though, is he returned to practice on Thursday for the Bills, and is expected to be ready for the playoffs.’

‘I said the Bills would make the playoffs. I said they would win the AFC East for a fifth-straight season. But when it came to the record I had them going, it was 10-7.’

‘Bernard did not practice during Wednesday’s walk-through, and was upgraded to a limited participant on Thursday.’

‘As part of one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, Dawkins has helped Allen flourish this season, limiting him to being sacked just 14 times, making it the least by any quarterback who has played in all 16 games in 2024.’

‘Bernard was the only player on the active roster who did not practice during the team’s walk-thru on Wednesday. McDermott said he is between day-to-day and week-to-week, but added “more like” day-to-day.’

‘Allen has started 114 consecutive games, including postseason contests, which is the longest current streak for any active quarterback in the NFL.’

‘With this win, the Bills not only finish the regular season a perfect 8-0 at home, they also clinched the No. 2 seed in the AFC standings heading into the playoffs.’

‘”You know, it just goes back to guys working hard, working together, being unselfish, coming to work every day, focused on getting the job done”, McDermott stated. “And we know that there’s some there’s some doubters out there. We knew that earlier in the year, and you know, the team just did a great job of coming together, led by Josh, coaches have done a phenomenal job of, you know, trying to just adjust week to week.”‘

‘(Clinching the second seed in the AFC is) “Very important. Not sure what next week brings, but it gives us an option to get certain guys rest and we’ll just kind of go with the flow with whatever Beane and McDermott are telling our guys to do, but still got to prepare like, we’re trying to go, and that’s our game plan.”‘

‘The Bills couldn’t get their run running game going. They ran for just 2.9 yards per carry, running 34 times for 97 yards.’