How Bills' path to a first-round bye just got a lot easier
In the NFL, looking ahead is a serious mistake. No opponent can be taken lightly. The Buffalo Bills probably know this and if I had to bet, I'd say they're preaching that exact message in meeting rooms and practice as a Week 17 showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals looms in the schedule. The Chicago Bears […]
In the NFL, looking ahead is a serious mistake. No opponent can be taken lightly. The Buffalo Bills probably know this and if I had to bet, I'd say they're preaching that exact message in meeting rooms and practice as a Week 17 showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals looms in the schedule.
The Chicago Bears come first though, and Justin Fields is a dangerous quarterback. The Bills can't overlook him.
Having said that, dear reader, you and I aren't playing or coaching in that game.
So allow me to break the rules and look ahead a little bit to what could be the most important game of the season as the Bills attempt to secure the one-seed in the AFC.
Buffalo might hold an advantage as the Bengals could roll into that game shorthanded on one side of the ball.
Lou Anarumo's defense in Cincinnati might just be the most underrated unit in the entire league but navigating injuries against Josh Allen and friends won't be easy.
Specifically, they could be missing their top two edge rushers, Trey Hendrickson (wrist) and Sam Hubbard (calf). That could level the playing field a little bit for the Bills as their biggest weakness right now is their offensive line, which could see even more shaking-up this week.
However, let's not get it twisted.
The Bills won't be facing an entirely weakened Bengals defense. Their depth has shined in the absence of some of its starters and they're not to be taken lightly. Anarumo might get some head coaching interviews after this season, honestly.
No game on Buffalo's schedule matters more than an AFC showdown that could heavily impact who gets home-field advantage through January. If the opposing team is missing its two top edge rushers, the challenge in front of the Bills gets a tiny bit easier.
For what it's worth, the Bills have an 81% chance of securing the first-round bye if they beat the Bengals in Week 17, per FiveThirtyEight's playoff simulator.
Featured image via JAMIE GERMANO / USA TODAY NETWORK
