Cutline: There is a lot at stake Sunday for Josh Allen and the Bills. Photo by Anglio Allen/Buffalo Bills
By CHUCK POLLOCK, Sun Senior Sports Columnist
It would be interesting, if he would give an honest answer, who Bills coach Sean McDermott would prefer to play in the opening round of the upcoming National Football League playoffs.
Would it be the Los Angeles Chargers or Denver Broncos?
Of course, it’s mostly out of Buffalo’s hands.
Currently, the Bills are the AFC’s No. 2 seed but they aren’t currently locked into that spot.
Should they beat the Jets on Sunday afternoon at Highmark Stadium (1 o’clock, CBS-TV, Bills Radio Network) the Bills would claim the conference’s second seed with a 13-3 record.
But if they lose and drop to 12-4, Baltimore is still alive for finishing second. If the Ravens beat Cleveland and Buffalo falls at New England next week, both teams would finish at 12-5 and the Bills would fall to the third seed based on their 35-10 head-to-head loss in September.
THERE’S plenty at stake for Buffalo Sunday afternoon in Orchard Park as, with a win over the struggling Jets (4-11), the No. 2 seed would also create the possibility of a second home playoff game.
Of course, the Bills are coming off of an indifferent 24-21 win over New England (3-12) that could easily have been a defeat.
And McDermott was clearly irritated afterward.
“The defense really accounted for 10 points,” he said. “The defensive touchdown (fumbled New England lateral recovered in the end zone) , and then the three points off of the turnover that led to the field goal (after another Pats’ lost fumble). I think without those I’m not sure we win that game. So there’s some some bright spots as well, and some individual bright spots.”
But McDermott saw many more negatives as the Bills tied for a season high with 13 penalties with six of them of the pre-snap variety, his particular irritation.
“Those are the areas that drive you crazy quite honestly, when you’re beating yourselves pre-snap at home in particular,” McDermott said. “The crowd noise is not a factor, should not be a factor for us at home, and isn’t a factor. So to me it’s just sloppy football, and we can’t have it.”
THE BILLS, who opened the week favored by only 2.5 points, are now a 10-point favorite, and are a bit healthier than last week, with one glaring exception.
Both starting safeties — Taylor Rapp (neck) and Damar Hamilin (ribs) — are questionable as is the key backup at that position, Cam Lewis (shoulder).
Also questionable is wide receiver Curtis Samuel (ribs).
The Jets (4-11), meanwhile, have lost five of their last six games and are a mess with nine players questionable for Sunday including seven starters: cornerback Sauce Gardner (hamstring), safety Tony Adams (ankle), wide receiver Devante Adams (hip), defensive linemen Haason Reddick (neck) and Quinnen Williams (hamstring), offensive lineman Morgan Moses (knee) and place-kicker Greg Zuerlein (knee).
IF THE season ended today with Buffalo being the No. 2 seed, the Bills would play the Broncos (9-6) in Orchard Park and third-seeded Baltimore would host the L.A. Chargers.
In any case, barring some upsets in the season’s final two weeks, Buffalo and the Ravens would end up playing the Broncos and Chargers, one way or the other.
If both Baltimore and the Bills hold their seedings and win their initial playoff games, they would meet in Orchard Park for a berth in the conference championship matchup, likely against top-seeded Kansas City (15-1) with the AFC’s spot in the Super Bowl at stake.
POLLOCK’S PICK: Bills 24, Jets 20
(Chuck Pollock, a Wellsville Sun and Olean Star senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@wnynet.net.)
Read more from Chuck on the Bills and Bonnies:
• What happened during those six lost days
• Bills didn’t play with a sense of urgency against the Patriots
• Bills passed a big test against the Lions
• The media missed the point with questions of McDermott
• We did not expect the Rams-Bills results as Josh Allen sets major records
• Will the Bills be motivated against the Rams?
• Schmidt doesn’t want the Bonnies to get caught up in 12-1 talk
• A look at the rise under Sean McDermott
• The snow and the Buffalo Bills were too much for the 49ers
• St. Bonaventure Bonnies put unbeaten hoops record on the line in ESPN Tournament
• Pollock Prediction on San Fran at Buffalo Sunday night game
• A look at Terry Pegula’s beginnings in Olean and his competitive drive to win
• A look at McDermott’s smart play-calling and why aren’t we talking more about James Cook?
• Can the Bills do this to the Chiefs in the playoffs? Josh Allen touchdown run seals victory
• Pollock predicts a one-point Kansas City victory
• What happened to this being a rebuilding season for the Buffalo Bills?
• A dominating performance by the Bills
• Pollock predicts a Bills victory over the Colts on the road
• Thoughts on the 61-yard Bass field goal and where the Bills sit
• Solid win to open the season for the Bonnies
• Bass vindicated by 61-yard field goal to beat the Dolphins
• Bills don’t own the Dolphins but have an option to buy; prediction 27-20 (final was 30-27)
• The season is here for St. Bonaventure basketball
• St. Bonaventure speaks out, “We got Woj”
• Mark Schmidt on the NIL deals and the Bona NIT mess
• Pollock on the passing of St. Bonaventure legend Paul Hoffman
• Pollock on listening to the radio and the days of Willie Mays
• Houghton’s Phil Stockin gets Cazzie Russell to the Castle in Olean and then a title for the Knicks?
• The right hire for St. Bonaventure to lead the athletic department
• The inside story on why WPIG left the Bonnies after 74 years and a Gary Nease update
• Bill Walton was must-see basketball when he played in Buffalo for the Braves
