Bills' Sean McDermott Details Plan for Josh Allen in Week 18

The Bills already clinched the No. 2 playoff spot.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen walks off the field after a win.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen walks off the field after a win. / Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills clinched the No. 2 playoff seed already and will play the eliminated New England Patriots on Sunday, yet coach Sean McDermott still plans to start quarterback Josh Allen.

McDermott told reporters on Monday that was made in part to ensure Allen kept his streak of consecutive starts intact. Allen has started in 120 straight games, which is the 13th most in NFL history. He follows Tom Brady who recorded 126 straight starts twice in his career (and 128 straight in another streak). Sunday will count as Allen's 121st consecutive start.

However, Allen won't remain in the game very long. McDermott said the quarterback will be taken out relatively quickly so he can keep Allen healthy for the playoffs. It wouldn't be surprising if Allen only plays in one drive.

Allen and the Bills will play in the wild-card round the following weekend (matchup dates and times have yet to be determined). Buffalo's opponent hasn't officially been decided yet, but as of now, the Denver Broncos hold the seventh seed. The Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins have a chance to grab the final spot in Week 18.


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Madison Williams
MADISON WILLIAMS

Madison Williams is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where she specializes in tennis but covers a wide range of sports from a national perspective. Before joining SI in 2022, Williams worked at The Sporting News. Having graduated from Augustana College, she completed a master’s in sports media at Northwestern University. She is a dog mom and an avid reader.