Bills Central

Why the Bills should rest their starters for the last two weeks of the season

The Buffalo Bills have a lot of decisions in their last two weeks of the season regarding who they will play against the New York Jets and New England Patriots.

Kevin Massare

Josh Allen on the sideline in a baseball cap
Josh Allen on the sideline in a baseball cap / David Dermer/Copyright 2024 The Associated Press
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As the 2024 NFL season approaches its conclusion, a pressing question arises for the Buffalo Bills. Should the Bills rest their starters in the final games? This decision could have significant implications for the team’s playoff positioning and overall performance. Josh Allen is still the favorite to win the NFL MVP and that is still on the line. It all has to be considered

Resting starters can be a strategic move to ensure key players remain healthy and fresh for the postseason. Injuries have derailed many teams in the past, and the Bills would be wise to consider the long-term benefits of preserving their top talents. The Bills already have at least the number 3 locked down. Their magic number for the 2 seed is just 1. This means any win in the last two games or a loss by The Baltimore Ravens to the Cleveland Browns in week 18.

Conversely, maintaining rhythm and continuity is also essential as the playoffs approach. By keeping starters in the game, the Bills can build momentum and stay in sync as a unit. The challenge lies in finding the right balance between health and performance. That is on top of the Bills still needing a single win to make sure they still have two home playoff games. They will have the opportunity to have a full bye in week 18 to rest up for whoever is the 7 seed. But what happens if the Bills lose to the Jets? Do they go all out in week 18 against the Patriots? The right decision lies with Sean McDermott but it may be the season that resting in week 18 is the right call either way.

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Kevin Massare
KEVIN MASSARE

Kevin has spent over a decade covering, writing, and podcasting about the Bills. He has experience working with multiple networks and has a deep-rooted history within the Bills community. His opinion-based commentary is accompanied by a data and analytics-based approach. You can commonly find him talking about playoff scenarios and playoff seeding projections.