Josh Allen injury update: Will Bills QB play in Week 18

As the regular season comes to an end, everyone in Buffalo is focused on Josh Allen and whether or not he will be able to play in the Bills' Week 18 game against the New York Jets. Now that they've already made the playoffs, the question isn't about how quickly they need to act; it's about finding a balance, staying healthy, and setting long-term goals.

Will Josh Allen be able to play in Week 18?

Allen hurt his foot in Week 16 and made it worse a week later, which kept him from practicing earlier this week. His absence from practice on two days in a row led to suspicion that the Bills could choose to rest their franchise quarterback in the last game of the regular season. It seemed clear that caution was the best way to go for a squad with higher goals in the playoffs.



But everything changed rapidly. Allen went back to practice on Friday, which eased immediate worries and made it possible for him to play at least some of the time on Sunday.

Bills head coach Sean McDermott talked about the subject openly and said that Allen is "good to go" from a medical point of view. That statement makes it sound like the quarterback is healthy enough to play, but it doesn't mean he will get a full workload.



Buffalo has been here before. Last season, Allen memorably took the first snap of the Week 18 game before leaving. This kept his ironman starting streak going while lowering the danger of injury.

Allen has played in 139 straight games, which is the longest active run in the NFL. If he sat out completely, that would end the run, which is something the quarterback has clearly been proud of throughout his career. One snap would be enough to keep the streak going, which could be a compromise between player safety and competitive integrity.

Since Buffalo is already in the playoffs, the coaches may not want to put Allen in harm's way by exposing him to unnecessary hits, especially since the playoffs are coming up soon.



Allen has more than just health goals within reach. One touchdown would give him 40 touchdowns for the season, which would tie an exceptional NFL record and prolong his amazing consistency. But those personal successes are not as important as the greater picture.

The game on Sunday also has a lot of emotional weight because it could be the last time the Bills play at Highmark Stadium during the regular season. Next season, the team will move to a new home. Fans will care about the moment whether Allen plays a series, a snap, or the whole game.

Everything points to Josh Allen being able to play in Week 18, but how much he plays is still a mystery. It seems more and more likely that there will be a short appearance to celebrate the streak, get the crowd excited, and then stand aside so that Buffalo can focus on the playoffs.

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