When the Buffalo Bills trotted Josh Allen onto the field for the opening snap in their final home game of the regular season against the New York Jets on January 4, few expected what came next: Allen was immediately pulled after a handoff and did not return to take a pass.
What initially looked like a curious tactical flourish quickly emerged as a defining symbol of how this franchise has approached the 2025 season, carefully balancing player health with postseason aspirations.
Allen‘s single-play appearance, a 10-yard run by running back James Cook, preserved his streak of consecutive starts while minimizing his exposure to injury just as the playoffs neared.
The Bills were already locked into the postseason and holding a wild-card spot, eliminating much of the urgency to risk their MVP in a meaningless regular-season finale.
With his ankle and foot managed throughout the final weeks of the regular season, head coach Sean McDermott elected to take a cautious approach.
Allen‘s place as a starter was assured, but the team prioritized his availability for what matters most: the postseason run.
In Allen‘s place, backup Mitchell Trubisky went on to lead a highly efficient offense against the Jets, completing 22 of 29 passes for 259 yards and a touchdown, while the Bills cruised to a decisive win.
His performance illustrated that Buffalo‘s depth chart could handle adversity and keep the offense humming even without its top quarterback.
Playoff payoff
Once into the playoffs, that strategy appeared to pay off. In the Wild Card round at Jacksonville on Sunday, Allen delivered a gritty performance that flipped decades of franchise history.
His 273 passing yards, one touchdown pass, and two rushing scores powered a 27-24 win, Buffalo‘s first road playoff victory in 33 years.
It was Allen‘s first fourth-quarter comeback win in the postseason, a breakthrough moment for a quarterback long criticized for near misses in big games.
Balancing health and postseason goals
Buffalo now prepares for a Divisional Round road game against the top-seeded Denver Broncos, a matchup that looms as one of the most challenging on the AFC slate.
The Broncos finished the regular season with the league’s best record, and the Bills will travel to face the AFC’s No. 1 seed for the second round.
This is where the Week 18 decision suddenly looks a lot more like smart long-range planning.
By limiting Allen‘s exposure in a meaningless game, McDermott and Buffalo‘s medical staff preserved his mobility and leadership for a game that truly matters, a do-or-die contest that will determine whether Buffalo gets closer to its first Super Bowl title quest in decades.
Yet challenges remain. In addition to managing Allen‘s health, the Bills have dealt with injuries across their roster.
Wide receiver Gabe Davis suffered a season-ending torn ACL in the Jacksonville game, and fellow receiver Tyrell Shavers also joined the Injured Reserve after suffering an ACL tear, leaving Buffalo dangerously thin at the position.
Coach McDermott has begun shuffling the depth chart, designating Curtis Samuel to return from IR and signing additional pieces to address the depleted corps.
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