The Buffalo Bills in consecutive weeks have secured a playoff spot after their win over the Miami Dolphins and then the AFC East division after their win over the Chicago Bears. However, their sights have always been set higher than those and on Monday have a chance to secure the number one seed in the AFC.
This would give them a first-round bye but also guarantee that they will play at Highmark Stadium for as far as they go in the playoffs.
It won’t be easy for this team as they are set to play the Cincinnati Bengals, who have been playing excellent football and also have a chance to secure the top seed in the AFC this season. The matchup between these two teams is one of the best games Monday Night Football has had in a long time and these are four Buffalo Bills to watch in this marquee game.
4 Buffalo Bills to watch in Week 17 against the Cincinnati Bengals
Josh Allen
The first player is obvious as Josh Allen is the most important player on this roster and he will need to match the performance of Joe Burrow, who is an excellent quarterback in his own right.
Earlier this season, Josh Allen was considered one of the favorites to win the MVP award however his performance has dipped as of late. In the past six weeks, he has had only one game with more than 300 passing yards (Week 15 against the Miami Dolphins) and two games with three or more touchdowns (Week 15 against Miami, Week 16 against the Chicago Bears).
While Allen has struggled at times, he typically plays his best football when the lights are the brightest. The Bills have had five primetime games this season and they are undefeated in that time slot and Josh Allen is one of the big reasons. In those games, he is averaging 272 passing yards and 42 rushing yards with 16 total touchdowns and four interceptions.
This game has the potential to be an excellent QB battle between two of the top young quarterbacks in this league and I expect Josh Allen to have a big game.
Stefon Diggs
When looking at Stefon Diggs’ season stats they are rather impressive as he ranks third in receptions (101), fourth in targets (144), third in receiving yards (1,325), and third in receiving touchdowns (10). However, over the past few games, it feels like there are yards and opportunities left on the field over the course of the game.
This is no fault to Diggs but there are stretches where the Bills’ top wide receiver is not heavily involved and it feels like this is a huge mistake. Offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey can’t make the same mistake on Monday night against the Bengals as the Bills are almost certainly going to need to put up points and Stefon Diggs is a player that can do that.
If Stefon Diggs can finish the game with double-digit targets he should be able to break 100 receiving yards and find the end zone at least once. This should keep the offense on track and allow the Bills to keep pace with Cincinnati.
Tre’Davious White
While the Buffalo Bills have Stefon Diggs, the Bengals have Ja’Marr Chase who is in that same tier as Diggs as one of the best wide receivers in the league. He is Joe Burrow’s go-to wide receiver and is someone who should be heavily involved in this game.
The Buffalo Bills’ defense fortunately has an excellent cornerback in Tre’Davious White and this has the potential to be an excellent WR/CB battle in the game.
Tre’Davious White missed most of the season due to an ACL injury he suffered last year and has steadily been working his way back since returning in Week 12 against the Detroit Lions. Opposing teams haven’t been afraid to test him over the past four games and have targeted him 28 times but he has allowed only 15 receptions and an average of only 7.7 yards per target.
This will be the biggest test for Tre’Davious White since returning from his injury and if the former All-Pro is able to limit Chase’s impact on this game, it will give Buffalo a great chance to come away with a road win.
Jordan Poyer
Earlier this week, Jordan Poyer found out he was named to his first career Pro Bowl, an honor that has been long overdue. He was able to make the Pro Bowl even though he has missed four games this season, which only shows the impact he has when he is on the field.
This season, Jordan Poyer has 54 total tackles, eight passes defended, and four interceptions. In a game like this between two excellent teams, turnovers can be the deciding factor in the outcome and Poyer was one of the best earlier this season in doing that.
Meanwhile, Joe Burrow has had a bit of an issue with interceptions as of late with four interceptions in the past three games. If the Buffalo Bills can force Burrow into an interception or two, this could give the offense a short field and help them put some points on the board.