The stage is set for an electric Wild Card Weekend showdown between the 13-4 AFC East Champion Buffalo Bills and the 10-7 Denver Broncos.
The cold Buffalo air may bite, but don’t expect that to slow down Josh Allen—if anything, it might just fuel the fire in the Bills’ QB.
Fresh off being snubbed for 1st Team All-Pro honors (seriously, who needs a chip on their shoulder when you’ve got an entire bag of them?), Allen is stepping into this playoff game with something to prove.
With a rocket arm, those stunning thighs, and hair that looks like it should have its own fan club, Allen is ready to turn this Wild Card clash into his personal highlight reel.
Both teams are heading into the postseason in great health. Buffalo’s roster is looking strong, with only one player—return specialist Brandon Codrington—listed as QUESTIONABLE.
As for Denver, they’ll be missing reserve OT Frank Crum, and reserve RB Tyler Badie is listed as QUESTIONABLE, but, again, the Broncos are generally in good shape as they prepare for this tough road challenge.
It’s game time in Buffalo, and with both teams healthy and firing on all cylinders, it’s set to be a battle to remember.
But as always, the big question will be: Can anyone slow down the Josh Allen show? Let’s find out.
QUESTIONABLE
KR Brandon Codrington
Return specialist Brandan Codrington unfortunately suffered a ‘hamstring’ injury late in the Week 18 matchup against the Patriots, just as the team appeared to have dodged any major injury concerns heading into the playoffs.
The Bills’ head coach, Sean McDermott, looked like a genius for resting his starters and avoiding injury… except for forgetting to pull Codrington out of the game during a late kick return.
This injury has been part of a recurring theme for the Bills’ Special Teams’ Unit this season, with a few missteps along the way, but the good news is Codrington’s hamstring issue appears to be minor.
The average recovery time for a hamstring strain in the NFL is 13 days (1), and Codrington was already back practicing on a limited basis by Thursday and Friday after sitting out Wednesday’s session.
He is unlikely to play this week, unless the Bills suit him up to focus on just fielding kicks and calling fair catches.
Regardless, his playmaking abilities will be on ice for this weekend’s game, but there is a solid chance he could be back to full health by the Divisional Round—if the Bills make it that far.
OTHER LISTED PLAYERS
The following players were listed on the injury report, but were full participants the whole week and will play;
LB Terrel Bernard (quad)
DT DeWayne Carter (wrist/calf)
WR Amari Cooper (back)
CB Rasul Douglas (knee)
S Damar Hamlin (rib)
RB Ty Johnson (knee)
TE Dalton Kincaid (knee)
DB Cam Lewis (shoulder)
LB Matt Milano (bicep)
DT Jordan Phillips (back)
S Taylor Rapp (neck)
WR Curtis Samuel (rib)
DE Dawuane Smoot (wrist)
LB Dorian Williams (elbow)
Citation
- Strive Tech. (n.d.). Return to play: NFL hamstring injuries. Strive Tech. Retrieved January 10, 2025, from https://strive.tech/return-to-play-nfl-hamstring-injuries
Featured Image Credit: CNYhomepage
