Josh Allen, playoff-contending Bills hope to take care of business against free-falling Chargers
Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills are well aware they are on the outside looking in when it comes to a playoff spot.
With three games remaining, Allen knows the only thing the Bills can do is handle their own business. That starts when they visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday night.
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“We’ve got to control what we can control,” Allen said. “It’s essentially win or go home. So again, we got to be prepared for every punch that the Chargers can throw at us and be able to respond and adjust accordingly in game.”
Buffalo has overcome a midseason swoon, criticism of coach Sean McDermott and a rash of defensive injuries to win three of four. That stretch included a 31-10 rout of Dallas last Sunday.
The Bills are one of four teams at 8-6, but Cincinnati and Indianapolis go into the weekend holding the final two wild-card spots. The Bengals beat Buffalo on Nov. 5 while the Colts and Houston Texans have better conference records.
Buffalo, though, could receive early Christmas gifts. Cincinnati travels to Pittsburgh on Saturday, while Houston hosts fellow wild-card contender Cleveland (9-5) on Sunday.
The Bills have climbed back into playoff contention thanks in part to quarterbacks coach and interim offensive coordinator Joe Brady, who has brought balance to the unit.
James Cook is second in the league in rushing yards (968) and third with 1,401 scrimmage yards.
The second-year running back has five straight games with at least 100 scrimmage yards, matching the longest streak by a Bills rusher since LeSean McCoy in 2016.
Cook will be facing a Chargers run defense that has allowed an average of 146.2 yards over the past six games. Buffalo has also used Latavius Murray near the goal line, while also working in Ty Johnson as a change-of-pace runner.
While the Bills were able to rebound from their midseason struggles, Los Angeles (5-9) went into a free fall. It has dropped five of its last six, including a 63-21 capitulation to the Las Vegas Raiders last Thursday that ended coach Brandon Staley’s tenure before he could finish his third season. General manager Tom Telesco was also fired after being with the organization since 2013.
Defensive line coach Giff Smith was named interim coach and has stressed to the players that a lot of futures are on the line.
“We have three weeks to show the character of the men and the coaching staff that we are, to go out there and compete. That’s what we’re looking to do, compete, right there, and try to win these next three games,” Smith said.
