By CHUCK POLLOCK, Sun Senior Sports Columnist
The Bills have been in this spot before … and not that long ago.
Twelve games into the 2023 season, the three-time AFC East champion was staggering along with a 6-6 record.
Then, remarkably, they won five straight games, claimed their fourth straight division title and the conference’s No. 2 seed.
Can lightning strike twice in two seasons?
While it’s not exactly the same scenario … close enough.
Buffalo (7-4) has virtually abdicated a sixth straight AFC East title — New England is 10-2 and has a 2 1/2-game lead and the benefit of a head-to-head win — and is now playing for a wild-card spot.
But this will be a tough test.
Next up on the schedule is long-time regional rival Pittsburgh (6-5) in its own playoff skirmish (today, 4:25 p.m., CBS-TV, Bills Radio Network).
A loss by either team likely dashes their post-season hopes although both got unexpected good news on Thanksgiving and Black Friday as the Chiefs (6-6 and who would be out if the season ended today) and Ravens (6-6), both playoff hopefuls, were upset.
HOWEVER, Buffalo has major injury concerns.
Both the Bills starting offensive tackles — Dion Dawkins (concussion) and Spencer Brown (shoulder) — are out as are wide receiver Curtis Samuel (injured reserve, elbow/ankle) and middle linebacker Terrel Bernard (elbow). In addition, tight end Dalton Kincaid (hamstring) and wide receiver Joshua Palmer (ankle) are questionable.
“THE URGENCY is up,” Bills coach Sean McDermott admitted. “It’s mid-to-late November and heading into December, so every game is important. Not that it isn’t every other time of year. It’s a fun time of year when you’re in the hunt.”
To which quarterback Josh Allen added, “Extremely high sense of urgency. “We understand where we’re at. At the same time, we have full confidence in ourselves. But ultimately, it comes down to executing on game days. We’ve had some good, we’ve had some bad throughout the year.
“It’s just understanding that back-against-the-wall mindset … feeling like we’ve been in a situation like this, if not worse. We’d love to be 11-0 right now, as would everybody else in the NFL.”
He added, “Ultimately, it’s our goal to go out there and win every single game, and we haven’t done that. But every week’s an opportunity to go out there and prove to ourselves that we do have what it takes. We’re just very excited for another opportunity on Sunday.”
AS OF now, as many as 10 of the AFC’s 16 teams are alive for the seven conference playoff berths including the Steelers, who have lost three of five, and the Bills who have dropped two of three.
That, of course, encompasses Buffalo — which opened as a 4 1/2-point favorite though the odds have slipped to three points over the Steelers due to the Bills’ injury woes — and Pittsburgh.
THE PROBLEM for McDermott is the absence of his starting offensive tackles, especially coming off an eight-sack nightmare in a 23-19 loss at Houston 10 days ago.
One spot will be filled by sub Ryan Van Dermark while the other will be taken by either Alec Anderson, the No. 6 offensive lineman, or second-year pro Tyler Grable.
However, the Steelers rank fifth in the NFL in sacks with 34 led by elite pass rusher T.J. Watt with seven and Pittsburgh has also recovered a league-high nine fumbles.
Significantly, Watt isn’t the Steelers’ only sackmeister as linebackers Nick Herbig and Alex Highsmith have dumped the opposing quarterback 6 1/2 and 5 1/2 times respectively.
“WE CAN’T control who they have,” McDermott said. “It’s certainly a very talented front. Our injuries are our injuries, so there’s not much we can do about that. All that we can do is control what we can control … which is our approach … which is our attitude, our togetherness and the execution of the plan. The plan has to be on target and then we’ve got to go execute it.”
And given Buffalo’s current injury situation that might just be a heavy lift.
POLLOCK’S PICK: Steelers 27, Bills 24
