Orchard Park, N.Y. — Sean McDermott didn’t lose sight of the magnitude of the moment Sunday night after his Buffalo Bills closed the old Highmark Stadium.
McDermott took several opportunities to soak up the atmosphere and appreciate the celebration of a stadium that has been home to memories for 52 years.
But on the podium after the game, when asked about turning the page to start preparing for the playoffs, McDermott said it’s already been turned.
“I’m already there,” he said. “That’s me … my wife would say I’m pretty good at compartmentalizing things. That’s where my head is right now, I’m ready to put in the work to get ready to play our best football.”
The AFC’s No. 6 seed Bills draws the No. 3 Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday at 1 p.m. It’s probably the toughest first-round matchup for the traveling wild-card teams. The Jaguars enter the playoffs on an eight-game winning streak and have won nine of their last 10 games. They’re averaging nearly 33 points per game during that run, and quarterback Trevor Lawrence has passed for 17 touchdowns and just five interceptions.
Here are five thoughts on the Bills’ game as they enter the playoffs and a collection of teams they must beat to reach the Super Bowl.
1. The battle for turnover is on the horizon
Three of the Bills’ five losses this season have come on the road, and each game has had one common denominator: turnovers. Buffalo lost the turnover battle in all three of those games.
Jacksonville finished the regular season ranked 3rd in the NFL in turnover differential (+13). The Jaguars defense ranked second in the league in forced fumbles (31) and their offense did a solid job of taking care of the football.
McDermott knows how important ball security will be in Jacksonville this weekend.
“You can’t beat yourself,” he said. “You have to play good solid football and we have a big challenge here.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen was asked how the team did in December road wins over the Patriots and Browns after struggling early in the season on the road.
“Ball security,” Allen said. “Yeah, we don’t get into bad situations.
Even if the Bills win the turnover battle, the Jaguars still present a difficult challenge. In the only two games this season in which they turned it over more than their opponent, Jacksonville still won.
2. Bills’ injury
Rookback Maxwell Hairston left Sunday’s game against the Jets with an ankle injury. The 22-year-old has been splitting time with veteran Tre’Davious White since returning from a training camp injury in Week 8. With his questionable status heading into Sunday against the Jaguars, Buffalo is coming into sharp focus.
General manager Brandon Beane tried to sign veteran Darius Slay after the Pittsburgh Steelers released the 34-year-old last month. Not wanting to move to a new city, Slay decided not to report to Buffalo. Meanwhile, the Bills released veteran cornerback Ja’Marcus Ingram to make room for Slay. Ingram was claimed off waivers by the Houston Texans, leaving the Bills without a fourth cornerback.
Buffalo will likely turn to veteran cornerback Dane Jackson, who has been with the team since signing as a free agent in March. He was active in three games this season, but only played three defensive snaps. The Bills could also try to entice Slay to report and add him to the roster if Hairston misses this week’s game or longer.
To make matters worse, veteran kicker Matt Prater re-injured his quad, forcing him to miss two straight games in December. The Bills brought in veteran Michael Badgley and his missed extra point against the Philadelphia Eagles proved costly in a 13-12 loss.
Options are extremely limited on the free agent market for kickers. Younghoe Koo was recently one of several kickers brought in for a tryout. The Bills could bring him in even if his stint with the New York Giants didn’t go well. Prater could play next week, but the Bills should add insurance just in case.
3. House of Horrors
The last two games the Bills have played at EverBank Stadium will conjure up stomach-churning memories for Bills fans. After snapping a 17-year playoff drought for good, the Bills traveled to Jacksonville, where they fell behind defensively, 10-3.
The last trip to Jacksonville was arguably the worst loss of McDermott’s career. The Jaguars fumbled under former coach Urban Meyer, and the Bills abandoned their offense in Buffalo, giving the Jags a nasty 9-6 snoozer.
The Bills haven’t won in Jacksonville since 2013.
4. Ed Oliver watch
Oliver’s return from injury was clouded last week when McDermott revealed the defensive tackle suffered a knee injury while rehabbing from a torn bicep. He had a minor cleaning procedure on his knee and is still expected to be back around the same time.
when will it be
Anyone can guess that. The Bills likely need to advance at least one round in the playoffs to have a chance to get Oliver back, but the AFC Championship game has always seemed like the most likely finish line.
Rookie defensive tackle TJ Sanders recorded his first NFL sack in Week 18 against the New York Jets. He’s been playing much better since coming back from his offseason knee injury. The Bills’ front could also benefit from the return of veteran DaQuan Jones, who has been nursing a hamstring injury. He was inactive in the final.
5. After the Jags, opportunity awaits
The Jaguars went on the road and just a few weeks ago beat the Denver Broncos, the #1 seed in the AFC. The Bills went to Foxborough, Mass. and erased a 21-point deficit to beat the Patriots. Buffalo also beat the Steelers, who snuck into the playoffs Sunday night against the Ravens on a missed Tyler Loop field goal.
The Texans are a team no one wants to face in the AFC playoffs. They have the best defense and have won 12 of their last 14 games.
But no AFC playoff team has struck fear into the hearts of opponents like the Kansas City Chiefs over the years. The Bills have to beat good teams to get to the Super Bowl, but the field has never been more open. Opportunity awaits.
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