Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen understands the reality at hand.
Buffalo (7-4) faces a tough test against the host Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5) on Sunday afternoon. The game carries significant implications for both teams as they try to boost their playoff hopes.
Some players might deflect the importance of the matchup. Allen isn’t one of them.
“Extremely high sense of urgency,” Allen said with the Bills three back of the Patriots in the AFC East. “We understand where we’re at. We have full confidence in ourselves, but ultimately it comes down to executing on game days.”
Buffalo is coming off a 23-19 loss against the Houston Texans in a primetime Thursday night contest. It was the fourth loss in the past seven games for the Bills, who still have aspirations of competing for a championship but first must secure a postseason berth.
Allen has tried to do his part. The reigning NFL MVP has completed 69.7 percent of his passes for 2,709 yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 11 starts, and he has posted a passer rating of 101.6.
Dealing with a right elbow injury that landed him on the injury report to begin the week, Allen was sacked eight times by the Texans. The 29-year-old signal-caller said he and the Bills have plenty of reasons to stay positive.
“We’ve had some good, had some bad, throughout the year,” Allen said. “I think there’d be a lot of teams that are wishing that they were 7-4 in a spot that we are. So it’s also about that opportunity in front of us of hey, let’s go out, let’s play as hard as we can, let’s put our best foot forward and try to get a victory on Sunday. That’s ultimately what it comes down to.”
The Steelers will try to spoil Allen’s hopes.
Pittsburgh has alternated wins and losses throughout the past four weeks. The Steelers beat the Cincinnati Bengals 34-12 on Nov. 16 but are coming off a 31-28 loss on the road against the Chicago Bears last week.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin expressed optimism that Aaron Rodgers could start at quarterback against the Bills. Rodgers sat out last week because of a wrist injury, and Mason Rudolph completed 24 of 31 passes for 171 yards with one touchdown and one interception in his absence.
Rodgers has led the Steelers to victories in six of his 10 starts this season.
“We’ll start this week with great optimism, although we certainly will limit him at the early portions of the week,” Tomlin said. “(We’ll) provide opportunities for the other quarterbacks. … But again, we’re comfortable with the general trajectory.”
Jaylen Warren leads the Steelers with 604 rushing yards, and DK Metcalf is tops in the passing game with 573 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 42 catches.
Rodgers and Metcalf (ankle) joined star linebacker T.J. Watt (rest), defensive tackle Derrick Harmon (knee), wide receiver Ben Skowronek (shoulder), offensive tackle Broderick Jones (neck) and tight end Jonnu Smith (rest) in failing to practice on Wednesday.
James Cook has rushed for 1,084 yards and eight touchdowns for the Bills, and Khalil Shakir has caught 54 passes for 564 yards and three scores.
Wideout Brandin Cooks joined the Bills this week as a free-agent signing.
“Bringing a guy like him in, being a veteran presence for our room, he’s come in here and he’s already basically learned our playbook,” Allen said. “The way that he carries himself, the way that he is in meetings, already it’s very apparent that he is a true professional. …
“We appreciate him coming here and hopefully helping us out.”
Buffalo linebacker Terrel Bernard (elbow), offensive linemen Dion Dawkins (concussion) and Spencer Brown (shoulder), defensive tackle Daquan Jones (illness), tight end Dalton Kincaid (hamstring) and wide receiver Curtis Samuel (elbow, knee) did not participate in practice on Wednesday.
