Josh Allen Injury Update: Is Bills’ QB going to play Week 18 vs Dolphins with slight neck soreness?

After starting the 2023 NFL season with a win, the Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen had to suffer a terrible losing streak for a while. The defending divisional champions were struggling with a lackluster 6-6 record heading into their bye week, earning the quarterback some brutal jabs from the NFL community. However, they showcased a phenomenal performance following that, and ensured a four-game winning streak, which put them back in the hunt of a playoff spot.

Allen has been a dominant force on the Bills offensive side and set multiple NFL records over the past few weeks. The Bills are heading to a crucial game in Week 18. Meanwhile, their starting quarterback’s injury looms large and casts a shadow on his potential to lead his team to secure a potential playoff run.

Is Josh Allen going to play Week 18 vs Dolphins?

Josh Allen is facing uncertainty heading into Week 18 against the Miami Dolphins due to neck soreness. This concern arose following their recent victory over the New England Patriots, where he showcased visible discomfort during and after the game.

The Bills head coach Sean McDermott addressed the situation of his QB by acknowledging his neck soreness. However, Sean expressed optimism about the signal-caller’s potential to participate in practices leading up to the crucial matchup against the Dolphins. The HC’s statement alleviated some concerns of sports enthusiasts, indicating that the team intends to monitor the QB’s condition daily while maintaining readiness for the upcoming game.

Despite Josh Allen’s assurance that he is “good to go” to play against the Dolphins, concerns linger about the potential impact of his current injury on his performance. In the previous game against the Pats, his statistics didn’t meet his usual standards, marked by a 53.3 passer rating, the lowest of his season. While the veteran managed two rushing touchdowns and 44 yards on the ground, his passing game suffered greatly.

The recent incident adds to a string of injury concerns haunting the signal-caller throughout the season. Earlier encounters with an injured right shoulder already forced him into limited practice sessions for multiple weeks.

The Bills star also sustained injuries during clashes with the New York Giants and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, albeit admirably played through the discomfort without missing any game time. The QB was sidelined from practice before the Bills’ Week 9 game against the Cincinnati Bengals due injuries.

What caused Josh Allen’s injury?

Josh Allen’s injury occurred during a four-yard quarterback keeper when he received a harsh blow to his non-throwing shoulder. Despite the Bills confirming it as a “stinger,” the QB sought attention from the athletic training staff.

Speaking about the incident, Allen admitted to experiencing something unfamiliar with the stinger, saying, “I’ve never felt one of those before so that’s a little funky.”

As aforementioned, this injury might have contributed to the signal-caller’s struggle to find rhythm throughout the game. He expressed frustration over the team’s slow start while highlighting difficulty in establishing momentum early on and the challenge of throwing incomplete passes repeatedly.

“[I] couldn’t seem to find one. Felt like we got into a little bit of a groove in the third and fourth quarter but got to start better than that. But yeah, it’s never fun throwing incomplete pass after incomplete pass.”

Following Josh Allen’s exit for evaluation, backup quarterback Kyle Allen took over to conclude the game, and executed two QB kneel-downs.

With the upcoming game against the Dolphins, the stakes are high for Bills’ playoff prospects. A win against Tua Tagovailoa’s squad would secure the Bills’ season sweep of the Dolphins and grant them the division crown through tiebreaker rules. On the flipside, a loss would lead them to a precarious position depending on the outcomes of other playoff contenders in the conference.