The Buffalo Bills are preparing to host the Cincinnati Bengals this Sunday at Highmark Stadium following a road win in Week 13. The game, scheduled for a 1 p.m. kickoff, will mark the 35th meeting between the two teams, with the winner taking an 18-17 lead in their all-time series.
Buffalo enters the matchup with a strong home record of 5-1 this season. Head coach Sean McDermott provided updates on player injuries after Wednesday’s walk-through practice. Wide receiver Joshua Palmer (ankle), linebacker Terrel Bernard (elbow), and defensive end Joey Bosa (hamstring/wrist) did not participate. McDermott described Bosa’s status as week-to-week and said, “[Bosa’s] intent on getting back as soon as he can. He loves to play ball, and you saw his impact [against Pittsburgh].”
Palmer continues to manage injuries but has not suffered a setback, according to McDermott: “We’ll just have to see how it goes through the week here. We’ve had good communication around his situation and with him, specifically. And the key is that he continues to get himself healthy here one day at a time.”
Left tackle Dion Dawkins remains in concussion protocol but was limited in practice, while tight end Dalton Kincaid (hamstring/knee) and Spencer Brown (shoulder) were also limited participants. Several other players—long snapper Reid Ferguson (neck), fullback Reggie Gilliam (knee), tight end Jackson Hawes (back), and defensive tackle T.J. Sanders (wrist)—were full participants.
Since Week 9, Buffalo has alternated wins and losses against several opponents including Kansas City, Miami, Tampa Bay, Houston, and Pittsburgh. McDermott stressed the need for greater consistency: “I don’t think we can afford to be inconsistent. Not now. Not that you can ever be, don’t get me wrong, but our backs are against the wall. That’s the way it is, and that’s our mindset.”
Currently second in the AFC East behind New England and holding onto the seventh seed in the AFC playoff race after Week 13, Buffalo faces pressure from teams like Houston, Pittsburgh, and Kansas City who are close behind in standings.
Quarterback Josh Allen spoke about handling high-pressure situations: “When it feels like there’s a lot of pressure, you know as the saying goes, ‘Pressure can make diamonds and burst pipes’ – I think that’s how it goes, I’m not fully sure,” Allen said. “It’s the best time to play football. It’s when the stakes are high and you got to go out there and you got to perform your job … We want to go out there. We want to perform for each other and share that love we have for each other.”
Looking ahead to facing Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow—who returned recently after missing games earlier this season—McDermott acknowledged Burrow’s impact: “Different team, different offense. He’s one of the top quarterbacks in the league for a reason,” McDermott said of Burrow. “They have weapons outside and inside. [Head] coach [Zac] Taylor does a really good job of play calling, scheming, and putting his players in position to make plays… The rapport that’s been built up over the years with the quarterback and the receiving core… operates at a high level…”
Linebacker Shaq Thompson discussed preparing for Cincinnati’s offense if Bernard is unavailable: making opposing offenses more one-dimensional is part of his focus during Bernard’s recovery.
Thompson highlighted running back Chase Brown as another challenge due to his ability both as a rusher—with over 700 yards this season—and as a receiver out of the backfield.
McDermott also commented on improvements within Buffalo’s secondary despite injuries throughout this year: “Just the players’ commitment to improving, getting on the same page with how our coverages work,” he said. “It’s never one player… it’s really all 11 guys playing together…”
Cornerback Christian Benford was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week after scoring on a fumble recovery against Pittsburgh before intercepting Mason Rudolph later in that game—a performance teammate Maxwell Hairston praised: “We already knew that was coming,” Hairston said about Benford earning recognition.
Benford will likely face Bengals receivers Ja’Marr Chase—who has nearly 1,000 yards receiving—and Tee Higgins on Sunday alongside Hairston.
“I love to compete… I love to help my team… You got to be able to win more than you lose… You got to be able to have heart and mind…” Benford said about upcoming matchups.
Hairston added that moving past previous games helps strengthen connections among cornerbacks each week as they prepare for new challenges together.
