ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — After enjoying a family visit and some much-needed rest during the Buffalo Bills’ bye week, coach Sean McDermott felt a sense of relief when he returned to his regular schedule and signature attire—gray T-shirt and sweatpants.
“I really don’t know what to wear when I’m not in those,” he mentioned, pulling up his hoodie to reveal the gray shirt beneath. “So I was telling some of the guys this morning, ‘It’s good to be back.’”
Despite facing challenges in the season ahead, there is a wave of optimism surrounding the Bills.
With a record of 9-2, they are enjoying their best start since 1992 and are vying for the top seed in the AFC following a solid 30-21 victory over Kansas City (10-1) prior to their break.
Buffalo stands on the brink of securing its fifth consecutive AFC East title, which could be clinched as early as Sunday. For that to happen, the Bills need Miami to lose to Green Bay on Thursday night, while Buffalo must defeat San Francisco (5-6) that same weekend.
The team has rallied with six consecutive victories after facing back-to-back losses to Baltimore and Houston, consistently scoring 30 or more points in their last five games.
Though McDermott appeared refreshed and positive, he quickly reverted to a game-focused mindset when discussing the importance of the upcoming matchup.
“We’re mainly concentrating on improving our performance this week against a solid team,” he stated.
Regarding the injuries, McDermott offered little insight into the status of key players.
While linebacker Matt Milano had yet to be activated from injured reserve, he practiced fully for the first time since suffering a bicep tear during training camp in August. Milano has been sidelined for nearly 14 months due to a previous season-ending injury sustained in Week 5 last year.
In his brief post-practice comments, Milano said, “I feel alright. I’m getting back into it with the team,” indicating he no longer wore a non-contact jersey.
Moreover, rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman is also working his way back from a wrist injury that kept him out for two games, and starting right tackle Spencer Brown was limited in practice due to an ankle issue. Tight end Dalton Kincaid was the only player not able to participate due to a knee injury.
The Bills have also opened a three-week window for both backup rookie defensive tackle DeWayne Carter (wrist) and backup offensive lineman Tylan Grable (groin) to return to the field.
Adding to McDermott’s confidence is the fact that the Bills boast an impressive 8-0 record after bye weeks since he took over as head coach in 2017.
“I don’t have a specific formula for how we operate during the bye,” he explained, “It’s more about returning to our core principles and getting back to basics.”