GLENDALE, ARIZONA – NOVEMBER 15: Wide receiver Cole Beasley #11 of the Buffalo Bills (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Cole Beasley might need to sit out a few games for the Bills.
Josh Allen, Sean McDermott, and the Buffalo Bills locked up the AFC East for the first time in decades, doing so with a high-octane passing game reminiscent of Marv Levy and Jim Kelly’s “K-Gun” offense that brought them to four straight Super Bowls in the 1990s.
While the passing game is humming as Week 17 approaches, Buffalo might enter the postseason with one of their key receivers in slot stud Cole Beasley on the mend with an injury.
McDermott claims that Beasley is being considered “week-to-week,” putting his status for Week 17 against the Miami Dolphins and their first-round playoff matchup in doubt.
Cole Beasley has been the ideal slot receiver for Brian Daboll’s offense
Beasley, who broke into the league with the Dallas Cowboys, has been an ideal veteran complement to a superstar wideout like Stefon Diggs. Beasley is having the best season of his career, totaling 82 catches for 967 yards, both of which are career-high marks, while making it to the end zone five times.
Buffalo might rest some starters in Week 17, but that doesn’t mean that they are going to hand Miami a win and a Wild-Card spot. By the same token, a win in Week 17 and a Pittsburgh Steelers loss would guarantee that the Bills would earn the No. 2 seed in the AFC. Beasley’s absence would be felt both against Miami and their hypothetical Wild-Card round opponent.
Buffalo might be in the postseason, and they certainly have momentum on their side given how good their passing attack has been, but losing Beasley might end up throwing them just a bit off course. In January and February, any little slip-up could be catastrophic.