Could Josh Allen play Sunday? If not, who needs to step up for Bills vs Vikings.

Summary

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Buffalo Plus Podcast Summary

Episode: Could Josh Allen play Sunday? If not, who needs to step up for Bills vs Vikings
Date: November 11, 2022
Hosts: Mike Catalana and Dan Fetes (Jenna Cottrell absent, prepping for the game)

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Overview

This episode previews the Buffalo Bills vs Minnesota Vikings matchup with a heavy focus on Josh Allen’s injury status and its impact. Mike and Dan discuss the likelihood of Allen playing, what changes if Case Keenum starts, which units on both offense and defense need to step up, and reflect on how early-season adversity could ultimately benefit the Bills.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Josh Allen's Status & Gamesmanship

• Allen’s Friday Practice: Josh Allen was listed as "limited" and "questionable," which surprised some expecting he'd be ruled out.
• Strategic Advantage: The Bills’ choice not to rule Allen out is, in part, to keep the Vikings uncertain in their preparations.

  “If I’m them, I’m doing everything I can to keep the Vikings guessing without violating the rules.” — Mike (02:00)

• Injury Caution:

  “I still think they err on the side of being cautious because… a sprained UCL means there is some kind of tear… that can get worse if it doesn’t heal correctly.” — Dan (01:32)

• Keenum Likely: Both agree it’s still probable Allen won’t play, but a small window remains open due to his limited practice appearance.

  “If I was 99% sure, maybe now I’m 98% sure... that crack in the door is slightly open.” — Dan (03:32)

• Matt Barkley Elevation: Expect Barkley to be elevated as QB3 for roster flexibility. (02:35)

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2. Offensive Change: If Allen Sits, Who Steps Up?

• Wide Receivers Must Shine:

  “It’s the wide receivers. It’s somebody stepping up besides a guy named Stefon Diggs… Gabriel Davis, Isaiah McKenzie, Dawson Knox… need playmakers to step up.” — Dan (05:12)

• Case Keenum Profile: Keenum is a seasoned pro with no “rookie jitters”; the offense will be more structured and less off-script.

  “This guy’s gonna be making a 65th start. If he starts... I know what to expect with Case Keenum.” — Dan (05:47) “[Keenum] doesn’t look great with the backups, but put starters around Case Keenum and he’ll look a whole lot better.” — Mike relaying a pre-season observation (07:03)

• Offensive Line Key:

  “The group I think that needs to step up is the offensive line… better blocking, more consistent blocking. Give Keenum a pocket…” — Mike (07:28)

• Need for Run Game: With Allen’s running threat absent, the O-Line must help establish a more reliable ground game.

  “You lose not only Allen as a passer, if he’s not playing, you lose him as your most dangerous runner.” — Mike (08:03)

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3. Defensive Keys: Who's Under Pressure?

• Interior D-Line Matchup:

  “It’s for me the defensive line, specifically the interior defensive line. Guys like Ed Oliver, Jordan Phillips... The Vikings’ interior O-Line has been anemic.” — Dan (09:27) “One of their guards last week got a zero grade from Pro Football Focus. That’s low, right?” — Mike (10:06)

• Secondary Must Play as a Unit: With Poyer out and Trey White/Elam questionable, the DBs need cohesion more than ever.

  “They’ve got to play as a group, got to play as a unit… [Jefferson] is a phenomenal player… you want to bracket that guy in zone.” — Mike (11:09)

• Importance of Healthy Linebackers: Milano’s return is crucial; status of Edmonds uncertain.

  “It helps those guys in the back—with Milano back on the field and maybe Edmonds, that would be huge.” — Mike (12:19)

• Vikings Perspective: While 7–1, Vikings haven’t convincingly dominated, often relying on late comebacks.

  “This is a heavily flawed 7-1 football team… Not all 7-1 records are created equal.” — Dan (12:45)

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4. Adversity as a Positive

• Resilience and Perspective:

  “They've been dealt a pretty shitty hand for the first half of the season. And they're six and two...” — Dan (15:20)

• Depth Development: Injuries have forced young players into critical moments, which may pay off later.

  “So many guys have had to play at key moments… that just was not the case [in prior years].” — Mike (16:35)

• Roster and Coaching Tests: Despite setbacks (Hyde out for the year, etc.), the Bills have mostly found ways to win.

  “They found a way in most games to figure it out. Even that Miami game… those kids accounted for themselves pretty well.” — Mike (17:12)

• Special Teams & Details:

  “These close games, you need those kicks. Special teams and all have to be a little better.” — Mike (18:14)

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5. Energy and Urgency for the Vikings Game

• Response to Jets Loss: Bills need intensity after being outplayed in NY.

  “I expect to see a team on Sunday play with their hair on fire.” — Dan (18:36)

• Vikings’ Motivation: They want a statement win but risk a narrative hit if they lose to a Bills team minus Allen.

  “You know what’s worse… is losing to a Bills team without Josh Allen, because that would just continue the narrative.” — Mike (19:10)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Gamesmanship and Uncertainty:

  “If it screws up the Vikings even a little bit, why not use it for this week?” — Mike (04:18)

• On Case Keenum’s Readiness:

  “Put starters around Case Keenum and he’ll look a whole lot better.” — Mike (07:05)

• On Adversity:

  “They've been dealt a pretty shitty hand for the first half of the season. And they're six and two.” — Dan (15:20)

• On the Vikings:

  “This is a heavily flawed 7-1 football team... Not all 7-1 records are created equal.” — Dan (12:44)

• On Playing Through Injuries:

  “You just assume… oh, it’s Trey White… a calendar year, you haven’t had him on the field.” — Mike (16:57)

• On Urgency:

  “I expect to see a team on Sunday play with their hair on fire.” — Dan (18:36)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–03:45: Josh Allen’s injury update, gamesmanship, and practice status
• 05:12–09:25: Offensive contingency plan if Allen sits; receivers & O-line
• 09:26–12:44: Defensive focus—D-line vs Vikings’ interior O-line, secondary concerns
• 12:44–15:20: Analyzing the Vikings’ record and match-up w/o Allen
• 15:20–18:36: Early-season adversity and the team’s depth development
• 18:36–19:34: Need for urgency and what’s at stake for both teams

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Conclusion

The episode delivers a thorough breakdown of the uncertainty surrounding Josh Allen’s status and what the Bills must do to adapt, especially with Case Keenum likely stepping in. Keys to victory include elevated play from both receivers and the offensive line on offense, and domination by the defensive tackles and secondary on defense. Despite injuries and setbacks, the Bills’ resilience and roster depth are highlighted as strengths that could turn adversity into an advantage, so long as the team brings the necessary urgency for a tough home test against the Vikings.

Transcript

[A]

It's a Bills vs Vikings preview. Could Josh Allen actually play Sunday? If not, how will the offense change with Case Keenum in charge? Plus, which unit on offense and on defense needs to step up the most for the Bills? And at the midway point of the season, how can the adversity this team has faced so far be a positive? All that's coming up on this week's edition of the Buffalo plus podcast. All right, everybody, welcome to the Buffalo plus podcast, brought to you by Connors and Ferris. Mike Catalano along with Dan Fates. Jenna doing other work getting ready for the game this weekend. Please make sure to like, comment and subscribe. Dan let's start with the news. On Friday afternoon, Josh Allen listed as limited and questionable for the game. Not out as a lot, including, I think, us. You were at practice this week, thought maybe they would list him as out. There's still a shot he could play.

[B]

Let's also first admit that there's no point to rule him out. To some respects, like it.

[A]

It.

[B]

It wouldn't help. I mean, I guess it's six of one, half dozen the other, but it doesn't help the Vikings or it doesn't help the Bills to rule Josh out today. I. I don't know. Maybe that's just me. But the fact is, the fact that he was limited in practice today is a positive step, a step in the right direction. It is progress because we know he didn't throw a football probably on Wednesday or Thursday. So at least he was doing some kind of work. I still don't think it's enough, Mike. I still think they err on the side of, of being cautious because I think when you think of a sprain, you think of like a sprained ankle or something like that. Like a sprained UCL means there is some kind of. It's a tear of some kind, a small one or whatever. But you can. Obviously that can get worse if it doesn't heal correctly.

[A]

Yeah, we don't know. And again, the listing him is limited. Look, if I'm them, I'm doing everything I can to keep the Vikings guessing without violating the rules.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Would they take a fine? Yeah. Like if the league says, come on, you knew he wasn't playing and you held out to that. Vegas doesn't believe he's playing. I think the number is still now. We'll see if it adapts now with him being limited. I don't think it really will. I think it's going to stay. Where did it drop to like four and a half, five Three and a half. Oh, three and a half. You know, it's still The Vikings, they're 7 and 1 and it could be Josh Allen playing without a lot of snaps this week. So one thing they won't tell us, don't need to tell us, is who got the snaps today. Because listing the quarterback as limited list seem as limited. Like, you know, when we see other players limited is doing some individual stuff and run around, it's a lot different with the quarterback. So, hey, you know what? I think Saturday Barkley's going to be elevated from the practice squad. To me, that's a given to me. Even if you thought Josh could play, you're going to have a third quarterback on the roster. I think you have to do that. Right. With the idea that, you know, there's an issue going forward. Teams have done that so they can elevate Barkley. Doesn't mean they have to activate him on the game on Sunday. This will all happen at 11:30. But in order to have him on the active roster, at least the 53, they have to do that on Saturday. So I think that's a given that they're going to do that. So there's a chance, you know, everybody's going to be doing that. You're saying there's a chance? Yeah, there's a chance.

[B]

Yeah. I thought. I think Jen and I were up there on Wednesday and I said there was, you know, he's not playing. I still don't think he's playing. But if I was 99% sure, maybe now I'm 98% sure that that crack in the door is slightly open.

[A]

Yeah. And look, I've heard from some people that there is a little concern about further damaging it and they want to keep him at a certain place. You could be doing all that. Still list him as limited, get him out there with his teammates, do doing whatever, and still plan on the fact that Case Keenum's getting the number one snaps and he's going to play. So they know it. I think the team knows who's playing, the players know who's playing. Fine. If you have the ability to keep it away from the Vikings, because that's a one plus. Dan, you don't get to do this very often. Yeah, I mean, Josh Allen is a. Is a one of one. So when you're preparing for Josh, you're preparing differently than from Keenum. And if it screws up the Vikings even a little bit, why not use it for this week?

[B]

Yeah, I agree. It's a little bit of gamesmanship. It's a little bit. But again, like you said, they don't have to. So you don't have to rule them out today. And you just go from there.

[A]

Yeah, you never. You do never know with 17. Like, he will try to push himself on the field, but if there's any chance that he's going to hurt himself more, then they're not going to do it. All right, so let's. Let's assume for this, the purpose of this going to move to. Well, I guess you could almost say even if Josh was playing, he wasn't 100%. But I'm thinking more of Keenum playing. Who's got to step up for this team? Which group would you say? Well, let's start with the offense. Let's start with what the offense needs to do if Case Keenum's in the game, what do they need to do? Who needs to step up?

[B]

It's the wide receivers. It's somebody stepping up besides a guy named Stefan Diggs. And that. That falls on Gabriel Davis. It falls on Isaiah McKenzie. It falls on. I'll even lump in Dawson Knox. Like, this is where you need playmakers to step up, because Josh Allen is the playmaker, that he can make plays for Stefan Diggs, he can make plays for Gabriel Davis by extending plays. That's not Case Keenum strength. But what Case Keenum will do is play inside this system, and he will still give those guys. Like, this is why you signed Case Keenum. Like, this isn't some rookie that is going to be insane in awe of the moment or have jitters. This guy's gonna be making a 65th start. If he starts. Like, he has been a starter, he has been a backup. Like, this is nothing new. So, like, I kind of know what to expect with Case Keenum. And part of what we said to Mike was it was talked about during the preseason a lot, and I thought you were great. And it was his last game against Carolina that he looked really bad. And everybody went, oh, God, I hope 17 never gets injured. And they stuff. And I went back and looked through his entire preseason, and. Because that's the only time we've really seen him play with, you know, getting starts. He looked pretty good in the first game. I think he played the first half in that game. Looks pretty good. He played with some of the starters. Khalil Shakir, Jake Kumaro, and I think it was Isaiah Hodgins were the starters in that one. Then he got in after Josh led the touchdown. Yes. My daughter is also Shane is giving her insight.

[A]

She's giving her insight on, on, on Allen. She, she thinks it's Keenum this week.

[B]

Yeah, she absolutely told us. She's playing with her blocks. Yeah, but, but when Josh, or when Keenum got in two series with the starters, with Diggs, Davis and those guys, he led two touchdown drives like, and I always remember you saying Mike, like, yeah, he doesn't look great with the backups, but put starters around Case Keenum and he'll look a whole lot better. And that, that's what I think we're like, I expect to see. I, I kind of know what I expect to get out of Case Keenum. I need to know that I can trust these wide receivers to help him.

[A]

Yeah, I'm with you. They signed Keenum to play with the starters. Nobody cares if he's in the game with all the backups. The game's over. Like you've decided, which doesn't happen that often in the NFL where it's all the backups in the game. That's not what we're talking about. We're talking about him playing with the starters. So the group I think that needs to step up is the offensive line because I think it would help. Spencer Brown looks like he's ready to go. He'll be back. He needs to play well at that right tackle spot. David Questenberry, good story and all. I'm not solely blaming it on him, but may he whiffed on that block and Josh got smoked in that game against the jets, which is why they're in this circumstance. But it's not just him, the backup right tackle. I think the entire line needs to play better. I think they need to say to themselves, those off script plays where the whole thing is blown up and 17 just does something. Well, that's not happening if he's not playing. So better blocking, more consistent blocking. Give Keenum a pocket because while he can move around, I think, come on, we're not talking about Josh Allen and they need to help in whatever form there is of a run game because you lose not only Allen as a passer, if he's not playing, you lose him as your most dangerous runner. So they need to get back to that. And I do believe that this week they've been working on a game plan that fits more of the skill set of Keenum. And that's the part that makes it interesting because I do think your game plan is different. I think the ball's got to come out quicker. I do think you need protection, but I also think you need to be able to run the ball better when you don't have Allen in the game. So I'm going to say offensive line wise in terms of who needs to step up. Yeah, the receivers too, certainly. But I think it needs to be a front five guy game to get them ready for this one. Okay, let's move to the defensive side. If we're talking about stepping up, who do you think needs to step up in this game against a Vikings team that isn't putting up crazy numbers? But boy, they've got some top end skill guys.

[B]

Yeah, it's for me the defensive line, specifically the interior defensive line. Guys like Ed Oliver, Jordan Phillips, Daquan Johnson. And that is because when I had Matthew Caller on here on the Buffalo plus podcast, great insight covers the Vikings and he had said that while the Vikings tackles have actually done pretty well this year, they've actually graded like the top top five pass blocking and run blocking. Their interior has been anemic to the point where I don't remember which position it was, but it was one of their guards last week got a zero grade from pro football folks.

[A]

That's low, right?

[B]

A zero. To which I said it has got to be harder to get a zero than a 100 like it is. It is more aggressive to do everything wrong than it is to do everything right. So there needs to be, like I said, Kirk Cousins also hasn't been playing great by any means. This just has to be a game where I think that front four, specifically the defensive tackles have to dominate against where they can see an advantageous matchup.

[A]

Yeah, I would say that that's very important. I think the D line in part, you know, missing. It's nice to get Milano back. We don't know about Edmonds at linebacker. All that will help in the run defense, I think especially Milano. You have him out there, Poyer with that thing on his elbow, man. I mean I don't know how he moves his arm. He's out. So you're, you're losing him. So when I say the secondary, I'm going to say the secondary stepping up because they've got to play as a group, got to play as a unit. They've got some studs out there obviously. I mean Jefferson is a phenomenal player and we don't know who's going to play. Like we keep wondering about Trey White. Is he on the field? We'll see. It looks like Kair Elam. I think they listed him as. What was Elam? Was he questionable or Doubtful for the doubtful. Doubtful for the game. So in that case, you know, it would be nice if this is the week that Trey's back. I'm not saying you're not sticking him one on one. You're not starting him out. He hasn't played a game in a year and you give him one of the top three or five wide receivers in the game. But he knows how to play that zone too. I think bracketing that guy in the zone and for the safeties to play smart, I mean, no Poyer and Hyde, right. In a game you got to play smart. You don't want to get guys behind you. I think it's the cohesion now. It helps those guys in the back. With Milano back on the field and maybe Edmonds, that would be huge. D line playing. Well, all of that makes it better for them. But I think honestly this is going to be one of those games where it's a lower scoring game. I think the Bills defense can play well. I don't see the Vikings as an explosive offense. They have not been that. They usually do really well like on that first trip down the field and then they go to sleep for a few quarters and then they make a plays, some plays against bad teams late in the game and they find a way to win. So they've been that team. But I want to see that. It's getting. It's tough. It's tough. You know, you don't know. You got Benford out there, you got Dane Jackson, you've got the backup safeties. Like it hasn't been easy. But to your point, if you get that play out of the D line, I think it's going to help the whole way through.

[B]

Yeah. This is a heavily flawed 7:1 football team. Now they don't have to apologize for being 7 and 1, but this is far. Like not all 7 and 1 records are created equal. And this is a team that has needed four fourth quarter comebacks. They've erased. They've had teams kind of cough games up to them. They now like I said that that is what it is. But this offense hasn't been as dynamic as they would have hoped. But they have the confidence. They're running away with the division. They're a solid football team. But Mike still gunned in my head. I still think the Bills should win this game even without 17.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I'm more worried about the player because the Bills have lost both games without Poyer this year and had some big plays given up when he's not been there.

[A]

Yep. And he's made big plays when he's been on the field. Kirk Cousins, you know, would you be incentivized to say, I don't want to seem with the gold chain and the no shirt on after the game? Right. If you're the Bills, you're like, yes, please. You don't, you don't want that. You like that? You like that?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I'm like, I'm. I, I guess I would say this if I'm a Vikings fan. I kind of like the vibe going with the team in that they're buying in. It's Kirk Cousins. He's. He is it. He's sort of a like the dorky guy who happens to be a great athlete or an NFL player. You're a great athlete and you're winning games, but he's not. He's never been the cool guy. Even when he's tried to do things like that. You like that. And it sort of comes back to him and people use it against him. But hey, give him. He's a fourth round pick. He would, he would have been a Bills player. Like they would have loved chip on the shoulder, Fitz kind of guy, right? He's got sort of got that vibe to him. Okay. Last thing here is, man, Dan, they've put up with a lot of stuff this year. A lot of injuries, just weird things going on this year that they've not dealt with at all. So I'm not just spinning to positive here, but. But they were the preseason super bowl favorites. Josh, mvp. And now, you know the way it works. Everybody wants to take the shots now. They lost that game to the Jets. Josh is banged up. The Bills maybe aren't that team. The Dolphins are good. So give me something that can be a positive for this team. As from halftime, we start the second half of the year right, because it's nine, 17 games. What can they take from all the things they've had to deal with that.

[B]

They'Ve been dealt a pretty shitty hand for the first half of the season. And they're six and two. Like, like I think we, we. The recency bias skews the way that we're perceiving this team. And like I said, this isn't as long as Josh is. They don't believe it's a long term issue. Josh will. Will hopefully get back. Hopefully Jordan Poyer will get back. This may not be the 133 team, but this can still be a team that when push comes to shove come December is a team that hopefully has gotten healthier. Their schedule Is kind of easier down the stretch. It's what we always looked at down the road. We thought the. The beginning schedule part of their season could be the grind, so. So it's a little bit of that perspective. Like I said, I. Even though I haven't been the biggest guy on the Gabe Davis hype train, and I've been that one on here, you know, I see so many people being like, well, Gabe can't even catch now. Like, everybody's like, jumping all over him. It's like, did we forget about, you know, the Tennessee. You know, the Tennessee Gamer or the Rams game?

[A]

The Tennessee game, The Steelers game? Like, you make plays in all of them. Yeah.

[B]

I go. We so quickly forget about some of these things. So, again, a little bit of perspective. You just need guys to get healthy, and I think at that point, anything can happen.

[A]

Yeah. I'm going to say this very specifically. Not less of a vibe, more of the specifics. So many guys have had to play at key moments.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Like. And that just was not the case. Like, it was. They were embarrassingly healthy for the last few years in this violent game where guys go down all the time. Their guys were out there. And then you start out this year. I mean, think about it. We. We used to just rarely ever have where Hyde and Poyer aren't on the field. And now you've played games without both of them. Like this one, and you lost Hyde for the year, and you just assume, oh, it's Trey White for a. For a calendar year, you haven't had him on the field. Milano and Tremaine Edmonds, yeah, they've been nicked up a little bit, but usually at least one of them has been out there and they've had to play these guys and these young corners. So I look at that and I go, okay, they found a way in most games to figure it out. And even that Miami game that they lost, crazy game. I thought those kids accounted for themselves pretty well. So they found a way to do that. And I think this will be the benefit to them. And then on the other part of it, you know, they do have Hines, and I'm looking forward to them using him. I think he can help them. Getting these guys back, Including White and all will strengthen the overall team. But they've had to put up with a lot, and the coaches have had to deal with it. So it makes all the little things more important. I want to see more consistency. I. I gotta say, kicking the ball. Tyler Bass gotta make those kicks. I know he's been really good for them. But these close games, you need those kicks, special teams and all have to be a little better. But I think these few weeks, again, we don't know. For all we know, on Sunday, there's Josh trotting out there to play. I don't think it's going to happen, but I think everybody else got to look at themselves and say, 17's carried us a lot. We've put up with a lot of crap. It's time to step up, survive these games. I think they can win all of them. I think they can win all of them. Go ahead and take care of business.

[B]

I expect to see a team on Sunday play with their hair on fire.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

That they did not match the intensity of the jets on last Sunday. And I think that when you get. When that happens to you, when you don't, when the other team dictates toughness and brings more energy, I think that that, that resonates. And I think this team will bounce back, play with their hair on fire and rally around Case Keenum.

[A]

Yep. Jordan Phillips told us right after the game, like, you don't play, you don't match them, you lose in this league. And they know that. It's a big game for the Vikings, though, Josh Allen or not, I mean, for them, they constantly think they've got to prove something because they don't have good wins. And they probably already know if they were to beat the Bills and Josh doesn't play, everybody's going to say that. But you know what's better than that is, is worse than that is losing to a Bills team without Josh Allen, because that would just continue the narrative. So I think they'll be ready to play. But you're right, I want to see that out of the Bills team on Sunday, and we will see if it happens. Okay? So just to remind Everybody, Sunday morning, 10:30, you and I will be live on the field or at the field in Orchard Park. We have our show. We're going to do Buffalo Plus Live. It's also going to be on FOX Rochester and Fox Buffalo. So if you want to see on television there, but we're going to be there, we'll have the latest on what we're seeing. Who knows, we could be still trying to figure out if Josh is playing on Sunday morning. And you got plenty of content, including your interview, so you can find out what they're saying in Minnesota here on the Buffalo plus channel. So make sure you check that out. Jenna's with us. We'll all be working on this this weekend, make sure to comment like and and subscribe as we cruise towards 19,000 subscribers. So thanks very much. And that's going to do it for us today. So for Dan Fates and Janet Cottrell, I'm Mike Catalano. Thanks for watching Buffalo plus and we'll see you.