The Buffalo Bills‘ franchise QB, Josh Allen, was listed as a full participant at Thursday’s practice, easing immediate concerns after a scare in Buffalo's Week 12 loss to the Houston Texans and ahead of Sunday's road trip to face the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Allen has thrown for 2,709 yards with 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions through 11 games this season and remains the central figure in a 7-4 Bills squad chasing stability in the AFC.
Allen returned to full practice on Wednesday and again on Thursday, clearing a short-term availability question and allowing Buffalo to prepare with its starting quarterback for a matchup that matters more than a single game.
The injury occurred in Houston when the Texans' pass rush dominated Buffalo’s protection, as Allen took multiple heavy hits and was sacked eight times.
He was briefly evaluated after a play in which he fell face-first to the turf, prompting immediate attention from trainers and headlines about his condition.
The team later listed Allen on the Week 13 injury report with right-elbow soreness.
Allen downplayed the issue after practice, describing the padding on his forearm as protection for “road rash” rather than a structural injury.
The Bills' offense has been uneven on the road this season, and Buffalo's offensive line has shown vulnerability to elite pass rushes - weaknesses that were exposed by Houston.
With the Steelers having elite pass-rush weapons in T.J. Watt, Nick Herbig, and Alex Highsmith, Buffalo will need Allen at full capacity in what will be a near must-win scenario for Buffalo.
With the New England Patriots atop the AFC East at 10-2, the Bills need a win over Pittsburgh to keep pace in the AFC playoff chase and regain confidence ahead of the homestretch.
A loss would push Buffalo further into the wild-card scramble with five regular-season games remaining in the NFL season.
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