The Bills will be getting their full defense ready for Sunday’s Wild Card round.
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott told members of the media that linebacker Terrel Bernard’s quad injury would not keep him from practicing this week. He should be set to play vs the Denver Broncos.
Sean McDermott, at this point, on LB Terrel Bernard's status w/quad injury: "He's good to go."
— Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) January 8, 2025
The third-year linebacker and defensive captain missed Buffalo’s Week 18 finale in Foxborough after he came away from Week 17’s 40-14 blowout over the New York Jets with a quadricep injury. Bernard was never listed during Week 17’s game with an injury and didn’t miss any snaps because of it.
Buffalo defensive coordinator Bobby Babich’s job will be easier if Bernard can play this week. The Bills’ middle linebacker has 104 combined tackles, a sack, two interceptions, a fumble recovery, and three passes defensed this season. More importantly, Bernard is the captain of the defense and has been used well as a spy when the Bills have played teams with a mobile quarterback.
The Bills postseason loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last season was a game in which Bernard was inactive due to injury. Their loss to Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens was another game that the Bills middle linebacker was absent.
The Bills will host the Denver Broncos on Sunday afternoon in a Wild Card matchup and will be facing rookie quarterback Bo Nix. Nix has 29 passing touchdowns this season but has also run for 430 yards and four touchdowns. Bernard will be a key asset for the Bills as they try to hone in on Nix and add to the rookie’s twelve interceptions and twenty-four sacks.