What an incredible finish to that Bills playoff game, a 27-24 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars! This marks the Bills first road playoff victory since the the 1992 AFC Championship game over the Miami Dolphins to go to the Super Bowl. This was a hard fought back and forth game that saw many incredible plays and scary injury moments for both sides.
This win moves the Bills to divisional round for the sixth consecutive season. Now they wait for their opponent which is right now the Denver Broncos unless the Los Angeles Chargers upset the New England Patriots.
Despite the win, the Bills came out of this game with several notable injuries that will really test the depth of this roster. Read below for all the latest injuries coming out of Sunday’s win.
In Game Injuries
Bills injury update via Sean McDermott:
Gabe Davis – torn ACL
Poyer – hammy – week to week
Kincaid – boot was precautionary. Should be fine
Tyrell Shavers – evaluating knee
— Sal Capaccio 🏈 (@SalSports) January 12, 2026
RB Ty Johnson, CB Max Hairston, and LB Terrel Bernard are all improving and it’ll be a wait and see in terms of their status for this week.
— Matt Parrino (@MattParrino) January 12, 2026
McDermott on if Max Hairston has a chance to practice this week: “not sure, he is improving…we’ll see where that goes.”
— Sal Capaccio 🏈 (@SalSports) January 12, 2026
Matt Prater “is in a good spot” and will practice this week – McDermott
— Sal Capaccio 🏈 (@SalSports) January 12, 2026
QB Josh Allen (Concussion Check/Right Fingers/Left Knee)
Allen got absolutely beat up during this game heading to the injury tent several times and taking several hits that would sideline nearly anyone else.
The first play of the day where Allen got banged up was when he took the ball on a sneak with 3:50 left in the first quarter when he was whisked off the field for a concussion check after a Jaguars defender landed on his head.
Fortunately, he was quickly cleared and was able to return to the game.
His next injury came with 7:47 left in the second quarter when he struck his fingers on the back of G O’Cyrus Torrence on his follow through. He grabbed the right hand in pain but the side of the fingers fortunately hit more of the helmet than the end of the fingers. This was likely a more hurt than injured situation as he didn’t have to leave the game nor did we see his accuracy be drastically affected.
Allen’s most notable injury and the most concerning one for me is when he suffered a left hyperextended knee on his touchdown run with 5:37 left in the second quarter. His foot gets planted and Josh Hines-Allen gets knocked into Allen’s leg. Looking at this play again, I think the only thing that saves Allen is the fact that he falls to his left which takes pressure off Hines-Allen from pushing his knee backwards more.
He did grab at the knee, limped to the medical tent to get checked out before coming out and continuing on. It is incredible how he managed to play as well as he did throughout the second half.
Josh Allen defies logic when it comes to injuries. He stated that he got rolled up on during the game but was walking with a limp in the locker room.
Josh Allen said he got rolled up a little bit in the first half the touchdown play he came up limping. Allen said “we’re good.”
Allen was sporting a little bit of a limp in the locker room, too.
— Joe Buscaglia (@JoeBuscaglia) January 11, 2026
It won’t surprise me if Allen is on the injury report for his knee during the week along with his right foot which will be discussed further in the article. This dude will have to be dragged off the field in order to not play.
Update: Allen is sore. That’s being generous. This is acknowledging that he was beat up but not giving it any extra air to breathe. He’s going to battle to be ready every week.
Josh Allen is sore again today after yesterday’s game against the Jaguars, Sean McDermott said.
“He’s going to do whatever he can to play.” pic.twitter.com/aRiH4HvvH2
— Matt Parrino (@MattParrino) January 12, 2026
WR Tyrell Shavers (Left Knee)
Shavers left the game with a left knee injury with 4:41 left in the second quarter on a special teams play as noted below.
He went down off-camera and needed help getting up. Watching the play, you really can’t see much but reports were that he was motioning to his left knee.
Sean McDermott on field with Shavers too. Group seems to be looking at his left leg, but he’s able to get up and walk off https://t.co/Cg4A2rndYl
— katherine fitzgerald (@kfitz134) January 11, 2026
He was questionable to return and ultimately did to finish the game. We will have to wait for All-22 to get the sideline or end zone view to determine how he exactly injured the knee.
Here is the end zone view from All-22. He tried to bend the edge and tweaks the knee before stumbling away from the play. The fact that he returned is promising but it’s not clear how he hurt the knee knowing they assessed his left knee.
Update: The team is still evaluating the injury.
S Jordan Poyer (Left Hamstring)
Poyer exited Sunday’s win with a hamstring strain and was ruled out after the half. Looking back at his final plays, there are two plays where he could have tweaked his hamstring.
The first play came on 5:33 left in the second quarter when he was pushed from behind and he stumbled forward. It’s possible he tweaked the hamstring not expecting to be hit.
The other play was the next play with 4:53 left in the second quarter. He looked to react to the almost Shaq Thompson interception and suddenly stop. There wasn’t anything notable about the play and he went so far as to line up for the next play before a timeout was called. When the next play finished, Jordan Hancock was out there to break up the incompletion.
Poyer was seen working out on the sidelines with athletic trainers before halftime. This is likely the same hamstring that has been giving him issues since injuring it against the Cleveland Browns in Week 16.
Bills safety Jordan Poyer is running up and down on the sideline during this drive and talking to a couple athletic trainers
— Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) January 11, 2026
The fact that he was ruled out says this is a legitimate injury and not just precautionary. Next week is very much in doubt unless we get some surprisingly good news on Monday. If Poyer can’t go, the team has Darnell Savage or the ability to activate Damar Hamlin from injured reserve, among other options.
Update: Poyer is week-to-week and ruled out ahead of the divisional round against the Denver Broncos.
Jordan Poyer had another setback with his hamstring injury and will not be able to play this Saturday against the Broncos. Poyer is considered week-to-week, per McDermott.
— Matt Parrino (@MattParrino) January 12, 2026
WR Gabe Davis (Left Knee)
Likely the most severe injury of the day, Davis suffered a left knee injury with 10:47 left in the fourth quarter after an incomplete pass over the middle. He was sandwiched between three defenders with one hitting the outside portion of his knee.
Bills WR Gabe Davis left the locker room on crutches. A brace on his left leg.
— Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) January 11, 2026
By video, this is at least an MCL sprain with the potential for additional damage including an ACL tear. The fact that his foot is largely off the turf and his hip was able to turn inward may have reduced the severity of the injury.
Considering the injury and the fact he needed help getting off the field, I don’t see a scenario where he would be ready to play next week. Even the AFC Championship would be a pipe dream at this point. Should the Bills make the Super Bowl, maybe. But that’s with the best possible news we can get for Davis.
Davis did post on IG that he’s doing well, but he is in a knee brace.
The Bills do have options at wide receiver including if Curtis Samuel is healthy enough to be activated along with Mecole Hardman and Stephen Gosnell from the practice squad.
Update: Davis tore his left ACL and is done for the season.
Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis tore his left ACL and he is out for the season, said Sean McDermott.
— Lance Lysowski (@LLysowski) January 12, 2026
TE Dalton Kincaid (Left Leg)
Updated: 1/12/26
Kincaid was observed in a walking boot on social media after the game which created a lot of discussion as to what the mystery injury was.
Looking back at potential areas for injury, Kincaid was slow to get up following his touchdown catch. Looking at the film, there isn’t a lot of motion at the ankle or foot but he does land on his left knee again.
He may end up on the injury report with an ankle/foot injury, but it’s possible that this may be due to his knee. McDermott did note that the boot was precautionary but that he was fine.
Bills injury update via Sean McDermott:
Gabe Davis – torn ACL
Poyer – hammy – week to week
Kincaid – boot was precautionary. Should be fine
Tyrell Shavers – evaluating knee
— Sal Capaccio 🏈 (@SalSports) January 12, 2026
Looking at the picture, he’s wearing compression sleeves on both legs and his left calf looks noticeably larger than the right. If he is having knee swelling, the swelling is gravity dependent meaning it will go down into his leg. Placing a walking boot on his foot helps keep the swelling from going too far down into the leg. That additional swelling plus long plane flight puts Kincaid at a bigger risk for a DVT or blood clot.
We’ll see what is said on Tuesday when the next injury report comes out, but we may not get any further clarification.
Other Observations
RB Ty Johnson (Right Ankle)
Johnson was questionable heading into this game with a right ankle injury suffered early in the win over the New York Jets last Sunday.
Considering he’s still in a walking boot and he didn’t practice much last week, this is looking more like a high-ankle sprain. Whether this was a milder high-ankle, that isn’t clear. But when he showed up to the stadium in a walking boot, that said that he wouldn’t play.
Bills RB Ty Johnson arrived to stadium with boot on his right injured ankle. Not a great sign for his availability today vs. Jaguars.
Johnson has been a key Bills weapon as a 3rd down receiver & pass protector.
RB Frank Gore Jr. was elevated from practice squad for game today: pic.twitter.com/PrDBhhvZF3
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) January 11, 2026
Ian Rapoport offered a glimmer of hope before kickoff indicating that Johnson could be available if the Bills won. That remains to be seen until we see how he practices next week. Frank Gore saw his first NFL snaps with Johnson out.
QB Josh Allen (Right Foot)
From @NFLGameDay: X-Rays were negative on #Rams QB Matthew Stafford’s finger after delivering an “MVP-like” performance; Meanwhile, #Bills QB Josh Allen is dealing with an old bone issue in his foot but is at no further risk of reinjury. He’s ready to roll. pic.twitter.com/Yp0jLTWm32
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 11, 2026
Josh Allen still dealing with the right foot injury. Told me he will have to manage it the rest of the postseason but he assured me adrenaline and medicine will take over and you will see Playoff Josh. #BillsMafia
— Tracy Wolfson (@tracywolfson) January 11, 2026
We got a report from Ian Rapoport earlier that Josh Allen is working through an old bone injury on the outside of his right midfoot. This was the first real notable details as to what Allen has been working through.
Looking back, Allen has never been on the injury report with a right foot injury. His only foot injuries have been a left foot in 2021 when he suffered the injury against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He has had two right ankle injuries I found looking through the injury reports, Week 12 in 2020 & Week 5 in 2024.
The clip below shows a right ankle sprain from 2024 in Week 5 against the Houston Texans, Allen said he rolled the ankle at the time.
He spent one week on the injury report for this injury. With the additional information, there is a possibility that he suffered an avulsion fracture to his fifth metatarsal, also known as a pseudo-Jones fracture. The peroneus brevis tendon connects to the tip of the fifth metatarsal which is Zone 1 in the second picture below. An avulsion fracture is when a piece of bone chips off with a tendon or ligament. Fortunately, these injuries heal well due to a good blood supply.
Falling over the foot in Week 16 this season could have stressed the peroneal brevis tendon that connects there & caused the same injury.
This would explain why Allen underwent x-rays after each game to make sure it didn’t worsen. There is also a chance that he suffered a stress reaction injury to the bone which is the first stage prior to a stress fracture. The injury against the Browns could have aggravated the area and the Bills are monitoring to make sure the bone is not worsening.
A likely reason why this was classified as an ankle injury and not foot is due to the ankle being injured at the time which allowed them to stick with that designation to hide the true injury.
The only other ankle injury I found was Week 12 of the 2020 season. This looked to be more high-ankle/MCL sprain at the time. He did wear a brace on his knee following the injury.
The Bills will continue to monitor Allen’s foot injury and all the other new ones he sustained on Sunday. Sometimes it is weeks and years before we find out the true injury.
Final Thoughts
This was a nail biter of a game that fell the Bills way. Both teams are incredibly talented, but the Bills playoff experiences really made the difference in this game.
We also saw James Cook and Ray Davis get shaken up briefly during the first half, but they never went into the medical tent and immediacy returned.
This game will really challenge the Bills roster depth heading into the divisional round, but they do have some options available to them. We could see the return of Damar Hamlin, and even potentially Curtis Samuel and Ed Oliver at least returning to practice this week due to all the injuries.
Update: The Bills have opened the practice windows for Ed Oliver and Curtis Samuel.
The #Bills are opening the 21-day practice window for both Ed Oliver and Curtis Samuel.
— Jon Scott (@JonScottTV) January 12, 2026
This is incredibly exiting seeing how good this Bills team is ever since Sean McDermott took over as coach. The Bills haven’t achieved their ultimate goal yet, but after getting through this game, who says they can’t make a run?
Top Photo Credit: Mike Carlson/Getty Images
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