The Derrick Henry-sized reason the Bills should want to lose in Week 18 to the Jets

5 days ago 2

The Derrick Henry-sized reason the Bills should want to lose in Week 18 to the Jets originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

On the list of players that should scare Buffalo Bills' fans in the playoffs, Baltimore Ravens superstar running back Derrick Henry might rank atop the list, at least in a postseason field that doesn't include Patrick Mahomes.

Because of that, there's a case to be made that the Bills should want to lose in Week 18 against the New York Jets.

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Here's why:

The case for the Bills tanking Week 18

There is only one path for the Bills to see Henry in the first round of the playoffs, and it goes like this with Week 18 results:

Bills beat Jets
Texans lose to Colts
Chargers lose to Broncos
Ravens beat Steelers

The odds of all of those happening aren't major, but it's a possibility. If all those things happen, the Ravens are the AFC's No. 4 seed as North Division champs and would host 5-seed Buffalo in the first round of the playoffs.

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If the Bills lose, they'll be the 7-seed. They would play the 2-seed in the first round, which could be the Broncos, Patriots or Jaguars. All solid teams, yes, but none of them King Henry and Lamar Jackson.

Of course, Buffalo won't outwardly play to lose. But if Josh Allen got a breather and Mitchell Trubisky struggled and the Bills were the 7-seed instead of the 5-seed, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.