Returning from the bye week, the Bills find solace in coach Sean McDermott’s routine success

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — As enjoyable as it was for Sean McDermott to reunite with his family and get some rest during Buffalo’s bye week, the Bills coach found solace Wednesday in returning to his weekly routine and familiar wardrobe – a gray T-shirt. Shirt and sweatpants.

“If I don’t wear these, I go to my closet and don’t know what to wear. “I’m kind of not myself,” he said, before pulling up his hoodie for emphasis to reveal the gray shirt he wore underneath. “So I said to some of the guys this morning, ‘It’s good to be back.'”

Although there are still challenges ahead, times are positive in Buffalo.

The Bills (9-2) are off to their best start since 1992. They remain in the race for the top spot in the AFC by entering the break after a 30-21 win over Kansas City (10-1).

And Buffalo is in position to win its fifth straight AFC East title as early as Sunday. To do this, the Bills would have to lose Miami against Green Bay on Thursday evening and Buffalo would have to win the game against San Francisco (5:6) on Sunday evening.

Buffalo has won six straight since two losses at Baltimore and Houston and has scored 30 or more points in each of its last five games.

As refreshed as McDermott sounded and appeared, it didn’t take long for him to return to his game-for-a-time script as he assessed what was at stake this weekend.

“Our main focus this week is on our level of play against a good football team,” he said.

McDermott gave little indication of the status of Buffalo’s long list of injured players.

There is no timetable yet for activating Matt Milano from injured reserve, although the starting linebacker returned to full practice for the first time since tearing his left biceps during training camp in mid-August. Milano has actually missed nearly 14 months since suffering a season-ending right leg injury in Week 5 of last season.

Milano revealed little during a brief interview after training.

“I’m doing well. “I’m coming back with the team,” said Milano, who no longer wore the red non-contact jersey in training.

Meanwhile, rookie receiver Keon Coleman, who missed two games with a right wrist injury, and starting right tackle Spencer Brown, who missed one game with an ankle injury, were limited in practice. Tight end Dalton Kincaid (knee) was Buffalo’s only player who did not practice.

The Bills also opened the three-week window for the return of backup rookie defensive tackle DeWayne Carter (wrist) and backup offensive lineman Tylan Grable (groin).

McDermott has another positive to come out of the bye week. The Bills are 8-0 from their break since McDermott took over as coach in 2017.

“I don’t really have the ‘Hey, this is exactly what we’re doing’ formula,” McDermott said of whether he changed his approach for the bye week. “For us it’s more about just getting back to what we’re doing and getting back to what’s important.”