Panthers vs. Bills NFL injury report, spread: Oddsmakers expecting Josh Allen to play; Carolina on 11-game losing streak in Cam Newton starts

If Mitchell Trubisky was going to be the Buffalo Bills' starting quarterback for Sunday's home game against the Carolina Panthers, the spread at various sportsbooks probably would be Buffalo around a touchdown. The fact the Bills are 10.5-point favorites tells you that oddsmakers clearly believe Josh Allen's foot injury isn't serious and that he will be out there. Click here for model picks.

Panthers defensive coordinator Phil Snow said Thursday that the team is planning for Allen to be a full participant this weekend. At 7-6, the Bills sit seventh in the AFC playoff hunt – owning wild-card tiebreakers over fellow 7-6 teams Cleveland, Cincinnati and Denver – so they can't afford a loss.

"He's too tough. And they're right in the hunt. They need to win," Snow said.

Allen sprained his left foot in last Sunday's loss at Tampa Bay and was in a walking boot after. He never missed a snap but could be seen limping after he appeared to injure the foot at the end of a 23-yard run in the fourth quarter when said foot was caught under Bucs linebacker Devin White. Allen led his team to a big comeback to tie but then Tampa won in overtime.

Allen was limited in practice Wednesday but said that the soreness was "quite a bit better" than earlier in the week. Allen has not missed a start because of injury since his rookie season in 2018. Coach Sean McDermott said that Trubisky is going to get extra reps this week.

How mobile might Allen be Sunday? Against the Bucs, he rushed 12 times for 109 yards, his third career 100-yard rushing game. Rather amazingly, no Buffalo running back had a single carry in the first half -- the first time a team has done that this century. There are no Over/Under Allen rushing props for Sunday yet at Caesars Sportsbook, but keep in mind that the game plan may change due to the foot.

While oddsmakers don't expect Sunday to be a one-score game (eight points or fewer) vs. the Panthers, Buffalo is 0-5 in those this season after going 5-1 last year. The 1985 San Francisco 49ers (0-5) are the only team to make the playoffs after having zero wins and at least five losses in one-score games in the regular season. Buffalo is currently -280 to make the playoffs at Caesars and +230 to miss.

As for Carolina, Coach Matt Rhule says he plans to start Cam Newton at QB but that PJ Walker will also get snaps. In last Sunday's loss to Atlanta, Newton started and playing most of the game and Walker took over late in both the second quarter and fourth quarter. Both had a pick, with Newton's returned for a touchdown that really changed the game.

The Panthers have lost 11 straight games with Newton as their starting quarterback – dating to his first stint – and gone 1-10 against the spread in those.

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