While beat writers and average fans are burning the midnight oil looking at playoff machines and maybe even voodoo to figure out the odds of the Bills make the playoffs, head coach Sean McDermott has done neither.

McDermott isn’t focused on the scenarios, the odds, or the playoff picture. He’s focused on the major task at hand this week: trying to become one of the few AFC teams that have beaten Tom Brady and the New England Patriots on their home turf.

When asked how much time, if any, he devotes towards these playoff scenarios going around, McDermott was to the point.

“I spend very little,” said McDermott on Tuesday.

“I’ll say this – I’m proud of the fact that our guys have earned the right to be in that conversation, and I’m happy for our fans. For what we have to do to continue to grow and improve, we have to focus on what’s in front of us, and that’s us getting better as a team, and then the New England Patriots also.”

For McDermott, he’s been in the playoff picture before with Carolina and knows a thing or two about keeping his team focused. That comes in handy when the umpteenth playoff scenario is being tweeted every couple minutes.

When asked if he’s going to share any message with the players on how to handle the talk around them regarding the playoff picture, McDermott preached focus.

“Well just what I said, it’s to stay focused on us, and us getting better as a team. It’s fun to be in those conversations. That’s a credit to our guys and how hard they’ve worked. They’ve earned that, so I want them to enjoy that part too. That said, making sure we’re focused on the task at hand.”

The Bills’ chances of making the playoffs are nearly as convoluted as the 17 years they haven’t. The team’s main competitors are the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens, but at the very least, Buffalo won’t know for sure if it’s in or out until Week 17.

For Bills fans, they’ll have to hope for the best this week and know that the week later carries much more significance.