Little is on the line for the Buffalo Bills heading into the regular season finale against the New England Patriots on Sunday with their No. 2 AFC playoff seed already locked up, so plenty of starters will get some rest — and that means backups will see plenty of action.

Head coach Sean McDermott says fans should expect to see quite a bit of rookie linebacker Joe Andreessen.  

It’s been a special year for the Lancaster High School and University at Buffalo product as an unlikely story catching on with his hometown team.

After serving as a team captain for the coin toss prior to opening kickoff, Andreessen led the team in tackles in last week’s win over the New York Jets playing mostly fourth quarter duty on defense when the game was out of hand.

“It was definitely cool,” Andreessen said of going out for the coin toss. “In the team meeting they announced it and a lot of guys were really happy for me. Just a cool experience you don’t really think about especially being a rookie and everything like that, so I’m just honored that Coach McDermott and everyone else gave me the opportunity.”

Andreessen, who’s had significant playing time on special teams, is excited for the chance to get even more playing time on defense this weekend.

“[I’m] still preparing kind of like I have been, even when I’m not [playing]. I’d be lying if I said there’s not more preparation in it,” Andreessen said after practice Thursday. “Trying to keep my focus in it. Just trying to put good stuff on film. Try not to let my nerves or thinking about stuff too much get in the way. I know when I’m out there I’m going to be playing ball, playing fast.”

It’s been a dream come true for Andreessen ever since the Bills signed him as an undrafted free agent last spring, and he played his way onto the team throughout training camp and the preseason. For the guy nicknamed “Buffalo Joe,” it’s been a learning process to deal with life in the NFL and his new-found notoriety on and off the field in his native Western New York.  

“I hear from my parents, I hear from my family and they’re having me sign stuff, just do some fun stuff,” he said. “It’s definitely different than what I’m used to considering the colleges I went to and everything like that, and I just think you have to learn how to manage it. I got better at it as time went on and just keep my focus where it needs to be.”

Sunday, Andreessen’s focus will be on helping the Bills secure their 14^th win of the season and gearing up for a push in the playoffs, something he doesn’t take for granted.

“It’s awesome. Me and some of the other rookies were talking about it, our season, obviously we clinched a little bit ago, like this could be the last week of the season for some teams,” Andreessen said. “We just have so much more to go it feels like. And hopefully we do.”