What I do on a regular basis in observing & reporting Bills injuries at times can be simple or complex. Think of it as like an iceberg, in fact, think of it like the Titanic when it hit that god damn iceberg. Some of the injuries are easy & straightforward, as the top of the iceberg, easy to see. Some take some digging & detective work, real use of my professional degree to determine the true injuries. This is the part of the iceberg that you know is under the water, it exists, but the size or extent is not known. And then there are other injuries, injuries that just aren’t explainable & either won’t know the true story until either much later or really, ever. This is the Titanic, you can’t see it, you aren’t sure it’s even there, but you know its there somewhere. And maybe, the truth will eventually be found.
Why do I bring up a shipwreck that’s over 107 years old? BECAUSE IT GRABS YOUR ATTENTION!! How does the Titanic & football go together? IT DOESN’T! But it gets one thinking about the complexities of determining injuries from not only video analysis, but from the reporting, news, & information available to the public. The Buffalo Bills fan base has been through enough with the Super Bowl losses, the Drought, the weather & nothing to do here jokes, you’ve heard them all. We deserve the best content because we love this team! From the beat reporters to the blogs to the pods, we are all trying to give our fellow fans the best insight possible so that we can be the best fan base ever. If I can use my education to connect with my fellow fan, then that makes me a better fan. So wrapping this all up, I do what I do because I love the Bills & love this fan base if I can add my two cents, then I feel I have done something positive.
Ok, passion-filled rant over.
The Bills host the lowly Washington Redskins on what will appear to be a blustery and rather crappy day in Western New York. But we wouldn’t have it any other way. Buffalo weather baby!! In addition to the declining weather, the number of names on the injury report is also declining. As of this week’s count, there are only 4 names on the entire report dealing with injuries that could potentially cause them to miss Sunday. This is a far cry from 11 players for several weeks in a row. Below are the injuries & how it will affect their availability for Sunday.
OUT:
LB Maurice Alexander (knee)
Alexander is a mystery as he appeared on the injury report Wednesday without any known mechanism of injury. He has not been able to practice the past week & there aren’t any specifics of what is going on. However, he was briefly on the injury report prior to the Patriots game in Week 4. He was a DNP the Friday before the game, was questionable, but able to play. He did have a hip injury in the win over the Dolphins but he did not show up on the injury report afterward. It’s also unknown if the knee injury from last month is related to this most recent injury.
There is something that just isn’t know right now. See, iceberg, all coming full circle!
Until we get an injury that is a smoking gun, more information on what he’s dealing with, or really anything, this will be an injury that we simply don’t know. My initial speculation is he could be dealing with some type of tendonitis or small meniscal tear that he’s attempting to play through, but has flared up to the point he needs rest. Both could have been well managed until the issue was aggravated through regular play.
He is a key special team player so missing him Sunday will hurt. Fortunately, the return of LB Corey Thompson will help soften the blow as he is finally healthy from the recent ankle surgery that kept him out the past 3 games.
QUESTIONABLE:
CB Levi Wallace (left shoulder)
Wallace has been ruled questionable following a shoulder contusion in the loss to the Eagles. To recall, he suffered the contusion as the result of getting run over by Eagles RB Boston Scott late in the 3rd quarter as seen below.
He has been limited all week but HC Sean McDermott was pleased by the workouts in practice the past few days which sounds promising for his availability for Sunday. While upper-body injuries are more difficult to assess on film in regards to practice, there is a strong chance that he plays Sunday. He will likely have additional padding to the area in order to protect the healing tissues, but there shouldn’t really be any reason that he can’t play unless he personally says he can’t go. I expect him to play Sunday.
OT Cody Ford (left elbow)
Ford suffered a left elbow contusion late in the 4th quarter which forced him to miss the last several minutes for a game that was clearly out of hand by that point. Ford has been limited all week but video available has been promising showing him shedding the red non-contact jersey and performing blocking drills despite having his elbow wrapped with a hinged brace to the area. The bracing will limit medial/lateral movement to reduce stress on the elbow if, for example, a defensive end is coming around the edge. This will also prevent hyperextension to the elbow during blocking and cause further damage.
Considering how he had the elbow struck, coming from up underneath, there is a slight possibility that he suffered a UCL injury, similar to what QB Josh Allen had last year against the Texans. If this is the case, it’s quite possible to play through the injury with bracing, but I also don’t believe they would be putting him back out there so quickly if he had an injury of that magnitude to the area.
He likely had the elbow struck & is dealing with more pain and swelling to the area, hence the extra protection. I expect that he plays Sunday, considering the injury & the lack of consistency that OT Ty Nsekhe is able to bring to the table this season. I also expect that he suits up with the bracing to get through the game. Continue the rotation that we have seen all season between Ford & Nsekhe.
S Kurt Coleman (hamstring)
Coleman continues to work back from a hamstring injury sustained in the win over the Dolphins 2 weeks ago. Like all other hamstring injuries this year, the team has been cautious in their approach & does not appear to be rushing anyone back well before they are ready. I have not observed any video of him in practice, but the fact that he is limited is promising.
However, the weather is expected to be poor this weekend with a slick surface & cool weather. These are not the type of conditions ideal to play through with a hamstring injury. He may also be pressed into service if either starter goes down which, if he has a not 100% hamstring, could create a liability. I don’t anticipate that he suits up, taking the extra week before he gets a 2nd shot at Miami in the warmer weather.
Projected Inactive’s:
TE Tommy Sweeney
OT Ryan Bates
OG Ike Boettger
S Kurt Coleman
S Jaquan Johnson
RB TJ Yeldon
LB Maurice Alexander
Going up against a 1-7 Washington Redskins team should be an easy win. It should allow the Bills to move to 6-2 as they march towards the playoffs. But while the Bills see what appears to be an inferior opponent on the surface, below is still an NFL team with talented players that want to desperately win.
The Bills need to come out and control the line of scrimmage, punching the Redskins in the mouth right away to let them know they don’t belong at New Era Field. That loss to the Eagles last week hurt, I don’t expect the Bills to drop another, especially at home. I expect the Bills to finish their homestand with a win. On Sunday, at 4:30 pm, we will have an answer.
Top Photo Credit
BleacherReport.com
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