Going into 2019, we all felt that this Bills team was something special. This team was built through the draft in addition to key free-agent acquisitions, & hidden gems in UDFA’s. Along with a talented coaching staff leading the team to 6-3, there has not been enough credit given to the Bills training staff. Check out the tweet below from Wednesday in regards to the difference a month makes. Back at the beginning of October prior to the Titans game, the Bills had 12 players dealing with injury with 7 ruled questionable & 2 ruled out.
What a difference a month makes.
Heading into Week 11 against the Dolphins, the injury report is minimal with only DE Jerry Hughes & TE Dawson Knox on the injury report.
QUESTIONABLE
DE Jerry Hughes (groin)
Hughes was a surprise addition to the injury report Thursday with a groin injury in which he was limited in practice. It has since been confirmed that he re-aggravated the injury Thursday but this is something that has been lingering from before. What we don’t know is when he sustained the original injury as I went back in my records & did not find any instance where he was down on the ground or missed any time during games. He has since been designated as questionable & is a true 50/50 shot to play. Between getting treatment daily & getting down in the warm Florida weather may do good for Hughes.
A reminder for the importance of the groin muscles: they assist with running, jumping, cutting, side shuffling, basically all motions required to bend around the edge in the case of a defensive end. Depending on the side of the groin pull, this could affect how he lines up & how effective he is throughout the game.
However, I could see him missing as this is a game that can be potentially won without him. The injury was Thursday; even 2 days of intense rehab interventions & rest may not be enough to be ready for Sunday. He’ll be a true game-time decision with myself leaning towards that he misses out of precaution. If he misses, we could see a re-emergence of rookie DE Darryl Johnson as a depth option.
TE Dawson Knox (knee)
Knox found his way onto the injury report Thursday with what HC Sean McDermott noted as “knee soreness”. It was expected that he was to return to practice Friday and that is nothing to be concerned about. I tend to want to believe what this coaching staff says, they have been fairly honest, but if it’s that minor, then why is it showing up on the injury report?
He did have a left fractured foot and meniscus repair during his sophomore year at Ole Miss which required surgery, but there isn’t any certainty that it is the same knee or any relation to what is going on this week.
The only other possibility is “load management”. Those dreaded words are seen commonly in today’s NBA circles. Knox may be hitting a proverbial wall & needs an occasional day off as he is progressing through his first NFL season. I think as he adjusts to the professional schedule, he will adapt, but the team clearly wants to avoid overuse injuries to their future assets.
Possible Inactives:
TE Tommy Sweeney
OG Ike Boettger
OT Ryan Bates
S Dean Marlowe
DE Jerry Hughes
DT Vincent Taylor
RB T.J. Yeldon
As the Bills travel down to Miami, the temperature will be drastically different from the mid-teens & low 20’s felt in Buffalo after the most recent snowstorm. Miami will be a balmy 77 degrees on Sunday. Considering the temperature will be considerably higher, hydration will be a key factor in staying healthy. As the temperature increases, the body sweats more in order to help keep itself cool. The team will have to focus on hydration & ensure that all players have a good warmup to get the muscles loose & ready.
This is a game that we could see some strains if dehydration & muscle fatigue set in during the 2nd half. The Bills are certainly healthy enough & in shape enough to overcome some injuries, but losing players to strains once the cool weather returns won’t help down this difficult stretch. The Dolphins always play the Bills tough, no matter the year, but this could be a bounce-back game for the offense to get on the same page in order to show the NFL that they can hack it. This won’t be an easy win, but hopefully, a win that can move the Bills to 7-3 before they hit the vital portion of their schedule.
Top Photo Credit
Forbes.com
