It’s finally here! Real, meaningful football!!
The Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams are set to kick off the 2022 NFL season Thursday at 8:20 pm EST. On one side are the defending Super Bowl champions looking to become a rare back-to-back winner. On the other side is the betting favorite to win this year’s Super Bowl, a team looking to finally break through after several historical heartbreaks on the biggest stages.
Fortunately, both teams come into the game relatively healthy, allowing each team to showcase their best. Detailed below are all the injuries to note heading into Thursday’s game.
BUFFALO BILLS INJURY REPORT
QUESTIONABLE
OT Tommy Doyle (Right foot)
Doyle has been out of practice since August 13 after the first preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts. It isn’t clear when he injured his foot, but it’s possible he injured it near the end of the first half, though the mechanism isn’t exactly defined.
Considering how long he has been out, this appears to be a foot sprain, but the exact location is unknown. He was observed in a walking boot and scooter in the days following the game, eventually weaning out to work on the sidelines. Without additional detail, this becomes a wait-and-see approach for Doyle as he attempts to return.
He has been moving around relatively well at practice as seen below, but there still appears to be some effort required in pushing off that right side.
Fortunately, the team has been able to game plan accordingly without him in the lineup for Thursday. He was limited Wednesday during a walk-through, but that was possibly been more for gamesmanship. The hope is that he is able to begin practicing next week with a few extra days off between now and Monday, September 19.
TE Quintin Morris (Right hamstring)
Morris left practice early on August 29, pulling up with a right hamstring strain while performing a routine passing drill. Video caught by Jon Scott of Spectrum News shows the moments after the injury and training staff tending to him.
In the picture below, you can clearly see the tape up and down his right leg to control for any inflammation while working out.
Considering he is only a week and a few days removed from the injury, it is normal to expect him to miss this amount of time. He was also limited Wednesday in the walk-through, but I don’t anticipate that he plays, even on special teams so as to not aggravate the injury.
Based on what we can see at practice, it’s very possible that he will be able to begin ramping up to play in Week 2, barring any setbacks.
ACTIVE
WR Isaiah McKenzie (Groin)
McKenzie missed several days of practice with a groin injury originally suffered on August 27 during practice. He was limited during the last week in August before returning to practice in full and finally receiving an official designation.
If McKenzie has some sort of setback during the game, the Bills have an experienced option in Jamison Crowder to step in his place.
DT Tim Settle (Calf)
Settle missed most of the preseason with a calf injury that popped up shortly after the Indianapolis Colts game. He was unable to practice over the last three weeks, working off to the side with the training staff.
Thankfully, he was able to return to practice in full this week and does not have a gameday designation heading into the game. There is a concern that his calf injury lingers, but he does not have a lengthy injury history and he has had ample time to allow the muscle to fully heal.
S Jordan Poyer (Left elbow)
All of Bills Mafia held their collective breath after Poyer struggled to walk off the practice field on August 2. He received the positive news of a hyperextension of his left elbow which was the result of his arm getting sandwiched in a pile of bodies while attempting to tackle James Cook at the goal line.
Poyer has been seen ramping back up at practice with a hinged brace on and tackling without hesitation. He will likely wear the brace until he feels comfortable knowing that he can hit without it, but this will not affect his performance for Thursday.
LOS ANGELES RAMS
OUT
WR Van Jefferson (Knee)
Jefferson underwent two knee surgeries since the season ended in February. The first procedure was to clean up an injury from the 2021 season and the second was to clean up the knee following an injury early in training camp.
At the time, it was possible that he could play Week 1 according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, but after not practicing all week and the weeks prior to that, this is not the case. It’s not clear why he required the procedures in the first place, whether it be a joint clean-out due to loose bodies floating around or trimming down a small meniscus tear.
Either way, the Rams will be without their third option but have had plenty of time to prepare without him.
ACTIVE
QB Matthew Stafford (Right elbow)
While not on the injury report, Stafford’s elbow has been discussed often ever since it was announced that he required a PRP injection following the season. He was held out of OTA’s and limited at times during the offseason.
His injury has been described as an injury more commonly seen in baseball players. This leads to the possibility of flexor tendinitis or a partial UCL tear. There hasn’t been a clear designation as to the exact injury which is no surprise.
Head coach Sean McVay has stated that if Stafford needed to throw 50-55 times, there would not be any hesitation. While I do believe him when he says that, I question how consistent that 50th pass will look as compared to the 1st.
I don’t believe that the elbow issue will cause any problems during the game. However, a late throw in the game could have a little less zip or hang in the air an extra second, giving the defender a chance to make a play.
CB Jalen Ramsey (Left shoulder surgery)
Ramsey underwent surgery on his AC joint in his left shoulder in late June to repair a shoulder injury he sustained during the season.
He managed to avoid the PUP list to start the season and has since been slowly ramping up to play Thursday. Ramsey has also come out and stated that he’ll be ready to roll when the time comes.
I don’t believe he will have any hesitation in that first hit on a Bills offensive player and this should not affect him throughout the game.
PROJECTED INACTIVES
BUFFALO BILLS
OT Tommy Doyle
TE Quintin Morris
DE Shaq Lawson
RB Zack Moss
LB Baylon Spector
LOS ANGELES RAMS
WR Van Jefferson
QB Bryce Perkins
RB Jake Funk
LB Jake Gervase
S Russ Yeast
Everything is set, now all that is left is to play the game!
It’s fortunate that each team comes into the game overall healthy and ready to play on the biggest stage. If injuries do occur, there are several extra days built into the schedule to allow for recovery heading into Week 2.
Most of the country including myself is looking forward to an excellent game as two of the top teams kick off the NFL season. We may look back at this game as the start of a memorable championship run with the winner hoisting the Lombardi trophy in February.
Top Photo Credit: Lynn Sladky/AP
