The Buffalo Bills fly out to New Jersey to face the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Monday Night. The Bills are 3-2, losers of two straight while the Jets are 2-3, also losers of two straight. Whoever wins the game will take the lead in what is looking to be a soft AFC East this season.
Both teams have a ton to prove with the Bills offense slowing down over the last two weeks and putting into question their abilities to scheme players open. The Jets fired their head coach in Robert Saleh earlier this week and installed DC Jeff Ulbrich and named Todd Downing as offensive coordinator. This could either spark the team playing under new leadership or further show the dysfunction of a team that hasn’t lived up to expectations so far this season.
The Jets come into Week 6 with a significant injury advantage but talent on both teams may balance out the disparity. Read below for the full injury reports for each team along with projected inactives and final thoughts.
Buffalo Bills Injury Report
OUT
DT Ed Oliver (Left Hamstring)
Oliver is set to miss his second consecutive game after suffering the injury on Thursday during practice prior to Week 5. While it’s unfortunate that he is missing his second game, the timing of the injury more so than the severity is playing into this decision. Having just over a week to heal a strained hamstring at a position where he needs to drive himself forward using his hamstrings and glutes again and again, that would lead to a much higher re-injury risk.
QUESTIONABLE
WR Khalil Shakir (Right High-Ankle Sprain)
Shakir is officially questionable after missing last week’s game due to a right high-ankle sprain suffered against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4. He began ramping back up in practice this week but other than getting a limited practice in on Saturday, we haven’t seen much as to whether he can effectively cut on his right ankle.
He has at times looked good moving side to side doing low level athletic movemethe such as side shuffling. The key issue here is how does the ankle feel running routes, especially to the right and how close is it to being healthy?
Sitting out another week to get the ankle right would be the best solution, but an 80 percent Shakir is still better than the other offensive options we saw last week. If Shakir does go, they either limit his routes to the left, make him a possession receiver and limit his workload to avoid stressing the still-healing ankle. He’s 50/50 in my mind but I haven’t seen enough to convince me that he will play this week. Let’s hope I’m wrong.
DT Austin Johnson (Left Oblique)
Johnson was limited in practice all week after missing Week 5 with a left oblique injury suffered against the Baltimore Ravens. Given he missed last week and he needs to engage his core when pushing offensive lineman around, I’m not certain he plays this week.
RB James Cook (Left Toe/Foot)
Cook left the Week 5 game after suffering a left toe injury as seen below. The mechanism of injury strongly suggests turf toe given how the toe violently bends backward when it hits the turf.
He was unable to practice all week until Saturday when he got a limited practice in. Given his positional demands and perceived severity of the injury, it didn’t appear likely that he would suit up.
However, Cook’s representation came out on Saturday and announced that he would play. This either suggests that this was not a turf toe injury and he stubbed it really badly. Or it is turf toe and Cook will just be deployed differently. Should he play, he will require a stiff sole in the shoe and tape to support the area.
Considering Cook is a pass-catching back, he could be moved more into the passing game and allow guys like Ty Johnson and Ray Davis to bang it up the middle. This thought was confirmed by Erik Turner of Cover 1 when discussing it with him. Getting on your toes to drive forward against other bodies for extra yardage will only aggravate any of the injured tissue.
While I didn’t think that Cook would play, his agency says otherwise and I have no reason to not believe them. I don’t believe this is a fake out, but it is odd that his representation made that statement, it’s not something we see often.
CB Taron Johnson (Right Forearm Fracture)
Johnson is set to make his return after missing five games due to a right forearm fracture suffered in Week 1. He was able to ditch the red non-contact jersey this week and engaged his right arm frequently in multiple drills.
Despite his questionable designation, I fully expect Johnson to play and display no limitations. The bone is fully healed and with extra padding, there is little concern he re-fractures the area unless he suffers a similar or worse blow to the forearm.
ACTIVE
QB Josh Allen (Left Hand/Right Ankle)
Allen continues to be on the injury report with his left hand injury dating back to Week 1. He also continues to wear the glove on his hand to protect the healing area. He is also dealing with what looks to be a right ankle sprain suffered when he was tackled on the hard hit to his head going down. It looked to happen either on that play or the one prior based on how it was reported.
The ankle injury won’t affect his mobility other than some pain that he is used to playing through. As for the head “injury”, the NFL and NFLPA found that he didn’t lose consciousness which indicates they followed the protocol. He officially did not suffer a concussion and I have no reason not to believe the doctors that have extensive training and expertise when evaluating any player, much less a superstar.
If there was one set of criteria for regular players and a different set for superstars, the integrity of the game would be severely damaged.
LB Terrel Bernard (Left Pectoral)
Bernard continues to require treatment on his left pectoral muscle after returning last week to play in 100 percent of snaps on defense. Frankly, he looked impressive and displayed no hesitation flying around the field after missing only two games.
Despite being in a red non-contact jersey earlier this week, he got rid of it and will continue to wear a shoulder harness to protect the healing tissue.
LS Reid Ferguson (Right Elbow)
Ferguson appeared to suffer a right elbow injury on his final snap as seen below.
However, despite the injury, he was able to practice in full and has no designation for Monday.
DE Javon Solomon (Hip)
Solomon was a surprise addition to the injury report on Thursday as he practiced in full with a hip injury. There wasn’t any specific play that he injured his hip on that was notable on camera. It’s possible he suffered a hip pointer injury but without video proof, this is only speculation.
S Taylor Rapp (Concussion)
After missing last week due to a concussion at the hands of Derrick Henry in Week 4. On Wednesday, he was officially cleared from the protocol. Later in the week, Rapp revealed that he would wear a Guardian Cap to help protect against future concussions after he returned.
Rapp is taking every opportunity to reduce his chances at another concussion and if that means wearing the cap in addition to the Q-Collar, then he is at least making every effort.
WR Curtis Samuel (Right Toe/Foot)
Samuel suffered a right foot/toe injury as noted below. This led to a decreased snap count after halftime playing in 11 snaps during the second half. By video, there was concern for a midfoot sprain that likely increased in pain after the game. Given how the foot rolled when he stepped on Knox’s foot, that forward weight shift forward may have also tweaked his toe. It’s possible but not confirmed this was the same side of his turf toe injury back in August.
He did not practice Wednesday before slowly ramping back up to full participation on Friday. He had ample time off during the preseason to get his turf toe healed and I’m not certain that the injury was still lingering. Either way, he has played through countless injuries over the years and has no designation heading into the game.
WR Mack Hollins (Shoulder)
Hollins was seen in a red non-contact jersey earlier in the week as he dealt with a shoulder injury suffered in Week 5. Based on video, he may have taken a hard shot to his shoulder when he fell to the ground on the final offensive series.
Maintaining non-contact may have been more precautionary as Hollins doesn’t have a game day designation. I’m not sure there’s a true injury there, it may be more trying to maximize rest during the week and avoiding contact until it really matters.
QB Mitch Trubisky (Left Knee)
Trubisky continues to require treatment on his left MCL sprain suffered in the preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
TE Quintin Morris (Right Shoulder)
Morris continues to require treatment on his right shoulder injury suffered against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the preseason. Based on the shoulder harness and timeframe, there is a strong suspicion that he is dealing with a labral tear.
DT DaQuan Jones (Shoulder)
Jones was a notable addition to the injury report this week with a shoulder injury. He played in his normal workload of snaps and didn’t appear to suffer any injury during the game. Its worth noting he did have to wear a shoulder brace during the Week 2 game versus Miami. This was also the same side he tore his pectoral muscle last year but it’s not clear if this is related.
While he does not have a game day designation, highlighting the injuries and observations that accompany them may be puzzle pieces that later fit together to tell a bigger story.
INJURED RESERVE
RB Darrynton Evans (Left Hamstring)
Evans opened up his practice window after he was placed on injured reserve on the final roster cut downs.
Despite practicing in full this week, the Bills will need to complete a corresponding roster move to bring Evans back onto the roster. He has another two weeks of practice before he either has to be put on the roster or back on IR for the season.
New York Jets Injury Report
OUT
CB Michael Carter II (Back)
Carter had an early exit during the Week 5 game against the Minnesota Vikings in London. His injury happened on the first play of defense with 12:14 left when he turned towards the middle of the field and began sprinting towards where the play was happening. He can be seen pulling up on what appeared to be his left hamstring.
He was initially doubtful to return and ultimately did not. Despite leaving with a hamstring injury, he appeared on the injury report with a back injury, unable to practice all week. On Saturday, he was ruled out ahead of Monday night. Given his positional demands, he would have been hampered all game which would have likely led to an early exit.
QUESTIONABLE
TE Tyler Conklin (Hip)
Conklin was limited all week with a hip injury that appears to be a right hip pointer as noted below.
This may come down to how tender the area still is and whether he can perform all the positional duties. I would expect he needs one week off to get healthier.
LB C.J. Mosley (Toe)
Mosley has been out since exiting in Week 2 with a toe injury which occured when he kicked a Tennessee Titans player, forcing him to leave the game. He has tried injections in the area which have left him doubtful or out the last three games.
He denies there is any fracture in the area and that it’s the tip of his big toe. While this is not turf toe, it certainly has a similar timeframe given his positional demands. I expect he plays given the time off but he may be hobbled during the second half of the game as he plays on it.
ACTIVE
LB Jamien Sherwood (Hand)
Sherwood injured his hand during practice on Saturday but will be good to go for Monday.
QB Aaron Rodgers (Left Ankle/Hamstring)
Rodgers suffered a left low ankle sprain during Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings as noted in the first clip. Heading into that game, he was dealing with a left knee injury after getting hit several times in Week 4. On top of the likely knee aggravation and ankle, he is also dealing with a hamstring injury though it is not clear which side that is.
Given that this is his leg that he steps into for throwing a football, he may lose some accuracy on follow through. However, he has played football for so long that I would expect that he knows how to accommodate that. With the hamstring and left leg issues, his pocket mobility will be impacted and his ability to scramble is compromised.
If Rodgers can get the ball off fast and minimize his movement in the pocket, he can still be dangerous. But if the Bills pressure him and force him to move, that’s where they can capitalize on his injury.
OT Morgan Moses (Left Knee)
Moses has missed the last two games as he is working through a left MCL sprain suffered in Week 3. Given that he is a right tackle, he will need to kick slide back off the left knee and work out laterally to keep the defensive end out wide, further stressing the knee. He will have a hinged knee brace on and be able to play, but will be less than 100 percent.
INJURED RESERVE
DT Leki Fotu (Hamstring)
Fotu is still within his practice window to return following his preseason hamstring strain. He missed the first four games due to being on IR and then missed last week as he continues to ramp up. The Jets will need to make a roster move by Saturday at 4 pm for him to be eligible to play on Monday.
Buffalo Bills Projected Inactives
DT Ed Oliver
DT Austin Johnson
WR Khalil Shakir
LB Edefuan Ulofoshio
CB Ja’Marcus Ingram
OL Will Clapp
S Mike Edwards
Call ups: WR KJ Hamler, DT Eli Ankou
New York Jets Projected Inactives
CB Michael Carter II
TE Tyler Conklin
OT Max Mitchell
LB Braiden McGregor
WR Malachi Corley
Final Thoughts
The Bills should win this game despite the injuries. Whether Khalil Shakir plays or not won’t necessarily be the difference, but the offense needs to get back to what worked the first few weeks. Tape is out there on the Bills so they can’t necessarily surprise anyone, but they have plays in that playbook that will work no matter the circumstance. Using a wrestling comparison, a wrestler should have at least a move or two that should be so good that no one can stop it.
The Jets are in transition and should put up a strong fight but they may need an adjustment period longer than what they’ve had to this point. At the end of the game, all that will matter is the final result and the win doesn’t have to be pretty. The Bills need to get the win, reclaim the top of the division, and get healthier to take advantage of what is perceived to be a softer schedule over the next several weeks.
Top Photo Credit: Icon Sportswire/Getty
