The Buffalo Bills take on the Cleveland Browns on Sunday with the potential to clinch a playoff spot for the seventh consecutive season. The Browns have long been eliminated from the lost season at 3-11 but still have something to play for as DE Myles Garrett chases the single season sack record, 1.5 sacks away.
Despite the difference in records, the Bills can’t afford to play down to the level of the Browns like they did against the Miami Dolphins earlier this year. The Browns could benefit from improving their draft position with a loss but will look to play spoiler to the Bills playoff seed this week and Steelers playoff hopes next week.
Read below for a detailed injury analysis for each team and projected inactives.
BUFFALO BILLS INJURY REPORT
OUT
DT Jordan Phillips (Right Ankle)
Phillips will miss the Week 16 contest against the Browns with a right ankle injury sustained in the second quarter against the New England Patriots.
He immediately had difficulty placing weight on the foot and was questionable but ultimately did not return. He was spotted walking into the tunnel with his ankle wrapped as he argued with a fan indicating he could walk on the area afterward before he was seen wearing a boot.
On Monday, Sean McDermott preemptively ruled Phillips out for Week 16 and he was later seen with a wrap on his right foot during practice this week.
Based on the limited video we have for a mechanism of injury, the initial thought was a low ankle sprain, but how they’ve managed this says otherwise. I don’t see the mechanism for a high-ankle sprain but that’s not saying it didn’t happen. As we get more information, this could shed light on his timeline.
K Matt Prater (Right Quad)
Prater was ruled out ahead of Week 16 after he was deemed week-to-week due to a right quadriceps injury in Week 15. Based on the video, it’s possible he injured his right quad on his last kick based on the video below.
He kicks like he normally does and possibly landed awkwardly on his right leg leading to the injury. The kick was shorter than some of the previous ones he had in the game but with accuracy needed from kickers, this may have been planned. At the end of the clip, he stays out of the play and hops on his left leg and he goes off the field.
There isn’t much research regarding return to play for kickers dealing with a quad injury, but older kickers are expected to miss more time (21 days) versus younger kickers missing 14 days. Article
We will need to see how he progresses, but with Michael Badgley on the practice squad and can be called up the next three games, the Bills don’t need to rush him back.
QUESTIONABLE
CB Cam Lewis (Left Hamstring)
Lewis suffered a hamstring injury during Thursday’s practice that saw him limited Thursday and Friday after it was announced that he wouldn’t practice on Friday. He was spotted in the practice facility wearing a sleeve on the left leg indicating the side injured.
Considering the injury happened on Thursday, it’s soft tissue, and it’s going to be cold on Sunday, I don’t see how Lewis would suit up.
ACTIVE
CB Christian Benford (Left Toe)
Benford returned back to practice this week after missing last week’s game due to a left toe injury sustained on Thursday last week. Considering his positional demands of cutting, pivoting, and jumping, he may have jumped up to break a pass up and fell awkwardly on the toe. This could have caused a minor turf toe injury which needed a week off to avoid aggravating further.
It was entirely possible that he was able to play last week, but looking ahead to the playoffs, the team saw the bigger picture than trying to beat the Patriots. This injury will possibly linger on the injury report for another week or two while he gets treatment in the area. He will require the use of a metal or carbon plate in the area to prevent hyperextension of the toe while he sprints and jumps.
LB Terrel Bernard (Right Elbow)
Bernard is set to return after missing the last three games due to a dislocated right elbow sustained in Week 12 against the Houston Texans. He was able to practice last week with a hinged brace but ultimately did not suit up.
It’s entirely possible that he could have played last week but with how Shaq Thompson had been playing prior to that point plus Bernard’s prior injuries with his right ankle and possibly hamstring from the preseason, the team was not in a rush to get him back.
He has no designation and will return on Sunday.
OT Dion Dawkins (Illness)
Dawkins missed Wednesday and Thursday’s practice with an illness. Fortunately he was able to return in full on Friday and had no designation.
CB Taron Johnson (Quad)
Johnson is back on the injury report with a quadriceps injury, his latest soft tissue issue that cropped up this season. He was on the injury report for the same issue that forced him to miss Week 2 and stay on the injury report for two weeks.
It’s not clear if this is the same issue but the fact that he practiced in full all week confirmed needed some maintenance work.
DT DaQuan Jones (Calf)
Jones is back on the injury report with a calf designation, potentially the same left calf that he injured in pregame warmups against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 6.
Friday’s press conference confirmed that this was more of a maintenance issue.
TE Dalton Kincaid (Left Knee)
Kincaid was a surprise DNP during Wednesday’s walkthrough and the concern increased after he didn’t practice again on Thursday. He was spotted in the weight room during practice meaning that he is still working, but limiting his reps to be ready for Sunday as confirmed on Friday.
This is the same knee that he sprained his PCL in last year and lingered for the entire season. He did aggravate it in training camp in a collision with Matt Milano and Christian Benford but got the knee back under control. Unfortunately, he flared it back up while rehabbing his right hamstring injury from Week 10 and this has led to where he’s at.
It’s likely that he is trying to gut out the rest of the season and will address his issues in the offseason with rehab and potentially surgery. This may also change how the Bills manage PCL sprains moving forward knowing that the injury has become aggravated and lingered as long as it has.
This hasn’t necessarily shown that anything was done wrong; sometimes an injury is healed and then something else happens to an already previously injured area either worsening the damage or injured again to the point where a higher level of intervention is necessary.
We continue to see that PCL sprains are largely managed non operatively in the NFL and only surgery is considered for multi ligament injuries or chronic instability.
P Mitch Wishnowsky (Right Knee)
Wishnowsky was a new addition to the injury report with a right knee designation, his punting leg. Despite being listed as limited Thursday and Friday, he carries no designation.
INJURED RESERVE
WR Mecole Hardman (Left Calf)
Hardman returned to practice this week after spending the last four weeks on injured reserve due to a left calf strain suffered in Week 11 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This occurred on a punt return and according to Nick Sabato of the Niagara Gazette, he originally thought he bruised the area before it worsened and forced him out of the game.
He was activated this week and able to practice in full. With Chase Lundt going on injured reserve, this opens the door for Hardman to return.
OT Chase Lundt (Knee)
Lundt suffered a knee injury during Thursday’s practice and was unable to practice on Friday before being placed on injured reserve. He would not be eligible to return until the divisional round if he’s needed.
CLEVELAND BROWNS INJURY REPORT
OUT
OT Jack Conklin (Concussion)
Conklin will now miss his third consecutive game after suffering a concussion in the second quarter in Week 13 against the San Francisco 49ers.
TE David Njoku (Left Knee)
Njoku has been dealing with a left knee injury dating back to Week 6 when he suffered a hyperextended knee but did not miss any time. Unfortunately, he landed on his left knee in Week 14, suffering what appeared to be a PCL sprain.
He was unable to practice all week and is ruled out for his second consecutive game.
RB Dylan Sampson (Hand)
Sampson missed last week with a hand injury sustained in Week 14. Prior to the hand injury, he had been on the injury report for a calf injury sustained from Week 12. He was unable to practice all week and ruled out.
CB Denzel Ward (Calf)
Ward has been dealing with a calf strain dating back to Week 14 and missed last week’s contest. Prior to last week, he had been on the injury report for a hip designation and prior to that in Week 13, a migrane.
He was unable to practice all week and will miss Sunday.
QUESTIONABLE
DT Sam Kamara (Left Elbow)
Kamara left Sunday’s game at the start of the fourth quarter after injuring his left elbow. He was unable to return for the day and started the week as limited on Wednesday. He continued to be limited Thursday and Friday with a questionable designation. Considering the recency of the injury, the team may elect to rest him for one game.
G Wyatt Teller (Calf)
Teller has missed the last two weeks dealing with a calf injury suffered with two minutes left in the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 13. Prior to his injury, he has been alternating series with Teven Jenkins.
Despite the questionable designation, I suspect Teller will push to play against his former team.
ACTIVE
TE Brenden Bates (Ankle)
Bates has been dealing with an ankle injury dating back to suffering the original injury in Week 12 and forcing him to miss Week 13 and 14 before returning in Week 15 to play in 14 snaps with no offensive stats.
G Joel Bitonio (Knee)
Bitonio has been on the injury report the last two weeks after being designated last week with a back injury. He has not missed an offensive snap since Week 4 and is expected to play in Week 16.
S Grant Delpit (Groin)
Delpit has been on the injury report for the last two weeks as he works through a groin injury suffered in Week 14. He was limited Wednesday and Thursday but got a full practice in on Friday and has no designation.
DT Mason Graham (Rib)
Graham suffered a rib injury in practice ahead of Week 14 and was questionable but did not miss any games or see a decline in his snap counts. He has been working through the injury and will suit up on Sunday.
DT Mike Hall (Illness)
Hall was forced to sit out on Wednesday and Thursday as he dealt with an illness. He returned to full practice Friday.
DT Adin Huntington (Quad)
Huntington returned to practice with limited designations after missing the last three weeks due to a quadriceps injury. He was able to practice as a limited designation Wednesday and Thursday.
G Teven Jenkins (Shoulder)
Jenkins has been battling a shoulder dating back to Week 15 and has been filling in for Wyatt Teller while he has been dealing with his own injury. He was able to get limited practice on Thursday and full practice Friday.
LB Carson Schwesinger (High-Ankle Sprain)
Schwesinger has been battling a high-ankle sprain in the fourth quarter against the New England Patriots in Week 8. He came off the injury report shortly afterward but came back on ahead of Week 13. He has not missed any snaps.
G Zak Zinter (Back)
Zinter suffered a back injury in his season debut in Week 14 that saw him miss Week 15 but returned as a limited participant Wednesday and Thursday.
INJURED RESERVE
LB Winston Reid (Back)
Reid returned to practice this week after being placed on injured reserve back in August though I do not expect him to play this weekend.
QB Deshaun Watson (Right Achilles)
Watson returned to practice on December 2 after spending all season on PUP following his second Achilles tear in January. There is not any expectation that he will return to play this season.
Buffalo Bills Projected Inactives
DT Jordan Phillips
K Matt Prater
CB Cam Lewis
WR Gabe Davis
OT Tylan Grable
S Darnell Savage
Activated: WR Mecole Hardman
Call Up: K Michael Badgley
Cleveland Browns Projected Inactives
OT Jack Conklin
TE David Njoku
RB Dylan Sampson
CB Denzel Ward
DT Sam Kamara
Final Thoughts
With the Browns having four starters out, several recent injuries to the offensive line, and a rookie quarterback in Shedeur Sanders, the Bills will still have to execute their game plan but should be able to take care of business Sunday. This isn’t a game that the Bills can play all their backups and go through the motions, especially with Myles Garrett on a mission to etch his name into the record books, but the Bills have the deeper and better coached team.
The Browns could certainly make this a game especially if the run game gets going and Sanders can quickly get the ball out, then things could get interesting. Ideally, the Bills move the ball offensively, keep Garrett from being a true game wrecker, and capitalize on mistakes, then they get that much closer to securing a playoff spot.
As always, I am hoping for a good game and no injuries.
Top Photo Credit: Yahoo Sports
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