The Buffalo Bills secured their first preseason win, a 9-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night. While many of the starters did see some playing time, several sat out as a precaution including Josh Allen and Terrel Bernard. Those starters who did play mostly saw their night end early in part to all the injuries the team is currently experiencing.
Unfortunately, that list grew a little longer on Saturday with at least five new names added to the injury report. Below are all the injuries sustained in Saturday’s win and analysis.
Did Not Play- Injury
The only minor surprise of the group is WR Curtis Samuel who missed two practices this week due to general soreness/vet rest. It is likely something nagging but the team needs to be proactive instead of reactive, especially considering his injury history.
In-Game Injuries
DT Austin Johnson (Calf)
Johnson saw 11 total snaps on Saturday (10 defense, 1 special teams) and saw his night end early due to a calf injury early in the second quarter.
By video, it looks as though he tweaked his left calf as he sprinted to the sidelines during his first play. It’s more noticeable as he trots back to the center of the field. Considering he played through the remainder of his snaps, his injury may have been more precautionary. His injury update came at halftime which has me believe they assessed him at halftime and kept him out to be safe. This one will require an update to determine the severity and estimate how much time he will miss.
TE Quintin Morris (Shoulder)
Morris exited late in the second quarter after the team gave a medical update that he was out with a shoulder injury
There was no announcement until during halftime which implied that this is more precautionary. He did land on the shoulder with the defenders body weight which could have caused a contusion or even mild AC joint sprain. I don’t expect him to miss extended time considering he finished the offensive series.
QB Mitch Trubisky (Left Knee)
Trubisky had a shaky outing against the Steelers, going 9 for 13 for 86 yards and one interception. To add injury to insult, Trubisky took a low hit to his left leg as he was taken down late in the second quarter.
By video, there is concern for a mild MCL sprain on the left knee following the hit. He can be seen favoring the leg as he finished the series and having some difficulty stepping into his throws. He was taken off shortly after and replaced by Ben DiNucci. Considering Trubisky is the backup, I don’t anticipate him needing extended time off or to miss many practices, but he may be limited for the next week or two or have to wear a hinged brace while the knee heals.
WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Neck)
The one injury that required the trainers to come on the field on Saturday was when MVS went down with a neck injury courtesy of a questionably late hit as seen below.
MVS was in obvious discomfort as the training staff assessed his neck and at one point considered bringing out the backboard as part of the Canadian C-Spine rules.
Fortunately, he did not require the backboard but did require assistance to walk off the field. Looking at the video closer, the hit came to the right side of his helmet which snapped the head left, suggesting at least a stinger, if not more of a whiplash injury.
We have observed many players take rough hits to the head and come back the following week. On Sunday, Tom Pelissero announced that MVS suffered a neck sprain with negative x-rays.
I expect him to miss roughly a week of practice which doesn’t bode well for his chances to make the roster. However, I could see him pushing to get back out there just so he can make his final case on a roster spot.
DE Javon Solomon (Calf)
The final injury of the night, Solomon was ruled out with a calf injury while trying to chase down Steelers QB Justin Fields.
In the second video, you can see Solomon either try to dive or feel the effect of his calf strain in the right leg which forces him to the ground. Trainers did not need to go out and assess him, but he was later ruled out once he returned to the sidelines. As with Austin Johnson’s calf injury, we need more info before a timeline can be established.
Final Thoughts
Outside of MVS’s neck injury, most of the injuries appear to be relatively minor in nature. I do expect some other new injuries to force players out of practice later this week, but the Bills appear to have avoided season-ending injuries, especially in light of the Matt Milano news.
The Bills have one more preseason game to get through and then roster cut downs before they can begin to formulate their game plans for Week 1. I do expect the Bills to use one of their two IR spots for Matt Milano during roster cut downs and another potential player could be Nick Morrow, barring injuries elsewhere. The team still does have the option to have injured players make the roster and then be placed on IR, but the new IR rule allows for two less roster transactions.
We can only hope for another week of practice where we see some players return and ideally avoid new players on the injury report. We will see what this week brings as they prepare to host the Carolina Panthers on Saturday in their final preseason game.
Top Photo Credit: Bryan Bennett | Credit: Getty Images
