Coming off a disappointing loss, the Buffalo Bills head out west to take on the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night in a potential Super Bowl preview. The Rams are steadying the ship at 2-2 alternating wins and losses to start the season coming off a 24-20 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. The Bills came crashing down to earth with a demoralizing 29-26 loss to the New England Patriots to drop to 3-1.
Both teams come in with high-powered offenses and the MVP winners of the last two years under center in Josh Allen and Matthew Stafford. Both have electric play makers in the backfield along with dynamic pass catchers which will challenge both defenses all night.
Finally, both teams have injuries to key players on both sides of the ball that could create a mismatch just enough to secure a win. Read below for the full injury reports for each team and analysis along with projected inactives.
The Buffalo Bills vs Los Angeles Rams Week 5 Injury Preview is brought to you this season by Richmond Vona, LLC.
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BUFFALO BILLS INJURY REPORT
OUT
DT Ed Oliver (Left Knee)
Oliver was unable to practice Thursday as he works back from a potential MCL sprain after he was inadvertently taken out by former teammate Reggie Gilliam. Fortunately, Oliver was able to get off the field under his own power and was seen walking around post-game without any bracing or any crutches, a good sign long term.
Joe Brady noted that he didn’t expect Oliver’s injury to be long-term, but that also implies that there will be some time that he is down and unavailable. He was ruled out on Saturday.
WR Joshua Palmer (Shoulder)
Palmer popped up on the injury report Thursday with a shoulder injury and was officially limited. There weren’t any initial reports of him going down or needing attention. Saturday revealed that he got twisted up in practice and the team was still doing tests. He has been ruled out.
QUESTIONABLE
WR DJ Moore (Left Shoulder)
Moore missed practice on Thursday as he worked back from his re-injury of his AC joint in his left shoulder from Sunday. He was off to the side hanging out but not moving his left arm much but at the time had not been ruled out yet.
Joe Brady noted that Moore was doing everything possible to play but there has to be a point where the team has to look at the bigger picture of protecting him from himself. He’s had early exits in Week 2 and 4 of the season and an early exit doesn’t help the offense especially when they need to pivot in his absence.
It’s a long season; he’s older, he’s talented, and they need to save him for later, which means getting him healthy now means missing games. Whether that’s missing two games plus the bye or just one, he needs more time for that shoulder to recover. If he doesn’t, early exits, potentially worsening damage including to other structures, and loss of function increase. They also are heading out west and staying out there which means if he injured his shoulder again, he won’t have the same resources as he does back in Buffalo.
This is the Josh Allen conundrum we see with him playing through injuries. He shouldn’t play through this one as he needs more time to rehab it. But he could play, however, I don’t think he will be effective.
CB Dee Alford (Right Ankle)
Alford was unable to practice Thursday as he worked back from a right ankle injury that forced him out of Sunday’s contest with 9:28 left in the third quarter. This was the result of him backpedaling against a block before he hopped up on his left foot in pain to get off the right ankle.
He did require assistance to get off the field and hasn’t been seen since even at practice. It’s possible that this is a low ankle sprain, but he should have been able to have it taped up and return which then has me thinking he may have jammed the ankle trying to block which could have caused some type of bone bruise or with his ankle turned out, this could be a high-ankle. This is going off video from 1-2 angles without any additional context.
Looking at how he’s moving around, he looks pretty good though we don’t see him cutting on the ankle or doing much of anything outside of moving slower. If this is just a low ankle sprain, he plays. He does have black tape going up his ankle under his sock as seen in the video. Considering the team doesn’t have much available for slot corners as Te’Cory Couch went out with a hamstring strain last week and Jordan Hancock went on IR, my bet is that he suits up.
DL Landon Jackson (Right Knee)
Sporting a hinged brace on his right knee during practice, Jackson was able to be a limited participant on Thursday after going down with a right knee injury during Sunday’s game. It had initially looked worse than it appeared to be, but after getting off the field for further assessment, he was able to test out the leg and quickly return.
This is a fortunate event as this was the same knee he suffered his MCL and PCL sprains last year that required surgery for the MCL. On Friday, Lancy Lysowski of The Buffalo News reported that Jackson suffered a hyperextension of his knee but he was able to get a full practice Friday and Saturday, indicating that the injury was relatively minor.
Despite being questionable, Jackson got full practices in on Thursday and Friday and expects to be good to go. My guess for the questionable designation in case he has a setback during warmups.
ACTIVE
LB Joe Andreessen (Right Knee)
Andreessen has been battling a right knee injury dating back to Week 1 and potentially longer as he suffered a right quad injury back in mid-May and has worn tape or a sleeve on the right side since then. Considering that he has been a limited or full participant, it’s possible that this is patellar or quadriceps tendonosis that he continues to work through. More of a nuisance but still very much an injury he has to work through.
LB Terrel Bernard (Knee)
Bernard has been on the injury report since Week 3 as he has battled through a knee injury that has seen him miss practice on Fridays due to a veteran rest day, but he has had no designations. There has been discussions about how he doesn’t look like his normal self, but I’m not certain if this is more of his play coming off the prior ankle reconstruction surgery or if this knee is more problematic than we know. His talent certainly did outweigh his injury issues but the injuries have been more of an issue recently. Let’s hope that he is adjusting to the new defense more than injury concerns. He has also stated that he needs to be more vocal about listening to his body.
LB Bradley Chubb (Left Thumb)
Chubb has been on the injury report as a full participant since showing up prior to Week 2 due to a left thumb injury. He has had it heavily taped which suggests a fracture though he has still been effective and has not missed any time.
RB Ray Davis (Hamstring)
After appearing to suffer a hamstring injury last Thursday and being downgraded to limited, Davis was questionable heading into Sunday and did suit up, but he continues to see a limited workload on both special teams and on offense. I’m not sure why he has not been working more, but the limited snaps likely contributed to why he was active despite suffering the hamstring injury in practice last week. He has been a full participant this week and has no designation heading into the game.
S Damar Hamlin (Ribs)
Hamlin was a new addition to the injury report last week when he was wearing a red non-contact jersey as he battled through a ribs injury. Fortunately, he did not have a designation and was able to step in following the injury to Dee Alford when he exited with his ankle injury. He continues to work through the rib injury which suggests this may be more of a contusion to the area but he continues to be available.
G Ar’Maj Reed-Adams (Right Elbow)
Reed-Adams continues to work through a right elbow injury that he appeared to suffer in practice prior to Week 3 but has yet to make his NFL debut due to the numbers game on the offensive line. He has been a full participant all week along wearing a right elbow brace, but it remains to be seen when he’ll actually make his debut.
DL TJ Sanders (Appendectomy)
Sanders continues to work back from his surprise appendectomy prior to Week 3 that has kept him out for the last two games, though he was doubtful last week. He has yet to make his season debut after he suffered his right knee injury in practice ahead of Week 1 and then he had the illness that progressed to appendicitis in Week 2. He appears to be on track to play this week and will be a boost to the already strong defensive line, especially with Ed Oliver set to miss.
LB Dorian Williams (Hip)
Williams continues to work through a hip issue that appeared following the Week 3 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. He has been a full participant and nothing suggests this is a bigger issue than it appears to be.
CB Christian Benford (Right Toe)
Benford returned to practice this week after missing the previous game due to a right toe injury sustained against the Los Angeles Chargers. Despite the toe designation, it wasn’t clear that this was a turf toe injury.
He appeared to be moving very well in practice on Thursday and with his return to the field continued to support the Banged Up Bills injury database showing that CB/DB missed just over 1 game due to a toe injury.
Fortunately, he was deemed good to go on Saturday.
WR Keon Coleman (Right Ankle)
Coleman has been on a tear this season becoming one of Josh Allen’s top targets when DJ Moore is unavailable. He has done all this despite dealing with what looked to be a low ankle sprain when he suffered the injury against the Detroit Lions in Week 2.
He has had some weird practice participation with him being questionable the last two weeks still has me thinking he could have a lingering injury that included the foot/toe injury from the preseason. Whatever the specific issue is, he has been stepping up and making a difference in his third year. Fortunately, he was able to get through the week and has no designation.
LOS ANGELES RAMS INJURY REPORT
QUESTIONABLE
S Quentin Lake (Left Hip)
Lake was spotted at practice on Friday with a sleeve on his left leg performing sprints as he worked with the rehab staff.
He has played in every defensive snap on Sunday so it’s not clear when he suffered the injury, but considering he’s wearing a full sleeve on his leg and sprinting, it wouldn’t surprise me to find out he’s dealing with a hip flexor injury.
He was able to get a limited practice in on Saturday and is officially questionable. Defensive backs which include safeties miss .79 games on average with a hip injury according to the Banged Up Bills injury database.
Despite the questionable designation, head coach Sean McVay thinks Lake is trending in the right direction. He has a 61.6 percent chance to play based on the Banged Up Bills injury database. McVay is optimistic and I believe there is some gamesmanship there, but I question how effective he will be especially with his positional demands. I think he’ll sit this one out.
ACTIVE
DE Aaron Donald (Back)
Donald missed Week 4 as he is working through back soreness as he continues to ramp up in his return after two years off. In the games that he did play, he played in roughly 50 percent of the defensive snaps but even HOF-caliber players don’t just step back in at their prior level of performance.
I expect him to play and still need to be accounted for as a force up the middle. Despite not practicing Friday, he has no designation and will play on Monday.
CB Jaylen Watson (Right Shoulder)
Watson missed the Week 4 win over the Philadelphia Eagles after suffering a dislocated right shoulder late in the first half in Week 3. After not practicing last week, he was able to get a limited practice on Thursday. Head coach Sean McVay stated that he was hopeful that Watson could play with a shoulder harness.
This is an injury that many players play through, but the concern is that he will re-dislocate or sublux, which is a partial dislocation. The shoulder harness will help restrict his range of motion to prevent him from having the shoulder pop out again, but if he takes a direct shot to the shoulder, lands on it, grabs to tackle, it could pop out again.
The harness can help, but it won’t prevent all instances. Players that suffer a dislocation miss on average 3 weeks and have a 55 percent recurrence rate for future dislocations that usually end up requiring surgery. Keep in mind, the labrum is like a golf tee. If there is a chip in the golf tee, it takes less effort for the golf ball to fall off. Same concept with the labrum. If there is a tear, it takes less effort for the shoulder to further dislocate.
Watson will play Monday, but he has a higher risk for an early exit should the Bills target him and force him to use his right shoulder. They shouldn’t hope for injury, but that range of motion will be limited and his strength won’t be what it normally is. This could be a weak spot for the Bills to exploit.
TE Colby Parkinson (Knee/Right Shoulder)
Parkinson has been beat up already as he came into the Week 4 contest with a knee injury and appeared to suffer a right AC joint sprain in Week 4 as was considered day-to-day. It’s not clear the extent of his knee injury that has been lingering for longer, but he may need to gut through this since Terrance Ferguson is on injured reserve.
He will receive an injection for his shoulder but he may still be limited at times with his pass catching and if he takes a hard shot to his shoulder. This could mean more opportunities for Tyler Higbee.
He was limited on Thursday before getting full practices Friday and Saturday without a designation.
WR Konata Mumpfield (Shoulder)
Mumpfield suffered a rotator cuff contusion in the Week 4 win over the Eagles which landed him on the injury report. While a contusion appears relatively minor, this is still very much a real injury with difficulty lifting his arm overhead and having full use of his shoulder. If he has to extend at the end of his catch radius or take a direct shot to his shoulder, he could be at greater risk for ball security issues or even an early exit.
The fact that he is practicing in full indicates that the team has this under control, but the risk for re-injury is still there.
LB Grant Stuard (Hamstring)
Stuard was a new addition to the injury report this week after he picked up a hamstring injury after playing in just 25 special teams snaps. According to his game logs, he is exclusively a special teams contributor. Despite his limited practice, he has no designation.
LB Josiah Stewart (Groin)
Stewart continues to work through a groin strain that led him to be a late questionable addition on Friday after a DNP prior to Week 4. He was still active and saw 52 percent of defensive snaps.
LB Nate Landman (Shoulder)
Landman has been on the injury report since suffering a shoulder injury in Week 1. I can’t find any official sources, but there were posts on the Rams Reddit page that states that Landman suffered a left AC joint sprain back in Week 1 that has limited him since then.
He has not missed any games, but likely needs an injection to help him get through the game and absorb the tackles he needs to make at linebacker.
Buffalo Bills Projected Inactives
DT Ed Oliver
WR DJ Moore
WR Joshua Palmer
OL Ar’Maj Reed-Adams
OT Jude Bowry
DE Mike Danna
Call Up: DT Phidarian Mathis
Los Angeles Rams Projected Inactives
S Quentin Lake
QB Ty Simpson
OL Bill Murray
WR CJ Daniels
WR Tutu Atwell
Final Thoughts
There are matchups that each team can exploit to win the game. For the Bills, there is an opportunity to attach the back seven with the linebacker depth thinned and with Jaylen Watson’s shoulder injury along with Quentin Lake’s hip issue, they may be able to find some open areas to exploit or challenge these players enough to where their injuries hold them back. With the Rams not having Myles Garrett wrecking the offensive line, this can give Josh Allen more time to move the ball.
For the Rams, they also have to challenge the secondary to take control of this game as the Bills are down Jordan Hancock, the corners are young in Max Hairston and Davison Igbinosun, and Christian Benford is coming off his toe injury. If they execute like the Patriots did last week, then this could be a rough time for the Bills offense trying to outscore in order to keep up.
This game could be high scoring or it could be a chess match in who makes fewer mistakes and who has the ball last. The advantage certainly goes to the Rams with their experience in coaching and having Matthew Stafford. But they have injuries around the roster and if certain guys have early exits like Watson or Puka Nacua who is still working through his suspected core muscle injury, then the Bills can take advantage.
This has the potential for a Super Bowl preview if the stars align, but on Monday, someone will walk away with a loss. I’m always hoping for a great game with minimal injuries, but Monday night should be exciting.
Top Photo Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
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