The Buffalo Bills overcame several injuries in their win over the Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday, and it appears they may have to do so once again in their upcoming game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Head coach Sean McDermott provided several injury updates on Monday afternoon. The most notable being that left tackle Dion Dawkins remains in concussion protocol, and edge rusher Joey Bosa is dealing with a hamstring injury. McDermott also said kicker Tyler Bass had surgery last week, ending his season.
On the brighter side, Spencer Brown, Dalton Kincaid, Joshua Palmer, and Terrel Bernard were all mentioned as players who are improving, though none were confirmed to be returning this week, so Bills fans will have to keep an eye on the injury report for those players.
How Buffalo Bills' injury outlook affects the matchup with Cincinnati Bengals
The Bills already got the news that the Bengals will be without their star pass rusher, Trey Hendrickson, who hasn’t played since Week 8 due to an abdominal injury. Coupled with the possibility that three key offensive starters could be returning, Buffalo could hold a significant advantage against the league’s worst passing defense and second-worst rushing defense, especially if Spencer Brown suits up.
Still, the status of Joey Bosa is no less concerning on the other side. The Bengals may be 4-8, but their season is not over with Joe Burrow back under center. Cincinnati upset the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday, keeping its slim playoff hopes alive.
While McDermott said the team will see how things go with Bosa’s injury, hamstrings are always fickle, as the 10-year veteran knows all too well. It wouldn’t be at all surprising if the Bills exercise caution and allow Bosa ample time to recover from the hamstring issue completely before putting him back on the field.
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The Bengals have been one of the better teams in the league in pass protection this season, allowing just 25 sacks throughout their difficult season. Burrow was sacked just once in his return to the lineup. That’s all bad news for a Bills team that will likely have to prepare to play without its leading sack artist in Bosa.
If Bosa can’t play due to the injury, then A.J. Epenesa will see more action opposite Gregory Rousseau. Both will need to put pressure on Burrow to ensure that Sunday’s game doesn’t turn into a shootout.