When teams prepare for battle against each other, they are always looking to see what advantages they have going into the matchup. This could include mismatches simply because of talent, as well as injuries as they are always part of the game, unfortunately.
With the Buffalo Bills getting ready to take on the Houston Texans this Sunday, their injury report is very short. Only two players didn’t practice on Thursday (Ty Johnson and T.J. Sanders). Defensive back Jordan Hancock was listed as limited after not practicing on Wednesday.
Johnson not practicing for the second consecutive day is a bit concerning. Ever since his hamstring injury popped up back in early August, he hasn’t been on the field. Now the Bills could possibly not have his services for this Sunday which would hurt the offense a bit because of his versatility.
While Buffalo is dealing with that, the Texans' Thursday injury report provided some insight that could be big news for the offensive line.
Texans' injury report shows potential loss Houston could be facing
Houston posted their Thursday injury report and one name that was on it as a “DNP” was defensive tackle Kayden McDonald with an ankle injury. He was limited on Wednesday, but did not practice on Thursday. Now, there is still time for McDonald to prove that he is ready to go, but when a player usually doesn’t improve or even goes backwards, it’s never a good sign.
For those who may have forgot, McDonald was taken in the second round, one pick after the Bills selected T.J. Parker. A lot of people had thought that the Bills would drafted McDonald to help with their interior run-defense. Instead, they decided to bring in Parker and add him to a room with Bradley Chubb and Greg Rousseau.
McDonald being added to a defensive line that already has Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter is just totally unfair. Coming out of Ohio State, McDonald was pinned as the best run-stopping defensive tackle coming into the draft. Buffalo struggled to stop the run last season, so it seemed like a perfect fit. Obviously, the Bills went in a different direction.
Kayden McDonald possibly not playing would be huge bonus for Bills' O-line
Now granted, McDonald hasn't played an official snap in the NFL yet. However, his presence cannot be ignored. He is going to be one of Houston's bright players for the future, and the Bills' offensive line already has their hands full with Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. If McDonald is not ready to go, that gives the Bills a bit of an advantage in the trenches.
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