Bills vs Steelers: Jordan Poyer, Dawson Knox ruled out for Sunday

On Friday morning, Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott announced that safety Jordan Poyer and tight end Dawson Knox would not be active on Sunday when the Bills host the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Both Poyer and Knox had not practiced Wednesday or Thursday as they dealt with injuries sustained in the Bills’ come-from-behind win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4.

Poyer, who earned his first-ever AFC Defensive Player of the Week award, put up great numbers Sunday (two interceptions and six tackles) including an interception on a 4th & Goal pass attempt by quarterback Lamar Jackson. While Poyer’s interception kept the Ravens from taking the go-ahead-score and gave Buffalo the ball on the 25-yard line as they started their game-winning drive, it also cost the All-Pro safety. Poyer looked like he was in pain as he returned to the sidelines, and later in the post-game press conference told the media that he just had his breath knocked out. However, the 31-year-old safety has spent the week on the sidelines—where he will also be on Sunday—with what is listed as an injury to his ribs.

With safety Micah Hyde out for the season, Buffalo will have to rely on safeties Damar Hamlin, Jaquan Johnson, and Cam Lewis—who has also been on the injury list with knee and forearm issues, but was a full participant this week—to hold down both safety position.

As for Knox, the fourth-year tight end who recently signed a $53.6 million contract extension has been battling injuries for a few weeks. Initially listed with a foot injury heading into Week 3, Knox added a hamstring injury to his list of ailments this week. Having not practiced in the early part of the week, McDermott went ahead on Friday morning and ruled Knox out for Sunday.

Buffalo has tight ends Quintin Morris and Tommy Sweeney listed on their active roster. While Sweeney has been a healthy scratch on game days, it’s reasonable to assume that both will be active Sunday when the Bills host the Steelers. Reggie Gilliam will likely play an increased role, as well.

McDermott also confirmed that, as expected, cornerback Christian Benford (surgery for a broken hand), and wide receivers Jamison Crowder (broken ankle), and Jake Kumerow (ankle) will not be active.

After Friday’s practice, wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, and defensive tackles Ed Oliver and Jordan Phillips were all listed as questionable for Sunday.

McKenzie, who has been in concussion protocol all week, was out of the red non-contact jersey during practice but was still listed as a limited participant. Whether McKenzie is active on Sunday will likely be determined by how he progresses over the next twenty-four hours.

It is interesting to note that RG Ryan Bates was in concussion protocol last week and after being limited in a red jersey on Thursday he was a full participant in last Friday’s practice with no game-day designation being listed on the final injury report of week four. Compare that to McKenzie being limited for a second day and listed as questionable and it could be reasonable to think he may need more time.

Edmunds being listed as questionable creates more questions than answers. The linebacker, who had nine tackles last week against the Ravens, has been a non-participant all week with a hamstring injury so the likelihood of him suiting up Sunday is slim.

As for Oliver and Phillips, it’s just another week with the same story. The pair has been sidelined most of the season - Oliver since mid-game during week one when he injured his ankle in Los Angeles and Phillips since the end of the week two when he injured his hamstring while running downfield on a Matt Milano pick-6. While McDermott continues to say that the pair of defensive tackles are progressing and keeps referring to them as “day-to-day” they have yet to get past being limited in practice or be active on game days.

On the other side of the field Sunday will be the Pittsburgh Steelers who have been fighting off the injury-bug themselves.

The Steelers are without T.J. Watt who is out with a torn pec muscle suffered during the Steelers week one overtime win in Cincinnati. In addition, they will be without cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon who is out with a hamstring injury.

Two of Pittsburgh’s other cornerbacks have been on the injury list all week as well. Former Buffalo Bill Levi Wallace has been limited in practice but his status for Sunday hasn’t been stated. However, Cam Sutton is listed as questionable as he is battling both a hamstring injury and a groin injury.

Pittsburgh’s other game-time decision for player personnel will be safety Terrell Edmunds, brother of Buffalo’s Tremaine. WIth the safety in concussion protocol and listed as questionable, it’s possible that both Edmunds brothers could be watching the game - although from opposite sides of the field - on Sunday.