Von Miller, Dion Dawkins out for Bills-Patriots Week 13 tilt

The Buffalo Bills will head to New England for their Thursday Night Football matchup with the New England Patriots with the healthiest roster they have had in weeks.

It’s been a long time since we weren’t waiting anxiously for the game-day inactives to see if it included any of the key pieces to a team that was billed as one of the Super Bowl favorites back in August. That doesn’t mean that the Bills are coming into Week 13 at full strength, however — it just means we know all of the pieces now.

Edge rusher Von Miller and left tackle Dion Dawkins have been ruled out for tomorrow’s must-win AFC East divisional game. The rulings came as no surprise, with head coach Sean McDermott stating on Sunday that Miller wouldn’t play this week, and with neither of the two linemen participating in practice in any capacity this week.

While their absence will be felt, the good news is that the defense will get pass rushers Greg Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa back, along with linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. And, of course, the return of cornerback Tre’Davious White will continue, with the All-Pro cornerback hopefully getting an increase in snaps this week.

On the other side of the ball, the offensive line will get center Mitch Morse back. Plus, quarterback Josh Allen has been a full participant in every practice this week. While Allen hasn’t missed any game time since injuring the elbow on his throwing arm in Week 9, he had been limited in practice until this week. With a sometimes-superhuman Allen back at full strength and a healthy Morse anchoring the line, could we see the return of the high-octane offense that put up 47 points against the Patriots the last time they met?

Backup tight end and special teams ace Quintin Morris, who has been out with an illness most of the week, was back to practice today, and is the only player listed as questionable for game time—presumably to ensure he is well-hydrated, rested, and still feeling well 24 hours from now.

In a game that has a lot of meaning for a team still looking for its first divisional win of the season, despite having an 8-3 record, we will now be watching to see who the healthy scratches will be tomorrow, instead of watching to see “who is the least hurt today,” as we have been doing since the second week of the season.

The timing of the Bills getting healthy couldn’t be better.

Things don’t look as great for the hosts of Thursday night’s game, however.

Along with ruling out running back Damien Harris and right tackle Isaiah Wynn, the Patriots have six other players listed as questionable.

Harris has been dealing with a thigh injury that has kept him from practicing this week and it looks like New England will be relying on second-year back Rhamondre Stevenson to do the majority of the ball carrying tomorrow night.

With Wynn out with a foot injury and center David Andrews and tackle Yodny Cajuste both questionable, it could be a long night for quarterback Mac Jones who will try to avoid last week’s AFC Defensive Player of the Week in Ed Oliver along with a newly healthy Greg Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa. Jones’ job won’t get any easier if wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, also questionable as of now, ends up sidelined with the shoulder injury that has kept him limited in practice this week.

Also questionable for tomorrow’s game are safety Jabrill Peppers (illness) and cornerbacks Jalen Mills (groin) and Marcus Jones (ankle).