Buffalo Bills have a short week to get healthy

The Buffalo Bills beat the Tennessee Titans by a score of 41-7 in the first game of a Monday Night Football doubleheader, but the win came at a cost as Buffalo had five players leave the field due to injuries.

During the first drive of the night, Buffalo center Mitch Morse was on the bottom of a pile and was forced to head to the locker room for x-rays on his right elbow. Morse was replaced by Greg Van Roten for much of the first half, but was able to return late in the second quarter.

A couple of more serious injuries affected the Bills’ defensive secondary, which is already playing without All-Pro cornerback Tre’Davious White who started the season on injured reserve while recovering from an ACL tear that happened in last season’s Thanksgiving Day matchup against the New Orleans Saints.

Just minutes before halftime, cornerback Dane Jackson was taken off the field via ambulance after a scary helmet-to-helmet collision with teammate Tremaine Edmunds. The injury occured while Jackson was tackling Titans wide receiver Treylon Burks and was struck by Edmunds who was attempting to assist with the tackle.

Jackson was later taken to Erie County Medical Center to get X-rays and a CT scan of his head and neck.

After the half, Buffalo’s secondary took another loss as safety Micah Hyde was carted to the locker room. Hyde was able to walk off the field, but was seen shaking his right arm and appeared to be a little unsteady.

The team later said that Hyde was also being evaluated for a neck injury and ruled him out for the remainder of the game.

In the fourth quarter, Buffalo announced that linebacker Matt Milano and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips were both being evaluated for injuries as well and that they would not return. The extent of the injures, Milano with a stinger and Phillips with a hamstring injury, was not apparent and it would be reasonable to consider that the Bills were being cautious considering the size of the lead they had over Tennessee.

After the game, head coach Sean McDermott said that he didn’t have any updates on any of the injuries including Jackson and Hyde, but that he had been able to speak with Jackson during halftime and that the cornerback was able to move all of his extremeties.

The Bills were without three key contributors in the game, as well. Defensive tackles Ed Oliver and Tim Settle missed the game, and wide receiver Gabe Davis was also in street clothes.

Buffalo has a short week to prepare for their road game against the Miami Dolphins this Sunday, so healing time will be at a minimum for the injured players. The depth of the Bills’ roster could be tested over the next week as they try to adjust their defense in preparation for playing a Miami team that put up more than 500 yards of total offense against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2.