The Buffalo Bills secured a notable victory against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday; however, this achievement came at a cost as they’ve faced yet another setback in their defensive lineup. Following their win and their continued pursuit of an AFC playoff spot, head coach Sean McDermott delivered unfortunate news regarding the defense: defensive tackle Jordan Phillips underwent surgery this morning and is now marked as week-to-week. Phillips sustained an injury during a play where he sacked Cowboys’ quarterback Dak Prescott in the third quarter of Sunday’s game. It appeared that during the sack, Phillips may have injured his wrist or hand as it made contact with the back of Dallas offensive tackle Terence Steele.
While McDermott has classified Phillips as week-to-week, which is a more optimistic timeline compared to tight end Dawson Knox’s recovery earlier this year that led to over five weeks on the team’s Injured Reserve (IR), it still highlights the Bills’ ongoing necessity for additional support on the defensive line.
We could potentially see @RiDQulous_98 open his practice window this week as he looks to return from his right pectoral tear suffered in Week 5.
Read up on his injury & expected timeline below. #BillsMafia https://t.co/ai45sADSNG
— Banged Up Bills (@BangedUpBills) December 18, 2023
Even though Poona Ford, who has seen limited action this season, remains on the roster for Buffalo and there’s hope for DaQuan Jones to potentially return before the season’s conclusion, McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane are considering further reinforcements. McDermott mentioned in his media briefing today that the team is actively seeking another defensive tackle, hinting at the likelihood of an addition to the squad within the coming weeks.
Additionally, McDermott provided updates on the recoveries of safety Micah Hyde (dealing with a stinger) and defensive end A.J. Epenesa (recovering from rib injuries) sustained a week ago. He acknowledged their progress. Regarding DaQuan Jones, who’s recovering from a pectoral tear that led to surgery and his placement on IR in October, McDermott mentioned that the 31-year-old is improving, but the team is cautiously taking it “one day at a time.” Despite this progress, Jones hasn’t entered the 21-day practice window, and he hasn’t officially resumed practicing with the team as of now.
Buffalo presently boasts four healthy defensive tackles: Ed Oliver, Linval Joseph, Tim Settle, and Poona Ford. Nevertheless, they have two potential choices for promotion from their current practice squad in Eli Ankou and Andrew Brown.
Aside from the defensive tackles, there are several other Bills players who, although briefly affected during the last game, are noteworthy and warrant observation during the compressed preparation time leading up to Buffalo’s upcoming game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday. These players include Ty Johnson (shoulder), Sam Martin (knee), Leonard Floyd (ribs), Trent Sherfield (heel), and Spencer Brown (finger).
Leave a Reply