Ahead of a big divisional matchup on Sunday Night Football, the Buffalo Bills got the news that they will be without two defensive starters against the Patriots this week. At his press conference before Friday’s practice, Bills head coach Sean McDermott gave an injury update and confirmed that LB Dorian Williams and rookie CB Dorian Strong will be out against New England.
“Injury update: both Dorians — so [LB] Dorian Williams and [CB] Dorian Strong — will not practice and they will be out for the game [against the Patriots],” McDermott said. It’s an unfortunate blow for a Bills defense that had started to come on in recent weeks after struggling against the Ravens in Week 1. Despite their plethora of injuries on the defensive side of the ball, Buffalo ranks ninth in the league in total defense entering Week 5.
A third-round pick out of Tulane in 2023, Williams moved into the starting lineup last season after mostly playing special teams as a rookie. On the season, he has 18 tackles and a pass defensed, anchoring the middle of the Bills‘ defense.
Strong is a sixth-round rookie out of Virginia Tech, and while he wasn’t expected to need to contribute immediately, due to some injuries at cornerback for the Bills he was a starter in Week 1 against the Ravens. He held up pretty well all things considered, though he’s been more of a rotational body since as guys have returned to the field.
Williams is dealing with a knee injury and Strong has a neck injury. Neither are expected to go on Injured Reserve (IR).
Other Injury Updates for the Buffalo Bills
Bryan M. Bennett/GettyORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 18: Dee Eskridge #82 of the Miami Dolphins is tackled by Dorian Strong #43 of the Buffalo Bills in the second half of the game at Highmark Stadium on September 18, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)
After ruling out Williams and Strong, McDermott continued with his injury report for the Buffalo Bills. “And then [DT] T.J. Sanders will not practice. The rest of the guys will practice, and for T.J. and the rest of the guys that are practicing we’ll see where it goes, take it one hour at a time at this point.”
Sanders is dealing with a knee injury and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game. The “other guys” McDermott is referring to are RT Spencer Brown (calf), TE Jackson Hawes (ankle), LB Matt Milano (pectoral), and DT Ed Oliver (ankle). All were limited participants in Friday’s practice and are listed as questionable against the Patriots save for Hawes, who was a full participant in practice and has no injury designation for Sunday’s game.
The Buffalo Bills Can Increase Their Stranglehold on the AFC East
Heading into Week 5, the Bills already have a two-game lead on the Patriots for the early lead in the AFC East race. The Dolphins are three games behind Buffalo and the Jets four. Winning on Sunday would give the Bills a three-game lead just five weeks into the season.
Buffalo is already riding a five-year division win streak, a stark contrast from the 2000s and 2010s when the Patriots held the AFC East in the palm of their hand thanks to HC Bill Belichick and QB Tom Brady. Now, McDermott and Bills QB Josh Allen have a similar run of dominance, and on Sunday they can take another step towards winning for a sixth straight season.
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