Buffalo Bills’ head coach Sean McDermott gave an update on the status of three injured starters during his press conference on Monday. McDermott said Matt Milano, Spencer Brown and Ed Oliver are all trending in the right direction and may all have a chance to play on Sunday, Oct. 5 when the Bills host the New England Patriots on Sunday Night Football.
“They’re all heading in the right direction,” McDermott said. “I’ll know more as we get into [Tuesday] and Wednesday morning as to their status for this week. We’ll probably have to take it one day at a time”
Milano has missed the last two weeks with a pectoral injury while Oliver missed the last three as he’s worked through an ankle injury.
Brown was the only one of the trio that had practice time leading into the game against the Saints in week four. He exited week three with a calf injury and was a limited participant on Friday leading into week four, holding a tag of questionable heading into the game against New Orleans, though he ultimately didn’t play.
Brown is probably the most likely candidate to return against New England this weekend as he has practice time already under his belt. The Bills will officially list their injury report for week five on Wednesday, Oct. 1 which will give a better idea of who realistically has a chance of playing against the Patriots.
Brown, Milano and Oliver All Vital Players In Buffalo Lineup
Although the Bills seemingly haven’t missed a step with Brown, Milano and Oliver out of the lineup as they’re off to a 4-0 start, each of the players has certainly been missed as Buffalo’s wins against Miami and New Orleans were closer than they should have been.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen was sacked three times against New Orleans in week four, the most he’s been sacked in a game this season. It was also the only game that Brown has missed. The 27-year-old tackle has been an essential part of Buffalo’s offensive line the last few seasons and his presence was certainly missed on Sunday.
Milano and Oliver are two of the most feared players on the Bills defense. Milano is versatile as a linebacker, he’s able to affect both the opposing quarterback as a pass rusher and secondary defender. Oliver is an absolute beast on the defensive line as he’s racked up 28 sacks in his NFL career. He adds a dangerous dynamic to the Bills D-line when he’s active.
Rivalry Week In Buffalo
The Bills are hosting their rival the New England Patriots for the first time this season in week five on Sunday Night Football. 8-3
Gone are the days of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick torturing Buffalo and in are the days of Josh Allen and Sean McDermott owning New England. Since Brady left New England after the 2019 season, the Bills are 8-3 against their rivals. It’s also worth noting that two of the three Patriots wins in that time came under funky circumstances: last season in week 18, the Bills rested their starters having already clinched their playoff spot and back in 2021, New England won in a game with some of the highest recorded winds in the history of the NFL. Patriots quarterback Mac Jones threw the ball just three times in that contest.
The Bills come in as heavy favorites, though New England has put together it’s best roster in years with Drake Maye having taken a second-year step as their starting QB.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Bills HC Sean McDermott Shares Positive Update on Injured Starters Before Patriots Game appeared first on Heavy Sports.