Bills head coach Sean McDermott shared a concerning update on defensive tackle DaQuan Jones, who missed Mondayâs 24-14 loss to the Falcons with a left calf injury.
Jones reported feeling a pop in his calf during pregame warmups, causing him to be a late scratch.
When asked about the severity of Jonesâ injury, McDermott told reporters he wasnât sure and needed to get more clarity from head athletic trainer Nate Breske.
âNate approached me, and we were going through team warmups there, at that point, and said that DQ was out because he popped his calf,â McDermott said postgame.
Jones, who has four tackles and two sacks in five games, left the locker room in a protective boot, according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. With a bye upcoming in Week 7, Jones will have extra time to rest before the Billsâ next game, but the early signs are not encouraging.
Injuries Continue to Plague Bills Defense
Jonesâ injury is the latest blow to a defense that continues to get hit hard by injuries. The Bills just got back defensive tackle Ed Oliver from an ankle injury following a four-game absence, while rookie second-round defensive tackle T.J. Sanders (knee) and safety Demar Hamlin (pectoral) are both on injured reserve. Linebacker Matt Milano (pectoral) is also out.
Jordan Phillips and rookie fourth-rounder Deone Walker were given increased roles against the Falcons, who saw Bijan Robinson rush for 170 yards, including an 81-yard touchdown, on 19 carries. The Falcons had 210 total rushing yards.
Bills’ Run Defense Sinks to New Low
The Bills have dropped two straight since a 4-0 start to fall into a tie atop the AFC East with the Patriots.
Stopping the run has been a big problem, and it may remain such if the 6-foot-4, 320-pound Jones is out for an extended stretch. Through six games, only two teams are allowing more rushing yards per game than the Bills (156.3). By stark contrast, the Bills rank fourth in pass defense (167.2 yards allowed per game).
The 335 yards allowed during the first two quarters Monday were the most given up in an opening half by Buffalo since 2001.
Afterward, McDermott stressed that things must improve coming out of the bye.
âWeâll figure things out on offense, defense and special teams,â McDermott said, via ESPN. âWeâve got to start over and start from ground zero and figure this thing out and work our tails off to do it.â
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