The Bills defeated the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, but it cost them another defensive player.
One day after the Buffalo Bills upset the Dallas Cowboys to keep their playoff hopes alive, head coach Sean McDermott brought more terrible news for the defense: defensive tackle Jordan Phillips underwent surgery this morning and is now considered week-to-week.
Phillips was hurt on a play in the third quarter of Sunday’s game that resulted in the veteran lineman sacking Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. However, Phillips appeared to press his wrist/hand on the back of Dallas offensive lineman Terence Steele during the sack.
While McDermott has categorized Phillips as week-to-week, which is an improvement than when tight end Dawson Knox had surgery earlier this year and had to spend five-plus weeks on the team’s Injured Reserve (IR), the Bills still need additional defensive line help.
While Buffalo has Poona Ford on the roster, who has only played once or twice this season, and there is optimism that DaQuan Jones may return before the end of the season, it appears that McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane believe that more help is required. During his press conference today, McDermott stated that a search for another defensive tackle is underway, and that one might be added to the squad in the coming weeks.
McDermott also stated that safety Micah Hyde (stinger) and defensive end A.J. Epenesa (ribs) are making progress in their recovery from injuries suffered a week ago. He also stated that DaQuan Jones is progressing and that they are taking things “one day at a time” while he recovers from a pectoral tear and subsequent surgery that left him on injured reserve in October. However, as of today, Jones’ 21-day practice window has not been opened, and he has not resumed official exercise with the club.
Ed Oliver, Linval Joseph, Tim Settle, and Poona Ford are Buffalo’s four healthy defensive tackles. On their current practice squad, they do have two probable candidates for promotion: Eli Ankou and Andrew Brown.
Ty Johnson (shoulder), Sam Martin (knee), Leonard Floyd (ribs), Trent Sherfield (heel), and Spencer Brown (finger) are among the Bills who exited yesterday’s game, albeit briefly, and are worth keeping an eye on during the rest of the short week of preparation before Buffalo’s west coast trip to face the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday.
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