Buffalo Bills Injury Report: Week 8 vs Baltimore Ravens
The Buffalo Bills Injury Report heads into a massive Week 8 showdown as the 5-1 Bills welcome the 4-3 Baltimore Ravens to Orchard Park on Sunday at 1 PM. This will be the seventh matchup between Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson as starting quarterbacks, with Allen holding a 4-2 edge in the head-to-head series. The Ravens arrive in Buffalo having dropped two straight, but they’re expecting to get their superstar quarterback back after Lamar missed the last three games with a high ankle sprain. Jackson says he’s not 100%, but apparently his mom, who also happens to be his manager, has given him the green light. So hopefully he’s been stocking up on that Night Lights unisex perfume, because he’s going to need every advantage he can get. All jokes aside, this game has serious playoff implications down the road. Two heavyweight AFC contenders, one very important Sunday afternoon, and plenty of thighs that need to hold up.
The Bills have six players listed as QUESTIONABLE heading into Sunday’s matchup, but in my opinion, only half of those names are legitimate concerns. Cornerback Dee Alford (ankle), defensive lineman Greg Gaines (calf), and offensive tackle Spencer Brown (back) headline the group of players I’m most concerned about. The other three are wide receiver DJ Moore (shoulder), tight end Dalton Kincaid (chest), and outside linebacker T.J. Parker (knee). There is some positive news on the roster front, as wide receiver Tyrell Shavers had his 21-day practice window activated this week while continuing his recovery from a January ACL injury. He won’t be available Sunday, but Buffalo has another two weeks to evaluate his progress and decide whether to bring him back to the active roster.
The Ravens will be without two starters on Sunday, with offensive guard Vega Ioane and safety Jaylinn Hawkins both ruled out. However, the biggest storyline is the return of Lamar Jackson. After missing the previous three games with a high ankle sprain, Jackson is expected back under center, although he has admitted he’s still dealing with some pain and described it as bearable. That’s certainly something to keep an eye on. There’s a big difference between being cleared to play and being able to play at your usual level. We’ll see how that ankle holds up when the game gets underway in Orchard Park.
QUESTIONBALE
Spencer Brown, OT | Back
Spencer Brown was knocked out of the Rams game with a back injury, then reportedly took ‘enough drugs to sedate a small elephant’ just to get himself on the field against the Raiders. He managed to play the entire game, but here we are two weeks later, coming off a bye, and that back clearly hasn’t responded well to the quick return. Brown went DNP-DNP-Limited this week, and the practice report doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. He has said he can play without practicing, so we’ll see if he can make that happen again.
I’m less concerned about whether Brown has to miss another game and more concerned about the bigger picture. Is this something that’s going to keep biting him in the ass throughout the season? Or worse, does it become a problem when the Bills need him most in the playoffs? Getting him through Sunday is one thing. Keeping that back healthy for the long haul is another. Here is a history of his back ailments.
Dee Alford, CB | Ankle
Alford was knocked out of the Week 4 game against the Patriots, then missed Week 5 against the Rams before making a return in Week 6 against the Raiders. The initial injury appeared to be a minor high ankle sprain, and getting back after missing just one game was a pretty quick turnaround. But after the bye week, things took an unexpected turn. Alford started with limited participation before going DNP in back-to-back practices.
Did he tweak that ankle during practice? That’s certainly what the practice pattern suggests. It’s never a good sign when a player goes from limited work to consecutive days without practicing, especially coming off a week of rest. At this point, his chances of returning Sunday don’t look great. We’ll see if he can get back on the field, but this one has me concerned.
Greg Gaines, DL | Calf
Greg Gaines reportedly tweaked something during Friday’s practice, which is pretty wild considering it was only a walkthrough. That “something” turned out to be his calf, and I would expect him to miss this week. It’s an unfortunate time to lose some depth along the defensive line, but luckily, Ed Oliver is expected to return after dealing with his knee injury. Getting Oliver back should help soften the blow if Gaines has to sit this one out.
DJ Moore, WR | Shoulder
Moore’s last appearance was in Week 4, when he appeared to suffer the same AC joint sprain mechanism we saw back in Week 2 against the Lions. That injury snapped his streak of more than 90 consecutive games played, and the Bills have kept him out of the lineup for the last two games. He’ll now have had four weeks to recover, which is plenty of time for what is typically a 1-3 week injury.
With that said, Moore was limited all week and continued wearing a non-contact jersey at practice. I think this was more about keeping him fresh and protecting that shoulder than anything else. The plan appears to be getting him back on the field Sunday, and I’m expecting him to play.
Dalton Kincaid, TE | Chest
Kincaid is listed with a chest injury after being temporarily knocked out of last week’s game with what was reported as a rib injury. He was able to return, which is encouraging, but he was limited all week and remained in a non-contact jersey. The expectation is that he’ll play Sunday.
One thing worth watching is his workload. Kincaid has been playing significantly more snaps than he did last season, averaging 71% of the offensive snaps over the last two games. We’ll see if he can maintain that kind of usage coming off the rib/chest injury, or if the Bills decide to ease him back in a little.
T.J. Parker, OLB | Knee
Parker had a good week of practice, progressing from limited to limited to full participation. I expect him to play Sunday. The bigger question is how much he’ll be on the field. Through the first five weeks, Parker was averaging around 20% of the defensive snaps. That changed dramatically in Week 6 against the Raiders, when he more than doubled his previous season high with a 62% snap share (41 snaps).
Some of that increase may have been due to Bradley Chubb getting banged up during the game. We’ll see if Parker’s workload settles back closer to his usual numbers this week, especially while dealing with a knee injury. The full practice Friday is encouraging, but I’m curious how the Bills plan to use him.
ALSO LISTED
Ed Oliver, DT | Knee
Oliver went down in the Week 4 game against the Patriots with what appeared to be a left MCL sprain. He’ll have four weeks of recovery under his belt heading into Sunday. Mild MCL sprains typically carry a 1-3 week recovery timeline, so it’s no surprise to see him cleared to return.
This is actually Oliver’s third missed game of the season. He also sat out Week 2 with a hip flexor injury. When healthy, he’s been a major part of this defensive line, playing an 82% snap share (65 snaps). It’ll be interesting to see how much work the Bills give him in his return. Getting him back is a big boost, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they manage his workload a bit as he gets back up to speed.
The ThighDoctor’s Final Thigh Check 🦵🩺
The Bills get a big boost with Ed Oliver returning, while DJ Moore, Dalton Kincaid, and T.J. Parker all appear on track to play. The biggest concerns remain Spencer Brown’s back and Dee Alford’s ankle. Greg Gaines is also looking unlikely after tweaking his calf.
With Lamar Jackson expected back for Baltimore, Buffalo needs as many healthy bodies as possible. Let’s hope the thighs hold up and the Bills take care of business.
When in doubt, thigh it out!
