The Buffalo Bills have secured their place in the NFL divisional round, but the victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars has come at a significant cost. Wide receiver Gabe Davis will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a devastating knee injury during Sunday's 27-24 wild-card triumph.
Another Major Setback for Davis
The 26-year-old receiver tore the ACL in his knee after taking a hard tackle from Jaguars safety Andrew Wingard. Davis had managed to catch two passes in the game before the incident, which ultimately saw him carted from the field. This represents a cruel twist of fate for Davis, whose 2024 campaign with the Jaguars was also cut short by a torn meniscus in his left knee.
That previous injury limited him to just ten appearances for Jacksonville, the team that had signed him to a lucrative three-year, $39 million contract before the season. He was released in May and subsequently rejoined the Bills in September. For Buffalo this season, Davis appeared in six games, recording 12 catches for 129 yards and one touchdown.
Secondary Concerns for Buffalo's Defence
The Bills' injury concerns extend beyond their offence. Veteran safety Jordan Poyer missed the entire second half of Sunday's win due to a hamstring issue, forcing the team's depleted secondary to rely on rookie Jordan Hancock.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott addressed Hancock's performance on Monday, stating, "It was good to get him the reps he got and did some really good things out there, especially for a young player that hasn't played a ton, in terms of consistently back there. He's been in certain packages for us, but he did a good job." The team may need to call upon the rookie again in the divisional round if the 34-year-old Poyer is unable to recover in time.
Potential Returns Offer Glimmer of Hope
Amid the bad news, there is a potential boost for the Bills roster. The team plans to open the practice windows for two key contributors currently on injured reserve: defensive tackle Ed Oliver and wide receiver Curtis Samuel.
Defensive coordinator Bobby Babich commented on Oliver's impending return, saying, "Ed's certainly a talented player. He's had some time off, so we just got to see where he's at." Samuel's return would be particularly timely, given that Davis and fellow receiver Joshua Palmer (ankle) are both done for the year.
In a minor miracle, quarterback Josh Allen played through the entire game despite being checked for a concussion and appearing to hurt his knee on one of his two touchdown runs. McDermott conceded Allen is "certainly sore," but added, "He's going to do whatever it takes to play."
The Bills now face a quick turnaround as they travel to Denver to take on the top-seeded and well-rested Broncos in the divisional round this Saturday, a challenge made steeper by their growing injury list.
