Chiefs vs. Bills: Buffalo’s injury report can be a bit misleading
By Matt Conner
If you read the injury report of the Buffalo Bills this week, you might be convinced that their offensive potential could be limited heading into their matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. That perspective would make sense, given the players who are either out or limited in team practices before the AFC Championship game.
At this point, the Bills have listed several wide receivers on the daily injury report, including their stellar offseason import Stefon Diggs. Not only has Diggs been limited in practice this week with an oblique injury, but the same can be said of Cole Beasley who is nursing a knee injury. Gabriel Davis, who came up with multiple key catches last week against the Baltimore Ravens, has missed every practice so far this week with an ankle injury, and these adjustments are on top of the loss of lead running back Zack Moss for the postseason.
On paper, things are concerning.
Don’t be fooled, however. Beasley had been limited in practice for nearly all of January so far and has played well on weekends. Then on Friday, head coach Sean McDermott stated that Beasley was “in a pretty good spot.”
The oblique injury for Diggs has plagued in past weeks as well, including last week’s win over the Baltimore Ravens. Yet Diggs is dominating in the postseason with 14 catches for 234 yards and 2 touchdowns in two games. Clearly the Bills’ training staff have a clear plan to manage these injuries with limited reps—if any at all—during the week in order to have them healthy on game day.
As for Davis, he left the Ravens game with an ankle injury and was questionable to return. Perhaps the Bills are letting him rest this week to give him his best chance to play on Sunday, but he is likely the biggest question mark on the injury report for the offense heading into the AFC Championship.
The Bills might be ailing on paper, but they are a high-octane offense whose players will be ready come game day no matter what you’re reading about them ahead of time.
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