The Buffalo Bills and head coach Sean McDermott will be without defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, and will likely be without safety Micah Hyde for this week’s intraconference matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Phillips will not be on the team for the remainder of the regular season as he went to IR with a wrist injury. The injury seemingly occured on this play against the Dallas Cowboys:
This was the play that #Bills Jordan Phillips injured his right wrist on.
You can see his wrist slams heel first into Steele’s buttocks.
Certainly going through differential diagnosis for immediate surgery last night.
Something fractured, dislocated, displaced is first guess. pic.twitter.com/ybkXoPeIZa
— Banged Up Bills (@BangedUpBills) December 18, 2023
Hyde’s last game was against the Kansas City Chiefs on Dec. 10, and he has been out with a neck stinger since. Hyde participated in practice this week, but according to coach Sean McDermott on WGR 550 Sports Radio it
Doesn’t look like he’ll make it
Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Jordan Phillips will be missed on the inside
Phillips is an anchor on the interior defensive line for the Bills. Not only that, but the Bills are relatively thin at the position as they make a run at the postseason.
Ed Oliver, Linval Joseph, Tim Settle and Poona Ford are the healthy defensive tackles on the Buffalo roster. DaQuan Jones is still injured and will not play against the Chargers, despite the opening of his practice window. There are two more practice squad defensive tackles that are available for elevation.
We could potentially see @RiDQulous_98 open his practice window this week as he looks to return from his right pectoral tear suffered in Week 5.
Read up on his injury & expected timeline below. #BillsMafia https://t.co/ai45sADSNG
— Banged Up Bills (@BangedUpBills) December 18, 2023
Ford was a healthy scratch in recent games, and he will likely be the tackle that is filling in for Phillips. Phillips has 2.5 sacks this season, and one of those sacks came during the game in which he sustained the injury. Phillips started nine of the 14 games he played in this season.
The Buffalo Bills back end is not the same without safety Micah Hyde
Despite coming off of one of the best defensive performances on the year, the Bills will still miss veteran Micah Hyde in the secondary. Hyde accrued 49 tackles, two interceptions and five pass break-ups in the 12 weeks he played.
Hyde amassed over 70 tackles in four of the six seasons he played with the Bills. The two seasons in which he did not, 2018 and 2022, were seasons that did not see Hyde play a full season.
The former Green Bay Packer has 639 tackles and 24 interceptions throughout his entire career. He started 126 times in his over a decade-long career.
Buffalo Bills safety Taylor Rapp replaced Hyde in his absence. Rapp had a season-high eight tackles against the Cowboys. He now has 39 total tackles on the season. Rapp and Hyde are both in the top 10 in tackles for the Bills this season.
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