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It was a good recap from Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Dion Dawkins on Sunday.
Which is great to hear because some things are just more important than football.
Dawkins ended up playing in his team’s 33-21 win vs. the New England Patriots in Week 16. The plan, at first, was for him to not be on the field.
Then injury struck Ike Boettger and Dawkins had to hop out there despite only being activated one day prior.
The left tackle was on Buffalo’s Reserve/ COVID-19 list until Saturday. It the second time Dawkins spent time there this season and the first occasion things got scary for him as he was even hospitalized.
Thankfully, was not the case this time around for Dawkins.
“I actually feel really good. Way, way, way better. I’m smiling, I’m here, I’m happy,” Dawkins said via video conference following the win. “It was definitely a better outcome than the last time because I didn’t go to the hospital.”
Allowing a player to ease back into the lineup after injury or COVID is something the Bills are no stranger to doing.
Just a few weeks back, it appeared offensive lineman Jon Feliciano got the same treatment. Center Mitch Morse did last season.
As someone who was in a similar position, Morse appreciated the fact that Dawkins was ready to step up and deliver a good performance against the Pats on short notice.
“When Dion showed up on Saturday less than 24 hours before a game, he just hit the ground running and that speaks to the professional he is,” Morse said. “He didn’t miss a beat.”
According to The Athletic, Dawkins and Buffalo’s offensive line allowed quarterback Josh Allen a season-high 3.1 seconds to work per dropback. Allen was also not sacked by the Patriots.
The Bills offensive line have had their critics this season… but this group, Dawkins included, earned their praises in New England.
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