Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
PFF: Lowest-graded Bills players on defense vs. the Seahawks
The Buffalo Bills defeated the Seattle Seahawks on the road in Week 8, 31-10.
Statistics might help determine who played well or not, and so may the eye test. But, let’s take it a step further with some help from the analytics folks at Pro Football Focus.
Using PFF grades from Week 8, here are the five lowest-graded players from the Bills (6-2) defense against the Seahawks (4-4).
PFF grade: 60.9.
PFF grade: 57.7.
PFF grade: 53.8.
PFF grade: 46.4.
PFF grade: 28.6.
Bills vs. Jaguars: 3 key matchups to watch in Week 3
The Buffalo Bills host the Jacksonville Jaguars in their upcoming Week 3 matchup.
Even with it being an important AFC clash, it will still be the games, within the game, that will make all the difference.
Here are three key matchups to watch during Monday’s Bills-Jaguars contest:
While Hines-Allen only has recorded one sack so far in 2024, he’s still doing pretty well in for a good overall defensive front in Jacksonville. Pro Football Focus grades him as the NFL’s sixth-best edge defender through two weeks. Considering he is watching Bills quarterback Josh Allen’s blindside, Dawkins has to play well.
Each week it seems like a new player is stepping up in the passing game for the Bills which has complemented the rushing efforts of James Cook very well. This might be a good time to show why Coleman is a deep threat.
PFF is not the end all, be all, but let’s be frank: It’s never good when the football analytics outlet ranks you as the worst player at your position in the entire NFL. That’s what Cisco currently is. Get Coleman on his side of the field and send him deep.
Spector has the confidence of his team. He is going to make his first start since the postseason in 2023 against the Kansas City Chiefs as Terrel Bernard (pectoral) is expected to miss a few weeks.
Even so, Etienne is a good playmaker. There’s a reason why Buffalo wanted to draft him years ago. Spector is not solely going to be tasked with stopped him, but when he has his shots at the running back Spector has to stop him.
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PFF: 5 worst-graded #Bills players on defense in Wild Card vs. the #Steelers:
The Buffalo Bills won their Wild Card matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 31-17 final.
The Bills (11-6) had a few players that stood out above the rest. On defense, the Bills were led by an attacking defensive front the Steelers could not handle.
In terms of the players who helped them pull out the win, Buffalo will hope such efforts improve from some players throughout the rest of the 2023 playoffs as they aim for the Super Bowl.
According to Pro Football Focus, they’ll need these players to step it up moving forward.
Here are the five worst-graded Bills players on defense Steelers in the Wild Card round:
5 takeaways from the #Bills’ 31-17 win over the #Steelers:
The Buffalo Bills are moving on in the NFL playoffs.
The Bills topped the Pittsburgh Steelers by a score of 31-17 in the NFL’s Wild-Card round.
Here are five takeaways from the Bills’ playoff win over the Steelers at Highmark Stadium:
#Bills’ Baylon Spector questionable to return vs. #Steelers:
The Buffalo Bills’ depth at linebacker is being tested in a big way against the Pittsburgh Steelers in their NFL Wild-Card matchup.
The Bills are now without Baylon Spector. He was starting in place of Tyrel Dodson (shoulder) who did not play.
And that’s Dodson, who has started most of the year because of Matt Milano’s season-ending injury of his own.
Spector was labeled as questionable to return and headed to Buffalo’s locker room early. He sustained a back injury.
Reportedly Spector was injured trying to recover a fumble:
#Bills Sam Martin Left Hamstring
Injured it trying to run down live ball on blocked FG.
This is his plant leg, not impossible to return, but isn’t going to make it any easier. Save him for holding.
Not sure who backup punter would be.#Bills pic.twitter.com/X5MQXmuLyJ
— Banged Up Bills (@BangedUpBills) January 15, 2024
Without Spector, AJ Klein is on the field for the Bills defense.
Bills Wire will provide updates when information is made available.
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Injuries made the #Bills defensive snaps interesting:
The Buffalo Bills got after it against the Miami Dolphins and ended up taking a close win, 21-14, on Sunday evening in Week 18.
But who exactly were the ones on the field for the Bills (11-6) doing all the dirty work against the Dolphins (11-6)?
More often than not, taking a look in between the lines at snap count totals for Buffalo’s players can give us some insight as to what went down in between the lines on the gridiron.
There is always plenty to discover when looking at these finer details.
With that, here’s how the Bills depth chart broke down via snap counts in their latest win against the Dolphins:
#Bills add Baylon Spector to 53-man roster, elevate Ja’Marcus Ingram:
The Buffalo Bills have made two players eligible to play in their upcoming Week 6 contest against the New York Giants.
Linebacker Baylon Spector (hamstring) was added to the team’s 53-man roster. Earlier this week, he was designated to return from injured reserve and now is back on the team’s roster.
The Bills (3-2) had a roster space open after placing linebacker Matt Milano (leg) and defensive tackle DaQuan Jones (pectoral) on injured reserve. Upon doing so, the team only signed AJ Klein to the 53-man roster and left one spot open which is now filled by Spector.
Ingram is potentially a more interesting addition.
The former UDFA can now play against the Giants after being called up from the practice squad. The team did the same with him last week and he ended up replacing former first-round pick Kaiir Elam at cornerback late in the 25-20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
It remains to be seen if Elam get another start or is even inactive on game day again. This week cornerback Dane Jackson (foot) was on Buffalo’s injury report and is listed as questionable to play. Ingram being elevated might be sign Jackson will be out.
The Bills and Giants (1-4) will faceoff on Sunday Night Football.
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#Bills designate Baylon Spector to return from injured reserve:
Buffalo Bills linebacker Baylon Spector has been designated to return from the team’s injured reserve list.
Spector had sustained a hamstring injury in the Bills’ preseason finale.
At the end of the summer, Spector was placed on Buffalo’s injured reserve list alongside fifth-round rookie receiver Justin Shorter (hamstring).
Prior to that, pass rusher Von Miller had already been on the Bills’ PUP list. All three players fell under the same umbrella at the start of the 2023 season with their respective designations, having to miss the first four games of the season.
Spector was eligible to return when Miller did in Week 5 against the Jaguars, but remained on IR. With linebacker Matt Milano (knee) being added to the injured reserve list this week, Spector essentially now inches closer to returning.
Spector is not on Buffalo’s 53-man roster. His new designation only opens a 21-day window which allows him to practice with the team.
If the Bills do not add him to the roster by the end of that window, Buffalo must return Miller to injury designation and he’s required to stay there for the remainder of the 2023 season.
Bills Wire will provide updates when further information is made available.
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#Bills injury update: Baylon Spector considered ‘week-to-week’:
Baylon Spector is set to likely miss the start of the 2023 NFL season.
In the Buffalo Bills’ 24-21 preseason finale win over the Chicago Bears, Spector was the lone player to depart early. He sustained a hamstring injury.
Spector was able to walk off the field and over the Buffalo’s sideline in the third quarter. After going into the medical tent on the sideline, it was determined that Spector would not return.
One day after the game and some evaluations on the issue, head coach Sean McDermott said via video conference on Sunday that Spector is considered “week-to-week.” The Bills’ season opener is Sept. 11 against the New York Jets and Spector appears doubtful for it.
Now it remains to be seen what happens with Spector’s status on the roster. By 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Buffalo and the rest of the NFL have to work their rosters down to 53 players.
Early in training camp, Spector did get a look at middle linebacker as the Bills search for a Tremaine Edmunds replacement. Spector has since fallen out of that conversation and he’s now competing for a depth and special teams spot.
With Spector’s injury, if he’s placed on injured reserve before cut down day, his season is over. But if the Bills want to designate him to eventually return, they must place him on their 53-man roster and then move him to injured reserve.
In a bit of a loophole scenario, in the past, the Bills will cut a veteran player such as long snapper Reid Ferguson… with a bit of a wink. The team will tell Ferguson that he’ll be re-signed once an injured player like Spector goes on IR. A vested veteran like Ferguson is not subject to waivers… so if he’s cut, he can just sit and wait to be re-signed.
Time will tell what route the Bills go with Spector. He’s also a practice squad candidate as well.
Bills Wire will bring injury and roster updates as information is made available.
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#Bills’ Baylon Spector out vs. Bears due to hamstring injury:
The Buffalo Bills are down a linebacker against the Chicago Bears.
In the third quarter of the Bills’ preseason contest against the Bears, Baylon Spector departed the contest. It was announced that he sustained a hamstring injury.
Spector was able to walk off the field and over the Buffalo’s sideline. After going into the medical tent on the sideline, it was determined that Spector would not return.
Early in training camp, Spector did get a look at middle linebacker as the Bills search for a Tremaine Edmunds replacement. Spector has since fallen out of that conversation and he’s now competing for a depth spot.
Bills Wire will bring injury updates as information is made available.
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