This is the second time this week that we’ll point out that one has to take a grain of salt when Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott discusses injuries. Comparing it to the way linebacker Tremaine Edmunds did the same thing is a great example of why.
On Monday following Buffalo’s win over the Houston Texans, McDermott described linebacker Matt Milano’s hamstring injury as something that’s “day-to-day.”
While that can be taken on a bit of the optimistic side, that’s not \what Edmunds made Milano sound like a few days later. Edmunds gave his thoughts on Milano being ready to go against the Kansas City Chiefs and it wasn’t as nice to hear.
“The status on him– I don’t think nobody knows right now,” Edmunds said via video conference. “Obviously I want to have him out there, everybody wants to have him out there. But he has to do what’s best for him at the end of the day. But, like I said, it’s still early. It’s hard to make those assumptions.
“I just want to make him healthy, whether that be this week or next week, I just want him to be healthy when he gets back.”
Soon after Edmunds made those comments, Milano’s status seemed even less positive. Milano did not practice on Wednesday, indicating his injury isn’t looking good right now, pending a speedy, late-week recovery.
But the show must go on and without Milano, the next man up will be A.J. Klein. However, Klein could prove to be a positive fill in.
After a rough start to 2020 when Milano was injured a year ago, Klein eventually turned it around. He even won an AFC Defensive Player of the Week Award.
Such a 180 gives Edmunds some confidence that the Bills can still get the job done.
“A.J. is a guy that’s obviously been in the business for a long time. He’s played a lot of ball,” Edmunds said. “It’s about just going out and executing. I know he’ll be excited.”
Either way, with or without Milano, the Bills have to be ready. Specifically for Travis Kelce. Often in Buffalo’s defensive scheme, Milano takes on opposing tight ends and he has been amongst the best in the NFL at doing so.
But Kelce torched the Bills in 2020… and speaking of with or without Milano… during last year’s regular season without Milano? Kelce had five catches for 65 yards and two touchdowns.
With Milano, he still rolled… and then some. The AFC title game saw Kelce grab 13 catches for 118 yards and… another two scores.
Milano or not, the Bills have to do much better in Week 5 if it is finally their time to beat the Chiefs.
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