As the Buffalo Bills emerge from their annual bye, one specific trend favors them. Another one does not.
The good news? Coach Sean McDermott is 8-0 after a bye week. That’s the most wins by any coach after a bye without a loss in NFL history.
The bad news? Via NBC Sports research, Buffalo’s run defense is giving up yardage at a historic rate, per play.
The Bills have surrendered 5.8 yards per rushing attempt through six games. Only one NFL team has ever had a higher full-season average of rush yards allowed. The 1934 Cincinnati Reds, who folded after two seasons, gave up 6.4 yards per attempt.
The Bills have 11 games to get the number down. Or, in theory, to see it go even higher.
The Buffalo defense will be tested on Sunday by the Panthers’ one-two punch in Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle.
The Bills will return from their bye week to face the Panthers on Sunday and they have a few injury issues to sort out as they move toward kickoff.
Linebacker Matt Milano (pectoral) and tight end Dalton Kincaid (oblique) did not play in Buffalo’s Week 6 loss to the Falcons and both players have been listed as questionable for Carolina. They were limited in practice all week.
Linebacker Terrel Bernard (ankle) and cornerback Maxwell Hairston (knee) are also listed as questionable. Hairston will have to be activated from injured reserve in order to play on Sunday.
Defensive tackle DaQuan Jones (calf) and wide receiver Josh Palmer (knee, ankle) have been ruled out.
The Panthers haven’t ruled quarterback Bryce Young out for Sunday’s game in Buffalo, but they are planning to start Andy Dalton against the Bills.
Young is listed as doubtful to play this weekend after missing all three of the team’s practice sessions this week. Young injured his ankle in last Sunday’s 13-6 win against the Jets and Dalton finished out the game.
The Panthers have not said who will back Dalton up on Sunday. Hendon Hooker and Mike White are both on the practice squad, although White joined the team this week and Hooker has been on their practice squad all season.
No other Panthers players have injury designations for Sunday, so they’ll have all their other hands on deck as they try for an upset win.
The Bills may have one of their key offensive weapons back as they return from their bye.
Head coach Sean McDermott told reporters in his Friday press conference that tight end Dalton Kincaid is one of a few questionable players for the team’s Week 8 matchup with the Panthers.
Kincaid has been sidelined with an oblique injury. He missed the Week 6 loss to the Falcons before Buffalo’s Week 7 bye. He leads the team with 287 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
Linebacker Matt Milano (pectoral) and linebacker Terrel Bernard (ankle) are also questionable for Week 8 after being limited in practice all week.
Receiver Curtis Samuel (ribs) will be off the injury report and is set to play.
Safety Taylor Rapp (knee), defensive tackle DaQuan Jones (calf), and receiver Joshua Palmer (knee/ankle) have all been ruled out. Rapp is going to be placed on injured reserve.
Cornerback Maxwell Hairston may come off of injured reserve this weekend, but McDermott noted the team has not yet decided. The No. 30 overall pick of this year’s draft, Hairston has been sidelined by a knee injury and has not yet made his professional debut.
While Panthers head coach Dave Canales classified Bryce Young as day-to-day, the quarterback has not yet been able to participate this week.
Dealing with an ankle injury, Young officially did not practice on Thursday after he was sidelined on Wednesday.
Multiple reporters noted that Young was on the field working on the side during the portion of practice open to media. But Young being an official non-participant implies that once again Andy Dalton took all first-team reps on Thursday.
Defensive tackle Cam Jackson was added to the injury report with an illness and did not participate.
Guard Damien Lewis (shoulder) was upgraded from limited to full, as was outside linebacker Princely Umanmielen (ribs).
