Getty Defensive end A.J. Epenesa #57 of the Buffalo Bills.
With the most important game of the Buffalo Bills regular season just around the corner, the team’s growing list of players on the Reserve/COVID-19 list is definitely concerning.
The Bills (8-6) need all the help they can get in order to defeat their AFC East rival, the New England Patriots (9-5) in Week 16, as their playoff hopes depend on it.
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Therefore, it’s a huge blow to learn that defensive end A.J. Epenesa was placed on the COVID-19 reserve list on Monday, December 20, along with two practice squad members, offensive lineman Bobby Hart and defensive end Mike Love.
Epenesa was ruled out during the Bills Week 15 matchup against the Carolina Panthers due to an ankle injury sustained in practice. The second-year defensive end has appeared in 12 games this season, mostly been a backup. But thus far, Epenesa has recorded a sack, 11 tackles, and 13 pressures, per SB Nation.
Members of the Bills’ active roster already on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, offensive lineman Dion Dawkins and Jon Feliciano, both of whom were unable to play during the Bills 31-14 win over the Panthers on Sunday. Linebacker Tyrel Dodson also remains out after getting placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list last week.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott said on Monday, “The hope would be Dion comes back before Jon [Dawkins was placed on list first] but we just don’t know yet,” WKBW’s Matthew Bove tweeted.
Patriots Also Have Numerous Players on COVID-19 List
The Bills opponent on Sunday, December 26, also has a growing list of players on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. On Monday, four Patriots players were removed from their active roster: starting wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, along with three linebackers, Harvey Langi, Cameron McGrone, and Ronnie Perkins, per The Athletic’s Matthew Fairburn.
The Patriots could suddenly be pretty thin at WR on Sunday:
— Kendrick Bourne (COVID list)
— Nelson Agholor (left with head injury)
— N’Keal Harry (needed to be helped off after taking a high hit late)
Leaves just Jakobi Meyers and Gunner Olszewski unscathed on the 53.
Bourne getting placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list is especially concerning for the Patriots considering that wide receivers Nelson Agholor and K’Neal Henry were both injured during New England’s 27-17 loss against the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday.
The final score doesn’t quite relay how bad the game really was for quarterback Mac Jones and the Patriots, who were down 20-0 heading into the fourth quarter. While they made a valiant comeback effort, Colts’ star running back Jonathan Taylor, who previously scored four touchdowns against the Bills, broke off a 67-yard touchdown run to clinch the win
Bill Belichick is not happy
While head coach Bill Belichick was noticeably angry and frustrated during the postgame conference on Saturday night, on Monday, he issued an apology to the media, signaling that he’s already moved on, and lasted focused on their upcoming game against the Bills.
Bills Focused on Trying to Keep Everyone Healthy Before Rematch
Little time has passed since the Patriots beat the Bills 14-10 in Week 13, and with so much on the line with this upcoming rematch, Buffalo’s defensive tackle Harrison Phillips said the team has made it a priority to make sure neither their injury nor Reserve/COVID-10 list keeps growing before Sunday’s rematch.
“I think the very first thing is we need to take care of is our recovery,” Phillips said, per Bills Wire.
“We’re coming off of a somewhat physical game obviously, so making sure guys are getting the treatment that we need, so we can make sure we have everyone available for this weekend coming up. So, we’re gonna enjoy the victory here for a day, and get our bodies right, and then lock-in.”
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