Getty Jordan Poyer celebrates an interception against the Miami Dolphins.
The Buffalo Bills were already down one All-Pro safety, and now will be missing another for Sunday’s Week 5 AFC showdown.
The Bills, already lost safety Micah Hyde to a season-ending neck injury, will also be without Jordan Poyer as they take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Poyer has been dealing with a rib injury suffered in last week’s comeback win over the Baltimore Ravens, and coach Sean McDermott ruled him out on Friday.
Poyer to Miss Next Bills Game
Poyer had already missed a game this year, sitting out against the Miami Dolphins after suffering a foot injury. He will now be out against the Steelers as well, leaving a significant hole in the Bills secondary.
Poyer is coming off a two-interception performance against the Ravens, which earned him AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Both interceptions came at key points, the first one stopping a Ravens drive after the Bills came back from a 17-point deficit to tie the game at 20-20. His second interception came on a fourth-and-goal play with just over two minutes remaining in the game, giving the Bills the ball back and into the hands of quarterback Josh Allen. The Bills would go on to score a game-winning field goal on the subsequent drive.
Can the #Bills extend Jordan Poyer now?
Asking for #BillsMafia
With Poyer out, the Bills will likely turn to safety Damar Hamlin, who has already seen some significant playing time this year with both Hyde and Poyer missing time.
Bills to Face Steelers Rookie QB Kenny Pickett
The Bills, who opened as 14-point favorites over the Steelers, will get the chance to face rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett in his first career start. Former Bills backup Mitch Trubisky was benched in last week’s loss to the New York Jets, and Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin announced this week that Pickett would be the starter going forward.
The Steelers had struggled on offense with Trubisky under center, and Tomlin said he hopes the rookie can turn their fortunes around against the Bills.
“In an effort to be better, in an effort to score more points, in an effort to move the ball more fluidly, we decided to go to Kenny in hopes that he will provide a spark for us,” Tomlin said during an October 4 press conference. “We felt that not only in terms of our ability to move the ball but just in terms of energy. So hopefully that’s a catalyst for us as we try to move forward and change the outcomes of some of these games.”
Kenny Pickett officially had 3 INTs in his NFL debut, but PFF charted him with *ZERO* turnover-worthy plays.
71.6 passing grade for the rookie 💪
Pickett brought mixed results against the Jets on Sunday, throwing an interception on his first NFL drive but bouncing back to score two rushing touchdowns. He ended the game 10-for-13 for 120 passing yards with three interceptions.
But he will get the chance to face a depleted Bills secondary, missing all three of their recent All-Pro players. Cornerback Tre’Davious White was eligible to return this week after spending the first four weeks of the season on the physically unable to perform list, but will need longer to complete his rehab from a torn ACL. The Bills have not said exactly when White could take the field again.