Getty Bills head coach Sean McDermott changed safety Micah Hyde's official status heading into the first week of the playoffs.
The Buffalo Bills lost a key game to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday night, and in doing so may have lost another important member of the defense.
Safety Micah Hyde was hurt late in the November 5 game, taking a hit near the start of the fourth quarter and leaving the game with a stinger. Bengals running back Joe Mixon had run for a four-yard gain, and the play appeared to be over when Hyde was hit from the side by Bengals guard Cordell Volson.
#Bills Micah Hyde injury.
Hyde got a blindside hit late in the play & was shaken up before walking off with trainers.
The play attracted some controversy, with some Bills fans and reporters questioning why there was not a flag and others contending that it was a borderline dirty hit.
Micah Hyde Did Not Return After Hit
Hyde had already been shaken up earlier in the game, and did not return again after his fourth-quarter injury. He was replaced by veteran Taylor Rapp, who helped the Bills hold the Bengals to just three second-half points. It was still not enough as the Bills offense had difficulty getting started, ultimately losing 24-18.
Some criticized referees for not flagging Volson on what appeared to be a late hit on Hyde.
“Glad the refs are consistent and let the late hit go on Hyde as well,” noted Bills reporter Bradley Gelber on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Some fans saw the missed call as pivotal, as the Bengals would go on to kick a field goal on the drive. Had it been called, the Bills would have had a chance for a stop.
“The refs not calling a late hit on the Hyde injury is one of the most absurd things to happen in this game. Dude just speared him way after the play and it led to a score,” another fan shared on X.
The severity of Hyde’s injury was not immediately clear. The veteran safety missed nearly all of the 2022 season after suffering a neck injury, and said later he was worried that his career may have been over.
“When it first happened, I didn’t know what the outcome was going to be. I thought I was done,” Hyde said during training camp in July, via SI.com. “But I had a conversation with the doctor a couple of weeks ago, and the realization that it’s way better.”
Fans Angered Over Missed Calls
The hit that injured Hyde was not the only play that sparked controversy in the game. Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid was taken down with what appeared to be an intentional trip during a drive late in the half. The missed call was pointed out by the NBC broadcast crew, and could have helped move the Bills into scoring range.
so no call on the slide tackle huh 🤔
The Bills instead stalled out on the drive, going into halftime trailing 21-7.
With the loss, the Bills missed out on a chance to move into a tie with the Miami Dolphins atop the AFC East. They will look to rebound against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football. Heavy projections powered by Quarter4 give the Bills a 74% chance of winning the game, putting them at 6.5-point favorites.