Getty Sean McDermott watches from the sidelines during a Buffalo Bills game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Buffalo Bills defensive end Leonard Floyd missed the end of Sunday’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders after injuring his ankle, but the veteran pass rusher believes he’ll be back on the field in short time.
Floyd was hurt during the 38-10 win on September 17, going to the sidelines in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. The team reported that he was questionable to return, and Floyd was seen walking carefully to the locker room with teammates following the win.
Leonard Floyd walking back into the locker room a bit gingerly. He was injured in the fourth quarter @WKBW
Though Floyd never returned to the game, his absence may have been precautionary as the Bills held a significant lead at the time.
Leonard Floyd’s Prediction for Week 3
Floyd has had a major impact through two games, and it would be a major blow to the defense if he were to miss time going forward — though the veteran does not believe that will be the case.
Reporter Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News spoke to Floyd after the game, saying the defensive end expects to be ready to play for next week’s game against the Washington Commanders.
“Just caught up with Leonard Floyd in the #Bills’ locker room,” Skurski wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “He said his ankle injury is nothing to worry about and he’ll be ready for next week.”
Just caught up with Leonard Floyd in the #Bills’ locker room. He said his ankle injury is nothing to worry about and he’ll be ready for next week.
Floyd has been an effective pass rusher through two weeks so far this year. The veteran had 3 overall tackles including 1.5 sacks in the Week 1 loss to the New York Jets, and had another two tackles again on Sunday as the Bills hounded quarterback Jimmy Garopolo and the Raiders offense.
The Bills had two sackes against Garoppolo on Sunday, forcing two interceptions including a second in two weeks for linebacker Matt Milano. The Bills also contained the Raiders on the ground, holding last year’s rushing leader, Josh Jacobs, to negative-2 yards on nine carries.
The win brought the Bills back to 1-1, keeping pace in what is expected to be a competitive AFC East.
Another Injury for the Bills
Though the Bills made it through the first week of the season largely unscathed in terms of injuries, they ran into some bad luck in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s win. On the same drive where Floyd was hurt, Bills safety Micah Hyde also went to the sidelines with a hamstring injury. Hyde had made five tackles before exiting in the fourth quarter.
The All-Pro safety missed nearly all of the 2022 season after suffering a neck injury in Week 2, and dealt with an ailing back during the preseason. He had recovered in time to start the season.
Hyde said that he was initially unsure whether he would play again after suffering the neck injury.
“When it first happened, I didn’t know what the outcome was going to be. I thought I was done,” Hyde said, via the Buffalo News. “But I had a conversation with the doctor a couple of weeks ago, and the realization that it’s way better.”
The Bills travel to Washington to take on the Commanders on September 24.