The Bills achieved a significant victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the wildcard round on Sunday. However, the win came at a price, as Buffalo lost one of its key players in the process.
Wide receiver Gabe Davis exited late in the game after suffering a brutal hit to his leg while attempting to catch a pass. Davis left the field slowly, and then the CBS broadcast showed him being carried on a cart to the locker room.
Davis Sustained Torn ACL
There was speculation that Davis suffered a serious knee injury, and on Monday, head coach Sean McDermott announced that Davis indeed sustained a torn ACL.
Davis had a minimal impact in the game against the Jaguars, managing just two receptions for 14 yards. However, he remained one of the few healthy receivers on the Bills that quarterback Josh Allen could count on.
Allen and Davis played four seasons together in Buffalo from 2020 to 2023 before Davis left for the Jaguars in 2024. Davis signed a three-year, $39 million contract in Jacksonville but suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee during the tenth game of the season.
The Jaguars hired a new head coach, Liam Coen, and a general manager, James Gladstone, during the offseason. In early May, they decided to part ways with Davis.
Davis was on the open market for much of the offseason, but the Bills signed him to their practice squad during the week leading up to their first regular season game.
The 26-year-old wide receiver saw action in six regular season games, racking up 129 yards and scoring one touchdown. The loss of Davis is significant for Buffalo, especially since it already lost Josh Palmer to an injury and has placed him on the season-ending injured reserve list as of Saturday.
Bills Have Faced Number of Injuries All
Season
The Bills have faced numerous injuries this season, resulting in a “next man up” mentality throughout. Even McDermott highlighted this approach, particularly during the game against the Jaguars, where several players had to leave due to injuries.
“It builds character,” McDermott said on Sunday, via Sydney Ciano from Buffalo Bills .com. “You go into every season and you’re hoping and praying that there’s no adversity. But we’ve all been around this long enough to know that there’s going to be adversity, it’s just a matter of what form it comes in and how big it is. And we’ve really been dealing with it quite a bit this year.”
The Bills will take on the Broncos this Saturday, with the kickoff time yet to be announced. Buffalo will likely hope for an afternoon or evening game, as Denver is known for one of the loudest home environments in the NFL, especially at night.
Buffalo boasts one of the league’s top players in Allen, but the Broncos have a stronger overall team. This matchup promises to be intriguing, as it will be interesting to see whether the standout player or the more cohesive team comes out on top.
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