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The Buffalo Bills are a little banged up heading into their week four contest against the Houston Texans.
In addition to offensive lineman Jon Feliciano being ruled out with a concussion, Friday’s injury report listed starting safety Jordan Poyer as a no-go as well. Poyer suffered an ankle injury during Buffalo’s week three victory over the Washington Football Team.
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The 30-year-old Poyer has started in all three games this season opposite Micah Hyde and has been a product of durability in his four full seasons in Western New York entering this year. After playing just six contests in his last season with the Cleveland Browns in 2016, Poyer suited up for 15 tilts with the Bills in 2017, and then all 16 in each of the last three campaigns.
The last time Poyer didn’t play in a game was week eight of the 2017 season against the then-Oakland Raiders. Since then, he’s appeared in 60 straight contests.
Who Will Need to Step up in Place of Poyer?
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GettyBuffalo Bills safety Micah Hyde during the team’s game on September 26, 2021 against the Washington Football Team.
Poyer’s unfortunate absence will both create more opportunity for a promising rookie and put extra responsibility on some of the more experienced defensive players.
While the Davis Mills-led Texans offense certainly doesn’t inspire much confidence from NFL experts and fans, the group does have explosive receiver Brandin Cooks to play with. The 28-year-old former first round pick has already posted over 100 receiving yards in a game twice this year and two-time Pro Bowler Tre’Davious White figures to shadow Cooks for much of the game.
If Cooks is able to blaze past White on a deep route though, Hyde and rookie safety Damar Hamlin may be asked to step in to save chunk yardage and would-be scores.
Poyer Has Had a Solid Start to the 2021 Season
GettyBuffalo Bills safety Jordan Poyer and Washington Football Team wide receiver Terry McLaurin during the teams’ game on September 26, 2021.
On top of Poyer’s lengthy streak of consecutive games played that will be snapped on Sunday, what makes the injury a tough pill to swallow is the timing. Poyer has been a rock in the Buffalo secondary through the early portion of the 2021 season.
In the week one loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the safety had one of the team’s two sacks, while adding a QB hit as well. Poyer’s six tackles – including five solo tackles – both ranked tied for second on the squad with Hyde.
In the week two win over the Miami Dolphins, Poyer tallied four tackles and one pass defended and against Washington, he contributed a tackle for a loss, a pass defended and a 26-yard interception.
Hopefully for Bills Mafia, Poyer will be back out there in the huge Sunday Night Football week five showdown against the Kansas City Chiefs so he can start another streak.
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