Getty Gabriel Davis #13 of the Buffalo Bills carries the ball for a fourteen-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter over the Carolina Panthers the game at Highmark Stadium on December 19, 2021.
The Buffalo Bills announced just two days before their highly-anticipated matchup against the New England Patriots in Week 16 that even more players, along with a few coaches, were placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.
The Bills need all the help they can get beat the Patriots on Sunday, December 26, as it’s their most important game of the regular season. Not only will the winner usurp the top seed in the AFC East, but they will also earn a spot in the postseason.
ALL the latest Bills news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Bills newsletter here!
Therefore, it’s devasting to learn that yet another starting wide receiver, Gabriel Davis, was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. Davis has caught a touchdown pass in each of Buffalo’s last three games, including two during the Bills win over the Carolina Panthers last week.
Losing Davis, who’s unvaccinated, is a huge blow for the Bills considering wide receiver Cole Beasley has also been ruled out after testing positive for COVID-19. Because of Davis’ vaccination status, he will not just miss this Sunday’s pivotal matchup, but he’ll be forced to miss the Bills game in Week 17, as well.
As for Beasley, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, he could possibly return on Friday, which would make him eligible to play in Week 17.
Emmanuel Sanders posted this on IG before #Bills broke camp in July. Saw this coming. #AccountabilityAvailability
Thankfully, wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who was a full participant at practice on Thursday after suffering a knee injury against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, looks like he’ll be ready to go against the Patriots.
The 2021 NFL season has become a battle of attrition.
The best team might not win at the end.
The most healthy and able to navigate COVID seems more likely.
The veteran receiver proudly shared his vaccination status on social media before the season started. Sanders shared his vaccination card on Instagram with the captions, “Accountability, Availability. Don’t have time to deal with no bs during the season. #chasinggreatness.”
Right Guard, Bills Special Teams Coach & Defensive Line Coach Were Also Added to the Reserve/COVID-19 List
#Bills COVID timeline over past week:
Dec 17: Dion Dawkins
Dec 19: Jon Feliciano
Dec 20: A.J. Epenesa + PS’s Bobby Hart and Mike Love
Dec 21: Cole Beasley
Dec 22: PS Quintin Morris
Dec 24: Gabriel Davis + Cody Ford & coaches Heath Farwell + Eric Washington
Hart + Dodson return
Right guard Cody Ford was also placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Friday, along with special teams coach Heath Farwell, and defensive line coach Eric Washington. Other Bills players not already mentioned that are out due to health and safety protocols include guard Jon Feliciano, defensive end A.J. Epenesa, and left tackle Dion Dawkins.
Assistant special teams coach Matt Smiley will step in for Farwell, per Bills Wire reporter Maddy Glab. It’s not clear yet who will take over Washington’s role on Sunday.
Linebacker Tyrel Dodson was cleared to return on Thursday, after spending last week on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. Dodson, who’s become one of the Bills’ key players, participating in 223 special teams snaps, and recorded 15 tackles in the past 13 games over 78 snaps on defense, as reported by NBC Sports.
The 23-year-old revealed on Twitter that he was vaccinated, and his early return is great news for the Bills defensive line.
Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott Spoke About the Uncertainty of Their Lineup on Sunday
GettyHead coach Sean McDermott of the Buffalo Bills looks on from the sidelines during the second quarter of the game against the Carolina Panthers at Highmark Stadium on December 19, 2021 in Orchard Park, New York.
The uncertainly of who will be able to play on Sunday is an understandably stressful situation for the entire franchise. 13WHAM reporter tweeted that head coach “Sean McDermott usually says he takes things ‘one day at a time,’ but today he said he’s talking everything ‘one hour at a time.'”
Sean McDermott says really only time players are in the building now is for practice, which has been outside as another way to help be safer against COVID issues.
Meetings are virtual and will be moving forward.
“Unknown player availability day-to-day is something you have to mentally push through,” McDermott added, per One Bills Live host Chris Brown. “We know we’re going to play Sunday, so we have to get ready to go.”
READ NEXT: Bills QB Josh Allen’s Girlfriend Deletes Twitter Account, Makes IG Private