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Each week throughout the course of the 2020 season, the Buffalo Bills have another important piece standing on the sidelines with an injury.
This time around, it’s wide receiver, John Brown. After Brown didn’t practice on Tuesday, Bills coach Sean McDermott revealed that Brown wouldn’t practice on Wednesday either.
Brown suffered an ankle injury against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10. Brown has dealt with a few different injuries this season, but this one didn’t look great.
On a 3rd and 23 late in the game, Brown went up for a catch against Arizona’s Patrick Peterson and came down awkwardly on his right leg. McDermott said the Bills are just going to take it day by day with Brown.
“We’re just gonna take it one day at a time with him,” McDermott said on Wednesday. “I know he’s working his tail off, so we’ll just see what the rest of the week holds.”
Brown has missed two games this season with other injuries and he’ll be crucial to have on the field down the stretch run as the Bills look to capture their first AFC East title since 1995.
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Crucial to the Offense
When John Brown is on the field, the Bills have one of, if not the best, receiving corps in the league. Brown and offseason acquisition Stefon Diggs can take the top off of defenses with their speed and route running abilities and Cole Beasley has been a terror for opponents out of the slot.
At times this season, rookie wide receiver Gabriel Davis and tight end’s Dawson Knox and Tyler Kroft have played important roles as well. Isaiah McKenzie has also played a crucial role as gadget guy for the Bills.
After playing the role of Kyler Murray during practice leading up to their matchup with Arizona, McKenzie completed a touchdown pass to Josh Allen on their first drive of the game.
Although they have several athletes, Brown is still an important piece to the puzzle. He takes the top off of defenses, he pulls coverage from Diggs, and he brings a different type of element to the team.
In eight games this season, Brown has caught 29 passes for 386 yards and two touchdowns. He’s also averaging 13.3 yards per catch.
Perfect Timing For Another Rookie?
If Brown can’t go on Sunday, it may be the perfect time for the Bills to see what rookie wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins is made of.
The Bills designated Hodgins to return from injured reserve on Monday after the former Oregon State wide receiver was placed on the list towards the end of training camp. In a video conference leading into the season, Buffalo Bills General Manager Brandon Beane explained the move.
“He has something that may require surgery at some point… but not right now,” Beane said during that conference in September. “Just going to try and let [the injury] calm down. Let him get some strength in his shoulder and see where it goes. He battled hard, he finished camp with it, but I do think it was affecting him a little bit and so we’ll see. At some point, if we need to shut it down, we will, but right now we’re going to try to approach and see if he’s able to come back and help us, should we need him, this season.”
Activating Hodgins off the injured reserve may have come at the perfect time and he could provide the Bills with a new element to their offense.
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