FRIDAY INJURY REPORT
BUFFALO BILLS
–QUESTIONABLE: TE Charles Clay (shoulder, hip), TE Jason Croom (knee), RB LeSean McCoy (rib), RB Marcus Murphy (rib)
GREEN BAY PACKERS
–OUT: DE Muhammad Wilkerson (ankle)
–DOUBTFUL: G Justin McCray (shoulder)
–QUESTIONABLE: WR Randall Cobb (hamstring), S Josh Jones (ankle), CB Kevin King (groin), LB Nick Perry (concussion), QB Aaron Rodgers (knee)
PLAYER NOTES
–P Corey Bojorquez had a great game in Minnesota. He averaged 43.2 net yards on six punts, with five of those downed inside the 20, three of those inside the 10. It’s only three weeks, but he has been a clear upgrade over Colton Schmidt who was the Bills’ punter the previous four years.
–C Russell Bodine got his first regular-season playing time of the year. He did not play a single snap in the first two games, but he started against the Vikings. He suffered from cramps and missed nine snaps but was able to finish the game.
–WR Ray Ray McCloud made his NFL debut after missing the first two games with a knee injury. He caught a six-yard swing pass on the first play of the game, but it was his only catch. He was deep in punts, and he made a mistake letting a punt hit the ground which cost the Bills about 25 yards of field position.
–CB Tre’Davious White had another excellent game. He followed Vikings WR Stefon Diggs most of the day and Diggs had only four catches for 17 yards. White now seems capable of traveling with the top receivers, should the Bills feel the need.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: DE Jerry Hughes was a man possessed in the victory over the Vikings. The Bills knew they would have some matchup advantages up front, especially if Buffalo could get a lead and make the Vikings one-dimensional. That’s exactly what happened. Hughes abused Minnesota LT Riley Reiff. Hughes was credited by Pro Football Focus with nine hurries, two quarterback hits, and one sack, which also resulted in a forced fumble. He also played well in the loss to the Chargers, and if he can maintain that pace, a Buffalo pass rush that struggled so much in 2017 could become a problem for opposing offenses.
GAME PLAN: Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll concocted a superb game plan last week for rookie Josh Allen that featured quick throws, which enabled him to get into a rhythm. Allen played within the plan, but he also used his athleticism to make several big plays with his legs including a 10-yard scramble for a touchdown. The Packers do not have the same talent Minnesota does on defense, and they will be without stud DT Muhammad Wilkerson for the rest of the season. The Bills might get LeSean McCoy back, so they’ll try to run the ball, but again, the best mode of attack may be to utilize more quick passes to get the ball out of Allen’s hands.
The Buffalo defense is coming off a superb effort, but things ratchet up against Aaron Rodgers throwing to a corps of targets that includes WRs Davante Adams, Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison, and TE Jimmy Graham. Graham could be a particular problem because the Bills have often struggled to stop pass-catching tight ends, although they are better-equipped these days with rookie MLB Tremaine Edmunds. Green Bay has not run the ball well, so the Bills should be able to commit more men in coverage rather than stack the box. One key will be how much Rodgers can exploit the other CBs besides Tre’Davious White. Kirk Cousins had no luck last week, but Rodgers is a different story facing the likes of Phillip Gaines, Ryan Lewis and Taron Johnson.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
–Bills DE Jerry Hughes vs. Packers LT David Bakhtiari. Hughes has started the season like he’s hell-bent on earning a Pro Bowl berth. Hughes absolutely abused Minnesota LT Riley Reiff. The Bills’ film evaluation determined that Hughes had 10 quarterback hurries to go with his sack/forced fumble. He created so much heat that Kirk Cousins never looked comfortable. Aaron Rodgers is playing on a gimpy knee, and if Bakhtiari can’t handle Hughes, the Packers will have to shift their blocking scheme.
–Bills RBs vs. Packers LBs. The Bills had great success in Minnesota with Josh Allen throwing short passes to the backs and tight ends. His two biggest plays came when Chris Ivory scooted 55 yards with a short pass, and then TE Jason Croom took advantage of a busted coverage to catch a 26-yard TD. Clay Matthews is one of the best pass-rushing LBs in the game, but he, Nick Perry and Blake Martinez will have to mind their coverage responsibilities. If they take those throws away, the Packers should be able to get pressure on Allen, who has shown a tendency to hold the ball too long.
