Upon Further Review: Bills' wide receiver room has been severely thinned out by injuries
Less than a month ago, the Buffalo Bills went into a Week 16 game against the Browns with seven wide receivers on their 53-man roster. They started Sunday’s 27-24 playoff win against the Jaguars with five, but the number of healthy receivers was reduced to four when Gabe Davis left due to injury.
Less than a month ago, the Buffalo Bills went into a Week 16 game against the Cleveland Browns with seven wide receivers on their 53-man roster.
They started Sunday’s 27-24 playoff win against the Jacksonville Jaguars with five, but the number of healthy receivers was reduced to four when Gabe Davis left the lineup in the fourth quarter because of a left knee injury. Davis was on crutches in the locker room after the game.
Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis leaves the field on a cart after being injured in the fourth quarter Sunday against the Jaguars.
Harry Scull Jr., Buffalo News
That follows Joshua Palmer being placed on injured reserve Saturday, ending his season. That leaves the Bills in a tough spot with a quick turnaround to Saturday’s divisional playoff game against the top-seeded Denver Broncos.
“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 there's going to be adversity. It's just a matter in what form it comes and how big it is,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said Sunday.
Right now, it’s coming in the form of healthy wide receivers. Davis tore the ACL in his left knee, McDermott announced Monday afternoon, meaning his season is over. That leaves Khalil Shakir, Brandin Cooks, Tyrell Shavers and Keon Coleman at the position. Shavers suffered a knee injury that required a trip to the locker room Sunday, but he was able to finish the game.
“It's tough, obviously Josh on IR and seeing what happened with Gabe, two guys who mean so much to our football team, our room,” Cooks said. “Definitely miss them out there, but at the end of the day, we've got to get back to work, continue to sharpen our blade, pick up some things that maybe they would be doing and finding a way. That's what it's about.”
That has certainly been the Bills’ mantra this season. Injuries have been a constant source of adversity.
“We've really been dealing with it quite a bit this year,” McDermott said. “I think you learn from it, the team does, because you've got some young guys who have never been through it. The college game is somewhat different. The journey of a season is long in the NFL, especially if you're into the playoffs. So, this is a good kind of experience for our young guys to see the crowd and how ready you've got to be this time of year particularly.”
The four receivers left standing all contributed to Sunday’s win in meaningful ways. Shakir finished with 12 catches for 82 yards. His reception total is one off the team postseason record for a single game, trailing only Thurman Thomas’ 13 catches against Cleveland on Jan. 6, 1990. Shakir and Thomas are the only two Bills players in franchise history with at least 10 catches in a postseason game. Shakir has now made at least six catches in each of his past five playoff games – extending his team record. He has 37 catches over those five games, the most of any Bills receiver in playoff history over a five-game stretch.
“My job is when No. 17 throws me the ball, to make the play and get as many yards as I can,” he said after the win. “We earned ourselves another game, so right back to work and try to top that this next week.”
Coleman finished with just one catch, but it was a big one for 36 yards in the second quarter that got the ball into the red zone, helping to set up Buffalo’s first touchdown three plays later.
Cooks, who joined the Bills ahead of their Week 13 game against Pittsburgh, has quickly become not only a trusted receiver, but also a valuable presence in the locker room. He had a crucial, 36-yard reception on the game-winning drive – making up for a drop late in the first half that would have moved the ball to the Jacksonville 27-yard line.
“We put in something this week, and we ran it there on the last drive with ‘B-Cooks’ running down to the post. Saw a look, and we executed it, ” Bills quarterback Josh Allen said, before showering Cooks with praise for his overall impact. “A true pro's pro. He does everything the right way. He's always in the building. He's always learning, always on the sideline getting extra catches. He just does everything the right way. He's a helluva teammate. We love having him here.”
Cooks was thankful after the game for how quickly his teammates have welcomed him to Buffalo, saying it feels like he’s been part of the team all year. The locker room is such that teammates have a great belief in one another. That’s important at any point, but especially now when the stakes are at their highest.
“We knew we just had to clean some things up and continue to trust ourselves when we go out there and make plays at critical moments,” Cooks said.
Shavers, meanwhile, was hurt in the second quarter on punt coverage, but was able to return after the halftime break. His role on offense has primarily been as a blocker, but there is a chance it expands against the Broncos given the injuries.
It remains to be seen what the Bills do at the position. They have two receivers on the practice squad – Mecole Hardman Jr. and Stephen Gosnell – although Hardman was signed primarily for his ability as a punt returner.
Gosnell – nicknamed “White Steve” by his teammates – is a rookie undrafted free agent who has never played an NFL snap.
“Our mentality is just to keep going, no matter what happens,” Shakir said. “Next man up, if that's needed. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. We say don't blink as well. No matter what happens, keep executing.”
