The Buffalo Bills were riding high entering Week 5. They had won three games in a row to improve to 3-1, fresh off of a 28-point victory over the division opponent that the media was already crowning as the next best thing out of the AFC East. Josh Allen and company had been dominant against the Raiders, Commanders, and Dolphins, and they were 5.5 point favorites against the Jaguars on Sunday for their game in London.
Bills Lose Game, Could Lose Milano For Extended Period
: #Bills star linebacker Matt Milano will likely be out for a large chunk of time with a serious leg/knee injury he suffered in today’s loss vs the #Jaguars, per HC Sean McDermott.
“It’s not looking good right now.” pic.twitter.com/2xJ5BZE5ui
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) October 8, 2023
The Bills looked a lot like they did in their Week 1 loss against the Jets. Allen threw a bad interception as the Bills were trying to mount a comeback in the 4th quarter, and they managed just 29 total rushing yards. Their ground leader was their quarterback, who had 4 attempts for 14 yards. James Cook had 5 carries for -4 yards.
Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars were able to capitalize, making the necessary plays in the big moments to come away with a victory.
The loss drops Buffalo to 3-2 on the season, and they have fallen out of first place in the AFC East. But the losses sustained on the defensive side of the ball over the last couple of weeks could be even more detrimental to the team than the actual loss itself. Pro Bowl defensive back Tre’Davious White was lost for the season after enduring an injury against the Dolphins, and things got even worse on Sunday.
Defense Could Look Different Without Two Of Its Stars
Will the real Josh Allen pls stand up#JAXvsBUF | #DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/ACYObQsLwx
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) October 8, 2023
Matt Milano has solidified himself as one of the best linebackers in the game over the last couple of seasons, and is the heart of Buffalo’s top-rated defense. He went down in a heap on Sunday against the Jaguars, eventually being carted off of the field while wearing a brace that typically signifies a major injury.
We will have to wait to get the official diagnosis, but head coach Sean McDermott was quoted after the game as saying, “It is not looking good right now.”
The Bills have a handful of winnable games coming up on the schedule, as they’ll take on the Giants and Patriots over the next two weeks. But if they are without Milano for an extended period, we may need to rethink the expectations of Buffalo and their defense.