The Buffalo Bills were without four defensive starters last week, but they鈥檙e getting back a few players for their game Sunday against the New York Jets.
Safeties Damar Hamlin (rib) and Taylor Rapp (neck), wide receiver Curtis Samuel (rib) and defensive back Cam Lewis (shoulder) are all questionable for Sunday鈥檚 game. All four have been limited all week.
Hamlin, Samuel and Lewis all practiced in red noncontact jerseys during the portion of Friday鈥檚 practice open to the media. Rapp was out of red for the first time since his injury.
Bills linebacker Matt Milano waits for the snap against the San Francisco 49ers on Dec. 1 at Highmark Stadium. Milano missed last week鈥檚 game against the New England Patriots.
Linebacker Matt Milano (biceps/groin) and cornerback Rasul Douglas (knee) have no injury designations and are clear for Sunday. Both players missed the Bills鈥 24-21 win over New England, and Douglas also missed the previous week.
Although Rapp seems to be trending in a positive direction, the injuries piling up at safety could still mean another start for Bills rookie Cole Bishop.
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Bills head coach Sean McDermott has seen Bishop develop over the course of the season. Bishop has started three games this year and has played in 14.
鈥淚mpressed with his improvement, really, and good to see,鈥 McDermott said Friday. 鈥淵ou know, the first game was a little bit rocky, and as it is for most rookies, and the first season is sometimes that, as well, overall. But I think Cole has really done a nice job.
鈥(Safeties coach) Joe Danna, who worked with Cole directly, and then Micah (Hyde) being around too, to kind of fill in some of the gaps where he coaches it around there. So, it鈥檚 been fun. ... So we鈥檙e looking for more, because he moves forward here.鈥
Hyde, the veteran safety who rejoined the team earlier this month, has been working with Bishop during practice and throughout the week. McDermott applauded Hyde鈥檚 鈥減eople person鈥 approach Friday.
Asked if Hyde is looking like he is close to getting back on the field in some capacity, McDermott was coy.
鈥淚 think he鈥檚 where he feels like he needs to be, whatever that is,鈥 McDermott said. 鈥淪o, I think, really, his role on our team is trying to help others and shed some light on how the defense plays and how the defensive system works, and just be in that type of space for right now, and we鈥檒l see where it goes moving forward.鈥
The Bills may be thin at defensive back, and McDermott also is not one to write off the Jets鈥 offense.
鈥淭he Jets roster overall, I think, is very talented across the board. 鈥 They鈥檝e made big plays on special teams in the return game. They鈥檝e blocked kicks. They鈥檝e faked kicks, fake punts,鈥 McDermott said. 鈥淪o, you know, they鈥檙e extremely capable as a football team, overall.鈥
Josh Allen vs. Jets
Bills quarterback Josh Allen is 8-4 against the Jets in his career, but his 11 interceptions are the most against any opponent.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e a physical team, and they have a really good defense,鈥 Allen said. 鈥淚n terms of why they鈥檝e given me fits, I don鈥檛 think I鈥檝e protected the ball too well against them in previous years. (The key is) just making sure I鈥檓 smart with the football and decisive in where it鈥檚 going.鈥
The Jets have sacked Allen 27 times, also the most of any opponent, but the Bills have won the last four meetings at Highmark Stadium.
Undefeated at home
Besides clinching the No. 2 seed in the AFC, one other thing is on the line Sunday for the Bills: only the third undefeated regular-season home record in team history.
The Bills are 7-0 at home (average margin of victory 鈥 15.3 points), joining Kansas City (8-0) as the NFL鈥檚 only two undefeated home teams.
The Bills went undefeated at home in 1988 and 1990. They lost the 鈥88 AFC title game at Cincinnati and Super Bowl XXV to the New York Giants.
Since 2020, the Bills are 34-7 in regular-season home games.
