Terrel Bernard
Getty
Sean McDermott kept it real when discussing the Bills' latest injuries, which involve losing linebacker Terrel Bernard
Not much went right for the Buffalo Bills in Week 12, as they suffered a potentially catastrophic loss to the Houston Texans on Thursday Night Football. The Bills struggled to protect Josh Allen all night long, and the defense wasn’t able to contain a Texans offense that was being led by backup quarterback Davis Mills.
Making matters even worse, several players suffered injuries throughout the course of this game. Among that group was star linebacker Terrel Bernard, and after the game, a solemn Sean McDermott discussed the team’s injury woes, but he refused to place the blame for the Bills’ struggles solely on this recurring issue.
Sean McDermott Opens Up on Bills’ Injury Situation
The Texans’ physical brand of football did not bode well for the Bills, as 10 different players suffered injuries throughout this game. While the majority of these guys ended up only briefly being forced out of the game, at this stage of the season, pretty much every bump or bruise that players suffer is going to draw attention.
Bernard highlighted a group of players who did not return to the game, as he was seen on the sideline in the second half with his arm in a sling. Cornerback Maxwell Hairston was also forced out of the game early with a concussion, while offensive lineman Spencer Brown was eventually pulled after trying to play through a shoulder injury he suffered earlier in the contest.
Buffalo was already beat up, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, entering this game, so the latest injuries the team has picked up surely won’t make things easier on McDermott and the coaching staff. However, McDermott is refusing to place the blame for his team’s struggles strictly on injuries, and he credited his squad for fighting until the last second, even with the amount of adversity they faced.
“Can’t do that,” McDermott said when asked if he’s getting frustrated by the Bills’ injury situation. “We gotta stay in this thing. We gotta grind it out. That’s what you do. You compete, you sign up, this is what you do, no matter if you have no injuries or if you have the injuries that we have. I do appreciate guys stepping in tonight … The effort, the will that the guys have, I don’t question that one bit.”
Bills Hoping to Get Healthy During Mini Bye Week
Sean McDermott
GettyHead coach Sean McDermott of the Buffalo Bills
The silver lining for the Bills in the wake of this loss is that they will have several extra days to get healthy before their Week 13 action. It certainly would have been nice to earn a win over the Texans and keep the pressure on the New England Patriots in the AFC East division, but at this point, that seems like something the team can’t afford to focus on.
Moving forward, the only realistic goal the team can have involves finding a way to win in Week 13 when they take on the Pittsburgh Steelers. There’s no doubt that Pittsburgh is going to give Buffalo everything it can handle, which will make this a very difficult game for the Bills. Kickoff for this contest is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET on Nov. 30.