ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Buffalo Payments will likely be with out key gamers on either side of the ball to begin the playoffs as extensive receiver Gabe Davis (knee) and security Taylor Rapp (calf) have been dominated out of Sunday’s recreation towards the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Each gamers suffered accidents within the Payments’ win over the Miami Dolphins final week that secured the AFC East division title and the No. 2 seed within the convention. Rapp, who performs a key function within the dime package deal, was injured on the play during which he caught the game-ending interception.
Davis has performed 83% of the Payments’ offensive snaps. He’s a major contributor to the run-game blocking and will likely be missed in a recreation towards Pittsburgh that’s anticipated to have vital climate. As a receiver, Davis has had a number of video games this season and not using a reception but in addition three video games with 100-plus receiving yards.
Payments cornerback Rasul Douglas (knee) and beginning exterior linebacker Tyrel Dodson (shoulder) are each questionable for the sport. Dodson was restricted in observe Friday, whereas Douglas didn’t take part all week. Cornerback Dane Jackson is predicted to begin in Douglas’ place if he cannot play.
“I feel there’s plenty of issues that go into it, with [Douglas’] state of affairs,” coach Sean McDermott stated. “And so we’ll simply see slightly little bit of how he seems immediately from the coaching standpoint, with not working towards, and consider the group as an entire.”
Together with the accidents, the Payments and Steelers might each have climate points to take care of Sunday. Greater than a foot of snow — and as a lot as three toes — is predicted within the Buffalo space, together with Orchard Park, and the encircling counties this weekend, in keeping with AccuWeather, and a winter storm warning is in impact for the realm with winds doubtlessly as excessive as 65 mph.
The NFL is monitoring the climate, because it does for all video games, and advised the groups Friday afternoon that no adjustments had been deliberate for the 1 p.m. ET Sunday kickoff, in keeping with ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The Payments misplaced 27-10 to the Cincinnati Bengals within the divisional spherical final season in a recreation that was performed in persistent snowfall for a lot of the competition. That recreation featured completely different circumstances than there’s the potential for Sunday with wind a lot much less of an element. Final 12 months, the Browns-Payments regular-season recreation was moved to Detroit because of a forecast for a number of toes of snow and excessive winds.
