Lance Lysowski

Bills safety Taylor Rapp likely out for season; Taron Johnson questionable "I don't want to go there exactly, but right now, he just had the surgery," said coach Sean McDermott. "At this point, it's probably – I'm not a doctor – but from what I'm hearing, it's probably not u...

Bills nickel corner Taron Johnson popped up on the injury report Friday, and he's questionable to play against the Chiefs.

Tough to play much base defense against Kansas City's passing game, especially when Shaq Thompson is out. Cam Lewis is next up at NCB.

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Bills safety Taylor Rapp may be done for the season following knee surgery A knee injury that's bothered Taylor Rapp since training camp may sideline the Buffalo Bills safety for the rest of the season.

Taylor Rapp may be done for the season, plus other injury updates from Bills practice.
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'It's coming': What's wrong with the Bills' passing game and can they fix it? The Bills and Chiefs have had epic matchups – including two AFC championship games – over the past five years, and it's unusual for their annual clash to come at a time when the Bills' passing attack ...

What's wrong with the Bills' passing game and how do they get it fixed?

I peeled back the layers of the problem and spoke to a few receivers to get their take.

"It's coming."
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Another note from McDermott's talk on WGR:

Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis won't practice today. He had some "inflammation," but McDermott thought Davis looked good Thursday.

DaQuan Jones, Joshua Palmer and Shaq Thompson are OUT for the Bills' Week 9 matchup with the Chiefs, said Sean McDermott on WGR.

Bills scouting report: Can the defense shut down Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice? Rashee Rice, the Chiefs' No. 1 receiver, is back from a six-game suspension that stemmed from his guilty plea for causing a multivehicle crash in March 2024.

Some trends that could shape the latest matchup between the Bills and Chiefs:

- Can the Bills stop Rashee Rice?
- One way the passing game can have success.
- Is this the week we see Keon Coleman heavily involved?
- Stopping the run.
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DaQuan Jones (calf), Joshua Palmer (knee/ankle) and Ray Davis (illness) won't practice today.

Gabe Davis will be moved to the practice squad, and he will practice today for the first time since he re-joined the Bills.

"One day at a time. We'll see how it goes."

Ed Oliver has a torn bicep. He'll have surgery and he'll be out indefinitely, said Bills coach Sean McDermott.

How the Bills' A.J. Epenesa intercepted Andy Dalton: Plays that shaped 40-9 win in Carolina Instead of pursuing Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton, Buffalo Bills defensive end A.J. Epenesa ran around Ikem Ekwonu and leapt in the air to intercept the pass that was supposed to go to wide receive...

What did A.J. Epenesa see on the play when the Bills edge rusher intercepted Andy Dalton?

How was James Cook untouched on a 64-yard TD run? Insight from the locker room on several plays that led them to victory in Charlotte:
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Lance Lysowski: James Cook is the key to the Bills' offense realizing its potential in 2025 CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Studying the Buffalo Bills' offense during the bye week must have led Joe Brady to the same conclusion as the rest of us.

For the Bills' offense to reach its potential in 2025, they've have to keep feeding James Cook.

My column from their 40-9 win in Charlotte, where Cook had an exceptional day and the passing game mostly sputtered.
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Lance Lysowski: James Cook is the key to the Bills' offense realizing its potential in 2025 CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Studying the Buffalo Bills' offense during the bye week must have led Joe Brady to the same conclusion as the rest of us.

For the Bills' offense to reach its potential in 2025, they've have to keep feeding James Cook.

My column from their 40-9 win in Charlotte, where Cook had an exceptional day and the passing game mostly sputtered.
buffalonews.com/sports/bills...

Greg Rousseau punches the ball out from Dalton's grasp and Benford recovered.

The Bills' defense wanted a much better start this week. They bent on that second drive, but they got a turnover after failing to do so in Atlanta.

Bills rookie corner Maxwell Hairston replaced Tre'Davious White for the first play of the Panthers' second drive.

James Cook had four carries for 38 yards on the Bills' first drive.

The drive stalled when he was replaced by Ty Johnson and Ray Davis.

Based on warmups, it looks like Jordan Poyer will start at safety for the Bills in place of Taylor Rapp.

It's killing them in some of these games.

Bills rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston is officially active today in Charlotte.

The team's inactives: Joshua Palmer, Brandon Cordington, Matt Milano, Chase Lundt, DaQuan Jones and Landon Jackson.

Terrel Bernard and Dalton Kincaid are good to go. Curtis Samuel is also back.

Why aren't the Bills using James Cook more? Examining the problem and possible solutions There are several through lines between the consecutive losses that dropped the Bills to 4-2 entering their bye week. But the startling regression of their offense may be tied to their plan for the ru...

Can the Bills establish the run against the Panthers' defense?

Before the bye, I took a closer look at James Cook's usage and found a few interesting trends that are worth tracking.
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Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi are back with the Bills. How soon can they help? While Hoecht and Ogunjobi can't fix everything that ailed the Buffalo Bills during their consecutive losses, the defense desperately needed reinforcements.

Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi are expected to make their season debuts this afternoon in Charlotte.

In what ways can they help the Bills' defense? More on the veteran defensive linemen:
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Why aren't the Bills forcing more turnovers? 'We've gotta stop the run' Entering a Week 8 matchup with Carolina, Buffalo (4-2) has only five takeaways through six games, tied for 26th in the NFL, and its 16 passes defended rank third worst in the 32-team league.

Why isn't the Bills defense forcing more turnovers this season?

Jordan Poyer: "We've gotta stop the run."

It's one of several reasons. Wrote about a few others in this mid-week story:
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Bills numbers to know for Week 8: How will they stop the Panthers' rushing attack? Another road game against an NFC South opponent is an opportunity for the Buffalo Bills to bounce back from consecutive losses. Here are four stats to watch when they face

Some interesting trends on both sides that could factor into this matchup between the Bills and Panthers:
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Bills scouting report: Kick returners preparing for Panthers' knuckleballer Chris Tabor laughed a few weeks ago as he calculated how many kickoffs the Buffalo Bills will cover this season.

Some matchup notes ahead of this Week 8 game in Charlotte:

Why the Bills' returners had to prepare for the Panthers' knuckleball kicker, plus a few ways Buffalo's offense can attack Carolina's defense.
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Week 8 is here.

Before Bills vs. Panthers, here's a thread of some stories to get you ready for the game:

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Why aren't the Bills forcing more turnovers? 'We've gotta stop the run' Entering a Week 8 matchup with Carolina, Buffalo (4-2) has only five takeaways through six games, tied for 26th in the NFL, and its 16 passes defended rank third worst in the 32-team league.

Slow starts have plagued the Bills' defense.

On their first drive of games, quarterbacks have completed 12 of 14 passes. They're allowing 5 yards per carry.

Those slow starts are one reason why they aren't forcing turnovers. More on the problem:
buffalonews.com/sports/profe...

Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi are back with the Bills. How soon can they help? While Hoecht and Ogunjobi can't fix everything that ailed the Buffalo Bills during their consecutive losses, the defense desperately needed reinforcements.

What will Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi bring to the Bills' defense? How soon can they make an impact?

"The (approach) I'm taking is they traded for me at the deadline and I already know the playbook."

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Why aren't the Bills using James Cook more? Examining the problem and possible solutions There are several through lines between the consecutive losses that dropped the Bills to 4-2 entering their bye week. But the startling regression of their offense may be tied to their plan for the ru...

What was the deal with James Cook's usage the past two games, especially Week 6 in Atlanta?

One target in the Bills's last two games. Barely saw the field in the fourth quarter in ATL.

A closer look at the problem and how they can get him more involved:
buffalonews.com/sports/profe...

someone needs to dig another pit and make a sacrifice

DaQuan Jones (calf) and Joshua Palmer (ankle) are week to week with their injuries, said Sean McDermott.

Matt Milano, Dalton Kincaid, Curtis Samuel and Terrel Bernard are day to day. There's a chance Maxwell Hairston's practice window will open following the bye.

Elijah Moore's third-down fumble cost Bills in loss to Falcons: Plays that shaped the game "Listen, if it works, it’s a great call," Josh Allen said. "If it doesn’t, it’s not. If we run the ball there just downhill (and) it doesn’t work, it’s not a good call, right? Something that doesn’t w...

Why hand the ball to a receiver on third-and-1 when the Bills have James Cook and that o-line?

Sean McDermott: "We can be better."

The failed play was one of many that defined their loss in Atlanta. Here are several to consider:
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What's wrong with the Bills? Second-half comeback falls short in loss to Falcons The Bills are 4-2 entering their bye week, and their next game is on the road at the Carolina Panthers. The Falcons (3-2) showed why they're considered an up-and-coming contender in the NFC.

"We beat ourselves ..."

The Bills did it again. What should we make of this team entering the bye? The issues Monday night, especially during the first half, were mostly self-inflicted.

How it all went wrong for them in Atlanta:
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