The Bills are at 7-5 after losing to the New England Patriots, who now have a one-game lead in the AFC East division. The Bills have another game with the Patriots among their remaining five games and the fact that coach Sean McDermott will be missing White, and not a great deal of other good defensive coverage options, could prove fatal for Buffalo's chances.
The Patriots lead the AFC East and are on a currently on a 7-game winning streak. You can see how this all plays out in terms of the NFL odds, with the Bills at (+1100) to win the Super Bowl, while teams such as the Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Patriots (+750) are ahead of them.
McDermott will have to use Dane Jackson in a replacement role. The 2020 draft pick has played in all 12 games this season, albeit on special teams. The Buffalo Bills head coach feels that he can make a good fist of filling the void;
 |
| Photo via buffalobills.com |
It's clear that Jackson is just a stop-gap solution, but one that will have to hit the ground running if the Bills are going to even make it to the postseason. White will be sorely missed, and the fact that he'll be out until the start of next season, at the earliest, is a real blow.
Tre'Davious is in his fifth season and signed a four-year extension in 2020 worth $69 million, a sign of how highly they rate the 26-year-old talent.
There has been some talk about bringing in a free agent to help out in the short-term, with the likes of Daryl Worley, Quinton Dunbar, and Dre Kirkpatrick being earmarked as possible options in that regard.
The loss of White is one that his teammates have commented on as being a big blow, with safety Micah Hyde stating:
"Obviously, Tre'Davious is a huge playmaker for us, and just his presence on the football field is unmatched. And so, hopefully, he's healthy, and it's tough to come back home and not be able to finish the game. ... Knowing Tre'Davious, he'll bounce back whatever it may be."
Quarterback Josh Allen was similarly effusive in praise of his injured team-mate:
"I know all the guys in the locker room are praying for him and hurting with him. You can't say a single bad thing about that man. He comes in and busts his ass every day."
Next up for the Bills is familiar foe Tom Brady and the defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers. A win in this one will give McDermott's push for the AFC East a shot in the arm, while a defeat might prove disastrous.
Moonlighting as a blogger to pursue my interest and enjoyment of sports. Former high school and Division I athlete (now a "retired" family man) that loves watching and discussing all sports. Follow me on Twitter (@HoldoutSports) and like Holdout Sports on Facebook.
