Bills QB Taylor has bruised tendon in knee
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. » Bills quarterback Tyrod Tylor has a bruised patellar tendon in his left knee, leaving his status uncertain for Buffalo’s game against Indianapolis on Sunday.
Coach Sean McDermott listed Taylor as day to day on Monday and says he will remain the team’s starter should he be healthy enough to play this week. McDermott told The Associated Press that Taylor’s knee is very sore and the injury became progressively worse as he continued playing on it during a 23-3 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday. McDermott told reporters he’ll have a better idea on Taylor status once the team returns to practice on Wednesday. “Everything’s a little fluid right now. It’s Monday, and we’re in early stages of the medical evaluations,” he said. “So we’ll just take it one day at a time.”
Taylor was hurt on the first play from scrimmage, and played through the first minute of the fourth quarter before being sidelined in favor of rookie Nathan Peterman. Taylor nodded “yes,” when asked by The AP if he was OK following the game.
If Taylor can’t play, the Bills would return to Peterman. The rookie fifth-round pick threw five interceptions in the first half of a 54-24 loss at the Los Angeles Chargers two weeks ago.
McDermott was optimistic receiver Kelvin Benjamin can return this week after missing two games with torn cartilage in his right knee.
Cornerback Tre’Davious White and backup running back Tra-
varis Cadet sustained concussions. McDermott said starting defensive end Shaq Lawson is out indefinitely with a sprained ankle.
White was lying along the sideline after intercepting a Tom Brady pass with 4:50 left in the fourth quarter when Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski dived shoulder first and struck the player in the back of the helmet. The hit sparked an altercation between Bills safety Micah Hyde and Patriots receiver Danny Amendola, while Bills defensive end was penalized for making contact with an official.
Gronkowski, Amendola and Hyde were flagged for unnecessary roughness.
Gronkowski, who potentially faces further league discipline, apologized for the hit after the game, saying his frustrations got the better of him.
Several local TV stations, including WROC-Rochester and Spectrum News-Buffalo, captured video of Patriots coach Bill Belichick apologizing to McDermott for Gronkowski’s hit when the two shook hands following the game. Belichick used a profanity when de- scribing the hit.
McDermott, on Monday, declined to discuss Belichick’s reaction, and said he’s focused on preparing to face the Colts (3-9).
Buffalo (6- 6) is suddenly fading out of the AFC playoff picture in having lost four of five since getting off to a 5-2 start.
The Bills offense has sputtered under Taylor, which prompted McDermott’s decision to start Peterman against the Chargers.
Taylor finished 9 of 18 for 65 yards and an interception in just a little over three quarters against New England.
In going 1-2 in his past three starts, dating to a 4710 loss to New Orleans on Nov. 12, Taylor has gone a combined 37 of 61 for 304 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. That includes Taylor going 19 of 29 for 183 yards and a touchdown in a 16-10 win at Kansas City on Nov. 26.
Against New England, the Bills crossed midfield just three times and came away with no points on two drives that ended inside the Patriots 10.
Taylor threw an interception from the 6 on Buffalo’s opening drive, and Peterman threw an incompletion from the 1 on fourth down in the fourth quarter.