2023 Week 18 Injury Report: Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins

The Buffalo Bills are 10-6 after rubbing one out against the Patriots last week. They will be welcomed in Miami for a showdown for the AFC East crown Sunday night. The team is improving rapidly on the injury front, with two players coming off Injured Reserve (IR) last week. Although CB Kaiir Elam was a healthy scratch, DT DaQuan Jones came back with a vengeance. Only 11 weeks removed from a pectoral repair, he played a whopping 53% snap share, which is his norm. The team did move WR Justin Shorter to season ending IR this week, and we still have a surprise player listed as questionable for this weekend. Josh Allen’s health is also a concern, as he sustained two minor injuries in the last game too.

As for the Miami Dolphins, they have a plethora of injuries heading into this week. They will be without CB Xavien Howard, OG Isaiah Wynn, OLB Bradley Chubb, OL Connor Williams, and LB Jaelan Phillips. WR Jaylen Waddle, RB Raheem Mostert, and OLB Jerome Baker (expected to return from IR) are listed as questionable and, if playing, will have significant limitations . It is also notable that WR Tyreek Hill is still not 100% as he was seen in a walking boot outside of the facility this week.

Questionable: C Mitch Morse

Morse was a surprise addition to the injury report on Friday when he did not practice with an ‘illness’. This should draw some concern, especially with a road trip pending. I believe he plans on playing though after words from McDermott on Friday. 

Also Listed

QB Josh Allen

Josh Allen is dealing with two injuries heading into this weekend, as he was listed with a ‘neck/right finger’. Both injuries came in the Patriots game last week. The finger injury was sustained late in the first quarter, when Allen caught his throwing hand on a helmet. The neck injury was sustained on his last rushing attempt that sealed the win. 

As for his finger, Allen has a sprain of the middle finger on his throwing hand. It is the PIP joint to be exact.

Allen stated he didn’t like how the ball was coming out of his hand last week, and this is likely the culprit. The injury can be seen here and occurred at the end of the first quarter. It should not hinder him this weekend, unless he takes a hit to it.

His other ailment is neck pain resonating from a stinger he sustained on his last play of the game. His neck was bent to the right, stretching the neck musculature on the left side of his neck. This is likely causing soreness in the neck muscles on his non-throwing shoulder side. Allen himself stated he sustained a stinger, but it is unknown which arm felt the nerve pain. These usually resolve quickly but will be a concern if he suffers a subsequent stinger in the near future.

WR Stefon Diggs

Diggs has not been listed with an injury but was listed with ‘vet rest’ on Friday for a second week in a row. This alone is not a concern, but there has been a drastic drop off in his snap share percentage and production over the second half of the season. The only time Diggs was truly on the injury report this year was leading up to Week 10 (he was listed with a ‘back’). He was able to play 98% of the snaps that week but has dropped off significantly since, especially the last three weeks. It is unknown if the back injury is the culprit, but something must be bothering him even if the team is saying there is nothing major injury wise. Time will tell when we get the answer.

EDGE Von Miller

Miller is not listed with his knee, but he has been taking his routine Wednesday ‘vet rest’ days. He is notable to list due to being inactive last week. It may be production, but he also may have not recovered well from playing a season high 46% snap share against the Chargers. It will be interesting to see if he is active in Miami and what type of snap share he will play with a healthy rotation back in order.

S Micah Hyde

Micah suffered a “neck stinger” against the Chiefs’ and did not return to the game. 

This is the same injury he suffered against the Bengals in Week 9. He also exited that game and did not play the following week. This is a significant injury for Hyde because of his recent neck history. Although not confirmed, Hyde likely underwent an Anterior Cervical Discectomy Fusion (ACDF) last year.

A player returning to a contact sport runs a risk returning from these types of injuries. Usually, once they suffer a new stinger or severe neck ailment, it’s game over. Hyde has already had two stingers this year and is continuing to finish out the year. He was able to play last week and even delivered a big blow to break up a pass without reinjuring himself.

DE Leonard Floyd

Floyd was listed with a ‘wrist’ injury starting four weeks ago. He is also dealing with a ‘rib’ injury since the Cowboys game. Floyd only logged 40% of the snaps two weeks ago, and 43% this past week. He is clearly ailing after averaging about 55% prior on the season.

S Damar Hamlin

Hamlin took a blow to his right ‘shoulder’ on punt protection in the second quarter of the Chargers game. He shook his arm out instantly and briefly exited the game. He returned with a visible harness/support on his shoulder later in the game. Hamlin may have sustained a shoulder subluxation due to the mechanism and harness used thereafter, or simply an AC joint sprain. He was limited in practice the past two weeks and was seen in a non-contact jersey again this week as late as Thursday’s practices. He does not have a designation, but also might not suit up with Hyde back in action.

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