The Buffalo Bills got a nice wild-card win this past weekend. They did it on defense without one of their best players in the secondary, too.
Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas was held out with an injury. Postgame, Douglas said that he felt good enough to play, but the team decided against it.
Luckily for Buffalo, Douglas thinks he will play in the divisional round against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Bills CB Rasul Douglas told me in the locker room he felt he was ready to play, but the team held him out. Douglas then said he'll play next week against the Chiefs.
— Tim Graham (@ByTimGraham) January 16, 2024
Douglas has been a good player for Buffalo since joining them mid-season in a trade with the Green Bay Packers.
He's one of the top slot cornerbacks in the AFC, receiving an 82.2 coverage grade via Pro Football Focus. With him out, Dane Jackson and Kaiir Elam received more pressure in the wild-card round. If he returns, they will get a bit of relief in coverage.
Art! Rasul Douglas! pic.twitter.com/PPlSlxFvRO
— WeAreDBnation (@WeAreDBNation1) November 21, 2023
That being said, Elam played a very impressive game and even grabbed a clutch interception against the Steelers. Douglas needs to come back and play his game in order for the Bills to be at their best on defense.
Douglas has five interceptions this season. That's good for a tie in second in the NFL in that category.
His return is a major reinforcement for the Bills that cannot be overlooked.
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