Linebacker Matt Milano practiced on a limited basis for a second straight day Friday, a promising development for the Buffalo Bills as they prepare to face the Tennessee Titans on Monday night.
Milano, who missed the Kansas City game with a sore hamstring, was moving around well in the early portion of practice, which the media is allowed to watch.
The Bills have a bye week after Tennessee and might be tempted to hold out Milano to give him extra time to heal.
However, the Bills no doubt would like to be close to full defensive strength against a Titans team that ranks No. 3 in the NFL in rushing and is averaging 26.4 ppg.
Furthermore, the Bills might want to play some base, 4-3 defense against Tennessee. The Titans have played “heavy personnel” – either two running backs or two or more tight ends – on 36% of their offensive snaps this season. Because Titans running back Derrick Henry is such a powerful threat, the Bills probably will have to play with three linebackers on the field at least a little. That means A.J. Klein could get more action this week as the strong-side linebacker. If Milano sits out, the Bills would have to use both Klein and Tyrel Dodson as the linebackers with Tremaine Edmunds if they want to stay in their base defense.
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The Titans played two tight ends on 24 snaps in last year’s meeting. The Bills played their base 4-3 front on 10 of those plays. On most of the others, they used a “big nickel,” with Dean Marlowe as the extra defensive back. Marlowe no longer is on the roster, and the Bills haven’t shown a big nickel this year.
Special teams ace Taiwan Jones (hamstring) and cornerback Siran Neal (illness) did not practice. Star Lotulelei and Emmanuel Sanders were given veteran rest days.
The teams have to announce the status for players on the injury report on Saturday.
Titans have concerns
Meanwhile, the Titans have some significant injury concerns.
No. 1 cornerback Kristian Fulton missed a second straight day of practice with a hamstring injury. His replacement, first-round draft pick Caleb Farley, missed Thursday’s practice due to illness but was back working Friday.
Edge rusher Bud Dupree, the Titans’ big-free agent signee, missed the past three games while nursing soreness in his knee, which underwent major surgery in December. He practiced Thursday but sat out Friday.
Starting left guard Rodger Saffold sat out Thursday and was a limited participant Friday due to a sore shoulder.
It looks like the Titans’ explosive offense will be mostly back to full strength. Receiver Julio Jones, who missed the past two games with a hamstring injury, has practiced fully the past two days.
Said Jones: "I feel great. I did everything I needed to do and I’m ready to go.”
Another tough game
Sanders was asked Friday about the challenge of facing the Titans after an emotional victory in a hyped-up game against Kansas City.
“That’s a challenge, right?” Sanders said. “We beat the Chiefs on the road and then we’ve got the bye week coming up. So everybody has the narrative. Everybody’s got to stay focused on we’ve got another tough game. We’ve got to go play the Titans, which is another great team on 'Monday Night Football,' on the road. ... That’s the test. At the end of the day, we’ve got to think about where we want to be at the end of the season, stay locked in, stay focused.
"I think that just from a team standpoint, coach McDermott does a great job allowing guys to speak to the team, to speak on leadership. From hearing everybody speak and talk, I feel like we’ve got grown men on this team. I feel like everybody’s locked in on the game.”
