Bills May Get Unexpected Boost Before Texans Game
The Buffalo Bills rebounded from their disappointing loss to the Miami Dolphins by taking down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, and now have just days to prepare for their next game.
The short time frame might work in their favor.
The Bills are preparing to travel down south for a Thursday matchup against the Houston Texans, who have won two straight despite some turmoil in the quarterback room. The Texans have just one more day to determine whether starter C.J. Stroud can return to the field, with Tuesday’s practice determining whether he plays against the Bills or backup Davis Mills once again takes the reins.
C.J. Stroud Remains in Concussion Protocol
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said on Monday that the team’s star quarterback is still in concussion protocol and in serious danger of missing Thursday’s game.
“With C.J. and Jalen (Pitre) — when they are in concussion protocol, there are steps they have to pass to be available,” Ryans said, via USA Today’s Texans Wire.
The Texans held a walkthrough on Monday and plan a full practice for Tuesday. League rules stipulate that a player must go through two full practices in order to leave concussion protocol, so Stroud will be ruled out if he’s not able to take the field on Tuesday.
Reporter Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle noted it is unlikely Stroud will play against the Bills, both due to his injury and the team’s cautious approach.
“Stroud has been inside the Texans’ locker room lately, a positive sign that he has made progress in recent days,” Alexander reported. “But the fact that he hasn’t practiced indicates that he is still dealing with symptoms from the injury. Each player recovers differently based on history and age. Younger players tend to have symptoms that last longer.”
Mills has performed well in relief of Stroud, leading the Texans to two straight wins to bring their record to 5-5. The Texans are just outside of a playoff spot and would need a win to keep pace, making Thursday’s game a critical test as they face a Bills team that’s also vying for a wild card.
“It’s a challenging opponent coming up this Thursday for us,” Ryans said. “But we’re up for the challenge, as always. We’re looking forward to it.”
Josh Allen Rebounds Against Buccaneers
Bills quarterback Josh Allen had one of his worst games of the season in the team’s 30-13 loss to the Dolphins in Week 10, but he bounced back in a big way against the Buccaneers.
After throwing an interception on the team’s second offensive play of the game and another later in the first half, Allen rebounded to record six total touchdowns — three rushing and three passing.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott said it was a vintage performance from the reigning NFL MVP.
“You guys know Josh. He’s hard to stop,” McDermott said, via ESPN. “We all know how last week went. The Josh that I know, he will not be denied. That’s the type of competitor, type of person, type of teammate that he is.”
Lions Sign Veteran Pass-Catcher & Bolster Defensive Line Days Before Week 4
The Detroit Lions addressed their tight end and defensive line depth with two moves Wednesday. The team announced on social media signing veteran tight end Ross Dwelley from the practice squad to the active roster.
Dwelley will slide behind starter Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright on the team’s tight end depth chart.
This is Dwelley’s first season with the Lions. He actually made his team debut Monday night against the Baltimore Ravens. Dwelley played as a practice squad elevation.
Dwelley has appeared in 102 contests during his NFL career.
Also Wednesday, the Lions signed defensive lineman Quinton Jefferson to their practice squad. Jefferson will take Dwelley’s spot on the squad.
The Seattle Seahawks drafted Jefferson at No. 147 overall in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Jefferson has played in 115 NFL games.
Lions Sign TE Ross Dwelley to Active Roster
The Lions added Dwelley to the team’s practice squad a couple days after Week 2 on September 16. The veteran immediately provided depth in his first game as a practice squad elevation.
Against the Ravens, Dwelley played four offensive snaps and 12 snaps on special teams.
The 30-year-old began his NFL career as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He immediately found a home with the San Francisco 49ers. As a rookie, he played in 11 games. In his second season, he started six games.
Dwelley then started a career-high nine contests during 2020.
Over six seasons with the 49ers, Dwelley posted 44 catches for 518 yards. The tight end also had five touchdowns while averaging 11.8 yards per reception.
Last season, he played 17 games for the Atlanta Falcons. Dwelley mostly split his opportunities between offense and defense but only had one catch for five yards.
Dwelley signed with the Lions about a month after the 49ers released the veteran during training camp this August.
The Lions added Dwelley to their practice squad the same day the team placed depth tight end Shane Zylstra on injured reserve. Zylstra suffered an ankle injury.
Lions Add Quinton Jefferson to Practice Squad
With Jefferson, the Lions also addressed their defensive line depth. Detroit placed starting defensive end Marcus Davenport on injured reserve ahead of Monday’s game.
Jefferson won’t directly replace Davenport. But he will give the Lions another veteran option for their defensive line.
The Pittsburgh native spent four years with the Seahawks. During his third season with the team, he earned a starting role.
Then from 2018-23, Jefferson started 62 contests, including at least 12 in four different seasons. In 2023 with the New York Jets, Jefferson posted a career-high six sacks.
In 2021 with the Las Vegas Raiders, he had a career-best 16 quarterback hits.
Last season during his second stint with the Buffalo Bills, Jefferson posted eight combined tackles, including two tackles for loss. He also had two quarterback hits and one sack in seven appearances.
Over his nine-year career, Jefferson has played for the Seahawks, Bills, Raiders, Jets and Cleveland Browns. During his career, he has spent two stints with both the Seahawks and Bills.
Without Davenport for the first time in 2025, the Lions sacked quarterback Lamar Jackson seven times on Monday night. That tied the mark for the most times Jackson has been sacked during a game in his NFL career.
