A former Buffalo Bills wide receiver is headed to injured reserve, dealing a major blow to Buffalo’s top division rival.
The New England Patriots announced on Saturday that wide receiver Mack Hollins was going on injured reserve with an abdominal injury. The decision means that Hollins will miss the final two games of the season and the start of the playoffs.
The Bills are just behind the Patriots for the AFC East lead and can seize the division by winning one more game than New England the rest of the way.
Patriots Lose Reliable Target
The Patriots will lose a reliable weapon for quarterback Drake Maye. Hollins is third on the team with 46 receptions and 550 receiving yards.
The Patriots already ruled Hollins out for this week’s game against the New York Jets. As ESPN’s Mike Reiss noted, it’s not quite clear when he suffered the injury.
“Hollins hadn’t practiced all week after landing on the injury report because of his abdomen,” Reiss wrote. “Hollins, 6-foot-4, 221 pounds, was coming off a seven-catch, 69-yard performance in last Sunday’s win over the Baltimore Ravens that clinched a playoff berth for New England (12-3). He presumably was injured in the game at some point, although he didn’t leave the game early and played 49 of a possible 74 snaps.”
Hollins was also a top target for Josh Allen during the 2024 season. He made 31 receptions for 378 yards with a team-leading five receiving touchdowns.
Hollins opted against returning to Buffalo after the end of his one-year contract last offseason, instead signing with the Patriots.
Bills Face Must-Win Stretch
The Bills are dealing with their own injuries as they prepare to host the Philadelphia Eagles. Head coach Sean McDermott announced on Friday that safety Jordan Poyer, defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, and kicker Matt Prater would be ruled out for the game.
Allen was limited in practice during the week with a foot injury suffered in last week’s win over the Cleveland Browns, but McDermott said he was cleared to play on Sunday.
“Coach McDermott on @WGR550 said that Josh Allen (foot) has gotten better each day this week, is trending in the right direction and will be ready to play on Sunday,” noted team reporter Chris Brown in a post on X.
The Bills could take a cautious approach with Allen, limiting his rushing plays and leaning more heavily on running back James Cook.
The Patriots will be missing more players against the Jets, having ruled out Robert Spillane, Milton Williams, Kayshon Boutte, and Harold Landry.
But as Boston.com’s Colin McCarthy noted, the Patriots will get their rookie running back on the field after his status was up in the air for much of the week.
“But there is some good news for the Patriots regarding the injury report. TreVeyon Henderson cleared concussion protocol on Saturday and should be able to play against the Jets,” McCarthy wrote.
“Even with his slow start to the year, Henderson is New England’s leading rusher with 776 yards and seven touchdowns. He’s third in rushing yards among all rookies, only trailing rushing leader Ashton Jeanty by 52 yards.”
Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty
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