ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills will be without another key member of the offense against the Kansas City Chiefs as tight end Dalton Kincaid on Friday was ruled out for Sunday’s game.
Kincaid — who is dealing with a left knee injury suffered in the team’s win last week vs. the Colts — joins rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman in not being available to play for the Bills in the key AFC matchup (4:25 p.m. EST, CBS).
This will be the second game Kincaid has missed in his career and the first this season. The second-year tight end leads the team in targets (59) and is second in receptions (34). He has caught two touchdown passes this season.
“I mean, certainly you have to kind of pivot a little bit in some areas,” McDermott said on the impact of Kincaid being out on the offense. “[Offensive coordinator Joe Brady] has done a great job with that and the staff as well, and it is just a lot of communication, a lot of, ‘Hey, what are we good at? What’s this player best at?’ And just trying to, at the same time make sure that we’re aware of what the Chiefs plan to do.”
Without Kincaid, tight end Dawson Knox is likely to have a bigger role. When Kincaid was out for all but two plays in the second half vs. Indianapolis as he tried to return, the Bills still ran some 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends) on nine plays with backup tight end Quintin Morris also in line to play more on offense with this absence, but Kincaid’s absence will likely bring more 11 personnel usage in addition to other changes to the offense.
Coleman being out for a second straight game will give more opportunities to the team’s other receivers, like Mack Hollins who had four catches for 86 yards vs. the Colts, although there is a remaining question mark as wide receiver Amari Cooper (wrist) is expected to be listed as questionable vs. the Chiefs. He has been listed as limited in practice for three straight weeks and has missed the previous two games as he deals with a left wrist injury.
Cooper said, “Yeah, I do,” when asked if he thought it was heading toward him playing Sunday, and that he would play with the short cast on his left hand.
“We’ll see. Yeah, I’ll know more today,” McDermott said of Cooper. “I’ll kind of just get together with [trainer Nate Breske] a little bit after this practice with a couple of those guys.”
The other injury to this offense is to right tackle Spencer Brown, who rolled his ankle vs. the Colts and is expected to be listed as questionable. The Bills’ offensive line has gotten off to a strong and consistent start with no starters missing time. Buffalo has allowed the sacks on the fewest percentage of dropbacks this season (3.8%).
