The Buffalo Bills are facing a significant challenge as they head into Week 16, particularly with the absence of kicker Matt Prater for their upcoming game against the Cleveland Browns. Coach Sean McDermott has confirmed that Prater will not be available this week due to a right quad injury, which he has described as a situation where Prater is currently classified as "week to week."
This season, Prater has been quite effective, successfully making 18 out of 20 field goal attempts, translating to an impressive 90% success rate. Additionally, he has converted 43 out of 46 extra point attempts, giving him a commendable 93% efficiency. Notably, his current field goal percentage is on track to be the highest he has achieved since 2015, provided he attempts at least 20 kicks.
The situation becomes more complicated for the Bills as Tyler Bass, the team's primary kicker, is already on injured reserve and will miss the remainder of the season due to surgery. This means the Bills must find a replacement kicker quickly, which adds another layer of urgency to their preparations.
Coach McDermott expressed concern over the kicker situation, stating, "Not ideal. Matt's done a really good job having that consistency during the year. Obviously, T-Bass had the surgery, so he's not an option either. So we'll figure that piece out."
In addition to Prater’s injury, the Bills will also be without defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, who is sidelined with an ankle injury sustained during the recent game against the New England Patriots. On a slightly positive note, cornerback Christian Benford, dealing with a toe issue, and linebacker Terrel Bernard, who has an elbow injury, are reportedly showing signs of improvement as the week progresses.
Furthermore, there’s some hope for wide receiver and kick returner Mecole Hardman, who might see his 21-day practice window activated this week after being placed on injured reserve on November 20.
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