Buffalo got the answer it wanted on DJ Moore.
After the wide receiver left his debut with an ankle injury, the Bills have now cleared him for Thursday night. Moore is not listed on Buffalo’s injury report ahead of the matchup with the Detroit Lions, a welcome development after the final snap against the Carolina Panthers briefly put his status in doubt.
The injury happened at the end of a big opening act in Buffalo. Moore finished with five catches, 100 receiving yards and one touchdown as the Bills’ primary WR1. He looked like exactly the kind of difference-maker the offense has been searching for, especially with Josh Allen still in his prime and Buffalo still without a long-term partner for its star quarterback.
The concern came when Moore went down and reached for his ankle, a moment that made the injury appear serious in real time. But head coach Joe Brady told reporters after the game that Moore is “good to go.” Now the official report backs that up.
That matters because Moore’s first game in Buffalo did more than fill a stat sheet. He made a quick impression on Bills Mafia after arriving via trade from the Bears, even reportedly buying a stack of jerseys from a local store and handing them out for free. According to the source report, the store staff did not initially recognize him, but once they realized who he was, they went along with the request.
For a veteran settling into a new team, that kind of start goes a long way. Moore has already shown Buffalo he can make an immediate impact on the field and, just as importantly, make himself part of the building right away. Against the Lions, that connection with Allen gets its next test.
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Bills Win Didnt Stop Jim Leonhard From Zeroing In On One Concern
Jim Leonhard had plenty to like after Buffalos 36-31 season-opening win over the Houston Texans, but the Bills defensive coordinator wasnt treating it like a finished product. The final score mattered, of course, and so did the way his group responded in a game that asked for a lot early in the year, but Leonhards review also pointed to several areas that still need cleaning up as the season settles in.
One concern stood out enough to linger into the next day: inside linebacker Terrel Bernard played the full game, then showed up on the injury report afterward. For a defense that leaned on Bernard throughout the opener, any health question is worth watching closely, especially with Leonhard already focused on sharpening the details from a win that still left room for improvement. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Fans Face A Familiar Home Opener Problem Again
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Joe Brady's Bills Edge Is Already Raising One Big Question
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Bradys emotions are only part of the backdrop as the Bills turn quickly to their home opener against the Detroit Lions on a short week. The question around him is less whether he feels the pressure than how he channels it when the game starts speeding up and the stakes rise. Buffalo does not need a sideline act, but it does need a coach who can keep the edge without letting it steer the decisions, and that is the line Brady will keep walking as the week unfolds. [Read more 🡒]