Patriots-Bills Inactives: What It Means For Sunday’s Week Sixteen Showdown
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The New England Patriots are set to battle the Buffalo Bills in Week Sixteen of the 2021 NFL Season at 1:00pm ET on Sunday, December 26 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts.
With just under an hour until kickoff, the Patriots and Bills have released their lists of Inactives:
Patriots Inactives:
What it Means for the Patriots:
DB Joshuah Bledsoe
WR Nelson Agholor
CB Shaun Wade
TE Devin Asiasi
QB Jarrett Stidham
CB Joejuan Williams
With much question surrounding each of their status for Sunday’s matchup, both wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (COVID-19/Reserve) and Damien Harris (hamstring) will play against the Bills in Week Sixteen. The team announced Bourne’s activation from the list on Saturday. The versatile wideout is vaccinated, and thus had the opportunity to clear COVID protocols, making him eligible for Sunday’s game.
Harris was forced to leave New England’s Week Fifteen matchup with the Indianapolis Colts, due to a hamstring injury. The injury made him a limited participant in practice all week. However, as the Pats did not elevate a running back for Sunday’s matchup with the Bills. Rookie running back Rhamondre Stevenson is out, having been placed on COVID-19/Reserve on Friday.
The Patriots have also activated linebacker Josh Uche from injured reserve and elevated wide receiver Kristian Wilkerson, defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale and cornerback D’Angelo Ross from the practice squad.
Wide reciever Nelson Agholor remains in concussion protocol, and is inactive for Week Sixteen.
Behind Enemy Lines: Bills Inactives
RB Matt Breida
DT Star Lotulelei
TE Tommy Sweeney
What it Means for the Bills:
Buffalo has activated offensive lineman Dion Dawkins from COVID-19/Reserve, elevated defensive tackle Eli Ankou from the practice squad, and ruled defensive tackle Star Lotulelei out for Sunday's game.
Dawkins’ activation is a huge plus for Buffalo’s offensive line. Dawkins was named to his first Pro Bowl this week, and has started 13 games in 2021. He missed last week's win over Carolina on the COVID-19 list.
Lotulelei did not travel with the team and has been ruled out for Sunday's game, with ‘personal reasons’ being cited on Buffalo’s final injury and practice participation report of the week. Lotulelei is the Bills’ premiere run stuffer, and leaves a void on the interior of the team’s defensive line.
The Bills elevated defensive tackle Eli Ankou. Ankou has played in three of the last four games for Buffalo.
Lastly, Buffalo will be without the services of two of their top wide receivers on Sunday. Both Gabriel Davis and Cole Beasley remain on COVID-19/Reserve.
