Rex Ryan hinted Monday at a quarterback problem in Buffalo, but most observers didn't quite connect the dots at the time. Now it sounds like Tyrod Taylor might be in some trouble. He has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Bengals, according to NFL.com.
A day after Ryan said his quarterback was "beat up right now" and "sore" thanks to a lingering ankle issue, the Bills signed everyone's favorite emergency QB, Josh Johnson, as insurance, and hints started to emerge that Taylor could miss some time.
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#NFL source: "Apparently Tyrod Taylor is hurt pretty bad." #Bills checked passport status of potential QB additions for Week 7 London trip.
— Vic Carucci (@viccarucci) October 13, 2015Tyrod Taylor could miss multiple games with an MCL sprain suffered on a horse-collar tackle Sun. Bills will prepare EJ Manuel to start Sun..
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) October 13, 2015Presumably, Johnson's passport is in order. He certainly is well-traveled enough, having signed with and been released by the Colts each of the last two weeks as insurance for the injured Andrew Luck.
But the focus in Buffalo moving forward will be on Taylor. The fifth-year QB, finally getting his first shot at extended playing time, has done all the Bills could have asked so far in a 3-2 start. His 103.6 passer rating is seventh in the NFL and he ranks fourth among quarterbacks with 187 yards rushing, churning out 6.0 yards per carry.
The beating Taylor takes as a ballcarrier was the theme of the question that prompted Ryan's acknowledgement of a problem Monday.
"Well it’s always a concern," Ryan said. "… I can tell you this, he is beat up right now. Like he’s sore, you oughta see him, he is sore. We knew he would be. You know guys, he hasn’t been 100 percent all season, he’s had an ankle (injury). … We really haven’t seen the 100-percent Tyrod Taylor. But that’s it, of course you’re always concerned when your quarterback takes off with it."
His teammates recognize his toughness, too.
"He's the man. That lick he took when he got horse-collared. It hurt. I seen the pain on his face when I ran up on him," said running back Boobie Dixon. "He was mouth-wide, hollering. But he stayed in the game and kept on willing us. Big shouts out to him. That was all him. He was giving that effort all day."
A follow-up question about the severity of Taylor's soreness brought a response that seems to carry a bit more foreboding a day later.
"We’ll see how he’s doing," Ryan said. "We’ll be looking at him throughout the week and everybody else that we have. But like I said he’s sore now, I can tell you that much."
The Bills host the unbeaten Bengals on Sunday. If Taylor can't go, EJ Manuel likely would get the start in his place with Johnson backing up.
