Bills notebook: Defensive injuries continue to mount
Published: November 20, 2009, 11:19 pm
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The Buffalo Bills' defense will be thin when it meets the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
Defensive tackle Marcus Stroud was ruled out for the game due to a sore knee, coach Perry Fewell said after Friday's practice.
In addition it looks like the Bills will be down two cornerbacks for the game. Ashton Youboty is out with a sore ankle, and Terrence McGee is listed as questionable with a sore knee. McGee is recovering from arthroscopic surgery performed 2½ weeks ago. He was not able to practice at all Wednesday and Thursday, so he's looking very questionable.
That would leave Drayton Florence and Reggie Corner as the starters and rookie Ellis Lankster as the nickel cornerback. Lankster got first extended game action last week in Tennessee after Youboty got hurt.
"He [Lankster] played for us last week in the ballgame, and we think he's gotten better every week for us," Fewell said.
The Bills activated Cary Harris off the practice squad Friday to be the fourth cornerback. Harris was activated because linebacker Keith Ellison was placed on injured reserve due to a quadriceps injury. Also listed as questionable were Kyle Williams (knee), Jairus Byrd (groin) and James Hardy (groin). All practiced to some degree Friday. Williams and Byrd seem like they have a decent chance to play. Also listed as out is Demetrius Bell (knee).xleg
Roscoe Parrish was in Dick Jauron's doghouse the last four games.
Fewell was noncommittal when asked if he would put Parrish back on punt returns this week. Fred Jackson has averaged a healthy 11.5 yards on punt returns in Parrish's place. Parrish is the two-time defending NFL punt-return leader.
"I like Roscoe, we like Roscoe and what he has done in the return game in the past," Fewell said. "We also like Fred Jackson. So it looks good."
The Jaguars look like they will be without three starters. Their top cornerback, Rashean Mathis (groin), is out. Safety Gerald Alexander (shoulder) and linebacker Joe Durant (head) did not practice this week.
The Bills released the following statement on the death of the wife of former Bills linebacker Chris Spielman: "The Bills organization is deeply saddened to hear the news of the passing of Stefanie Spielman. Her courageous battle against cancer touched many lives and serves as an inspiration to us all. Our deepest condolences and prayers go out to Chris and the entire Spielman family during this difficult time."
Stefanie Spielman battled breast cancer for 11 years. She established the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research after her initial diagnosis. The fund raised more than $6.5 million for breast-cancer research at Ohio State University. Click here to go to the fund's Web site.
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