Jaguars Suffer Injury Blow That Could Swing Playoff Game to Bills

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Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen talks about using Travis Hunter.

Injuries have been a significant challenge for the Bills throughout the season. While Buffalo continues to address its ongoing injury concerns, the team they will face on Sunday, the Jacksonville Jaguars, is dealing with significant injury issues of their own.

Jaguars Rule Out Star Player

The Jaguars have announced that left tackle Cole Van Lanen will not be playing in Sunday’s game, which is a significant setback for Jacksonville’s offensive line.

Van Lanen suffered a knee injury during the last regular season game against the Tennessee Titans, which caused him to exit the matchup early. He didn’t participate in practice on Wednesday or Thursday this week and had only limited involvement on Friday. Reporters noticed Van Lanen warming up and attempting to play just hours before the Jaguars had to announce their inactive list. However, Jacksonville decided it was best to keep him inactive for the game.

Van Lanen has dedicated the past four seasons to the Jaguars after kicking off his career with the Green Bay Packers, where he spent one season.

The Jaguars utilized Van Lanen all over the offensive line this season. In a win against the Titans on Nov. 30, he lined up in numerous positions, even taking on duties at tight end, which caught the attention of head coach Liam Coen, who praised his efforts.

“When we got here as a staff, everybody spoke about Cole Van Lanen, everybody spoke about him as a pro, as his ability to be able to do this and to have the mindset, but also the preparation,” Coen said, via Carlos Sanchez of Fansided. “I mean, guys, that is not easy to go and do for anybody. And he goes and does it at arguably one of the hardest positions to play in the National Football League, which is offensive line.”

According to Pro Football Focus, Van Lanen has the 16th-best blocking grade among 89 NFL offensive linemen. It’s never a good sign when a team loses a standout offensive lineman. The Jaguars will need to work hard to prevent the Bills’ defensive line from putting pressure on quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Bills are Entering Playoffs in Different Way This Season

The Bills are heading into the playoffs, a feat they’ve known for the past six seasons. However, this time feels quite different from the previous five seasons.

The Bills have claimed the AFC East title for the past five seasons, securing a home wild-card playoff game. However, this year, they fell short in the division chase, with the New England Patriots taking the crown during head coach Mike Vrabel’s first season.

Now, the Bills might have to win three straight road games to reach the Super Bowl, which will be a challenging task. But if any quarterback can do it, it would be Josh Allen, who might be the best quarterback remaining in the playoffs from both the AFC and NFC.

The Bills will kick off their postseason journey at EverBank Stadium, and hopefully, Buffalo will be playing meaningful football all the way until February.

Danny Fisher Is a football journalist covering the Buffalo Bills for Heavy.com. He has covered the NFL for Gridiron Heroics, focusing on the AFC and Penn State football for Nittany Central. More about Danny Fisher