Bills adjust practice schedule after 5 players were absent from Wednesday’s practice due to illness 

The Buffalo Bills were forced to adjust their practice schedule this week after at least five of the team’s players fell ill.

Head coach Sean McDermott confirmed that defensive linesmen Jordan Philipps and Tom Settle, linebacker Matt Milano, defensive back Cam Lewis and fullback Reggie Gilliam were absent from Wednesday’s practice due to illness.

“We’re going to adjust the workout because we don’t have enough songs to practice,” McDermott said. “So we’re going to adapt a little bit, we’re going to go out and do some individual work and then just have to serve the offense and the defense, so some of that is affected by that.”

To make matters worse, Bills quarterback Josh Allen has also been limited in terms of practice mobility lately, due to a right elbow injury he sustained in the closing minutes of Buffalo’s Week 9 loss to the Jets.

Bills coach Sean McDermott said 5 players were sick and absent from Wednesday’s practice

Bills quarterback Josh Allen continues to harbor an elbow injury and sat out of some drills

Since then, the 26-year-old has worn a sleeve on his right arm, including against the Vikings in a 33-30 defeat. Over the course of this season, Allen threw for 2,733 yards (64.5 pass completion), including 20 touchdown passes, but the turnover count (10) is beginning to show in recent games, three of which came against Minnesota.

He also threw two interceptions a week earlier in a 20-17 loss at the New York Jets. Two weeks ago, Allen threw two second-half interceptions in a 27-17 victory over Green Bay. Overall, the 2018 first round has racked up seven interceptions in his last three games.

On Wednesday, he was noticeably sitting out of a few physical and throwing drills, ESPN reported. However, the Bills’ backup quarterbacks Case Keenum and Matt Barkley were involved.

“It’s day to day,” McDermott said of Allen’s right arm. “And I’m not saying that because anything has changed, but we’re evaluating and seeing where we are after today and what tomorrow looks like and what it’s like and maybe even what the training looks like.

“Training today allows some guys to practice the way we practice who wouldn’t have practiced normally due to a number of injuries. So we just stay flexible.’

Allen injured his right elbow in the closing minutes of the 17–20 loss to the Jets on November 6

Perhaps some kind of intervention would be in order for Allen, who has gone from leading the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns (in October) in a month to now leading the league in 10 interceptions.

The defense was also a problem, rushing a combined 529 yards in the past three appearances. An injury-depleted secondary was unable to contain Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson, who had 10 catches for 193 yards and a touchdown in the Bills’ final game.

Much of the Bills’ success over the past two seasons – consecutive AFC East titles and three playoff wins – can be attributed to Allen. It’s also only fair that he’s the only one taking the blame for what’s gone wrong lately.

Linebacker Von Miller is not worried about the team’s slump after losing two of their last three

Von Miller said there is no need to panic.

It’s week 10 and we still have seven games to go. Hey, we’re not done yet,’ said the edge rusher.

And yet receiver Stefon Diggs invoked one of Miller’s well-known mantras by expressing an ounce of concern.

“Von always says don’t blink,” Diggs said. “And I have a feeling we might blink a little bit.”