Bills Mafia breathed one huge sigh of relief, but it doesn’t mean the Buffalo Bills are completely dodging injuries Thursday night in Houston.
While star quarterback Josh Allen got up and walked off the field after a nasty sack by the Texans’ Will Anderson, leading receiver Khalil Shakir was being evaluated for a concussion. Shakir, Buffalo’s No. 1 receiver, took a short pass from Allen but absorbed a helmet-to-helmet blow from Texans’ cornerback Kamari Lassiter.
Starting left tackle Dion Dawkins also briefly left the game to be evaluated for a concussion but returned after only missing a couple of plays.
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Shakir looked a bit dazed, and officials momentarily paused the game so he could leave the field and get treated. Allen went down hard on the next play.
While the thought of playing without Allen and Shakir is frightening to Bills Mafia, both players returned to the game almost immediately. Allen didn’t miss an offensive snap. Shakir sat out one play before being cleared.
After the Bills’ defense forced a Texans’ three-and-out, Shakir was back on the field to return the punt.
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The Bills are already without injured offensive weapons Dalton Kincaid, Curtis Samuel and Mecole Hardman, and the benched Keon Coleman.
On Buffalo’s next series after the Allen and Shakir scares, Dawkins left the game and was being evaluated for a concussion. He was replaced by Ryan Van Demark, but re-entered later on the drive.
Khalil Shakir / Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
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