ORCHARD PARK, United States, October 6, 2026: Buffalo’s perfect start disappeared on Sunday. The larger concern is how many players left with it.
The Bills fell 29-26 to the New England Patriots at Highmark Stadium, dropping to 3-1 after Drake Maye answered Buffalo’s late go-ahead touchdown with a 23-yard scoring pass to Efton Chism.
By the time Josh Allen’s final comeback attempt ended with an interception, Buffalo’s medical staff had already dealt with a string of problems.
Wide receiver DJ Moore reinjured his shoulder. Defensive lineman Ed Oliver hurt his knee. Cornerback Dee Alford injured his ankle. Defensive back Te’Cory Couch suffered a hamstring problem. Defensive lineman Landon Jackson also required attention before being cleared to return.
Story at a glance
What Happened to DJ Moore Against the Patriots?
Moore left late in the second quarter with a shoulder injury and went into Buffalo’s medical tent.
Why Moore’s Loss Is Bigger Than One Catch Against New England
Moore entered Buffalo as one of the most important changes to Josh Allen’s receiving corps.
Can Buffalo’s Receivers Cover for Moore?
The Patriots game offered encouraging evidence.
What Happened to Ed Oliver?
Oliver left during the third quarter with a knee injury after being blocked from the side.
Why Ed Oliver’s Knee Matters to Buffalo’s Defense
Oliver’s traditional statistics can undersell his importance because interior defensive linemen frequently influence plays without making the final tackle.
That is at least five notable in-game injury developments from one afternoon.
Buffalo had already entered the game without starting corner Christian Benford because of a toe injury and defensive lineman T.J. Sanders following an appendectomy. Jordan Hancock is also on injured reserve with a hamstring problem.
The Bills have spent September demonstrating that they can overcome missing players. October has begun by asking how many absences one contender can absorb at the same time.
TSE’s full NFL Week 4 report examined how New England delivered Buffalo’s first defeat. The injury consequences could last considerably longer than the final score.
What Happened to DJ Moore Against the Patriots?
Moore left late in the second quarter with a shoulder injury and went into Buffalo’s medical tent.
The Bills initially listed him as questionable before downgrading him to doubtful.
He did not return.
The concern is amplified because this is the second time in four games Moore has left because of a shoulder problem.
He injured the shoulder while attempting a catch against Detroit in Week 2, underwent X-rays and was ruled out that night. He returned to practice the following week in a non-contact jersey before playing against the Chargers.
Buffalo’s official Week 4 injury update confirms that Sunday’s problem again involved the shoulder.
Before leaving, Moore caught one pass for 11 yards and gained six yards on his only rushing attempt.
Why Moore’s Loss Is Bigger Than One Catch Against New England
Moore entered Buffalo as one of the most important changes to Josh Allen’s receiving corps.
The Bills traded a second-round pick to Chicago in March for Moore and a fifth-round selection, adding a receiver who had already produced multiple 1,000-yard NFL seasons.
His Buffalo career started immediately.
Moore caught five passes for 100 yards and a touchdown in the 36-31 Week 1 victory at Houston, a performance covered in TSE’s NFL Week 1 analysis.
Through four games, Moore has:
| DJ Moore, 2026 | Total |
|---|---|
| Receptions | 12 |
| Receiving yards | 178 |
| Yards per reception | 14.8 |
| Touchdowns | 1 |
| Receptions producing first downs | 9 |
| First-down rate on receptions | 75% |
The last figure is particularly useful.
Nine of Moore’s 12 receptions have moved the chains. His value has therefore come through more than target volume. He has helped Buffalo create meaningful gains when Allen attacks outside or deeper downfield.
TSE’s report on Buffalo’s 41-31 victory over Detroit showed how varied the offense can become when multiple receivers threaten different areas of the field.
Moore’s availability helps preserve that variety.
Can Buffalo’s Receivers Cover for Moore?
The Patriots game offered encouraging evidence.
Keon Coleman caught six passes for 116 yards and a 34-yard touchdown that gave Buffalo a 26-21 lead with 4:33 remaining.
Khalil Shakir caught seven passes for 82 yards.
Between them, Coleman and Shakir produced 198 receiving yards.
The rest of Buffalo’s receiving group was far quieter.
Joshua Palmer caught one pass for three yards. Dalton Kincaid had one reception for seven. Dawson Knox caught two for 13.
If Moore misses time, Buffalo can still generate offense around Allen, Coleman, Shakir, James Cook and its tight ends.
The concern is role compression.
Every missing receiver allows opposing defenses to devote more attention elsewhere. Buffalo’s strength through the opening weeks has been forcing opponents to defend Allen’s legs, Cook’s rushing, the tight ends and several different wide receivers at once.
TSE’s training-camp analysis of the DJ Moore trade highlighted how significant his move from Chicago to Buffalo was expected to be for both teams.
What Happened to Ed Oliver?
Oliver left during the third quarter with a knee injury after being blocked from the side.
He did not return.
Buffalo listed him as questionable while the game was still underway.
The Bills’ official injury update confirmed that both Oliver and Alford left in the third quarter.
Oliver had recorded three tackles and shared a sack before his departure.
Like Moore, he had already dealt with another physical problem earlier in the season.
Oliver injured his hip during pregame warmups before the Detroit game and was scratched only minutes before kickoff.
He returned against the Chargers in Week 3.
One game later, a different injury forced him out.
Why Ed Oliver’s Knee Matters to Buffalo’s Defense
Oliver’s traditional statistics can undersell his importance because interior defensive linemen frequently influence plays without making the final tackle.
He has accumulated 30 career sacks and has started 88 NFL games.
His quickness from the interior can disrupt blocking schemes before quarterbacks have time to settle into the pocket.
That becomes particularly important for a Buffalo defense built to generate pressure without losing coverage integrity behind it.
The Patriots gained 405 yards on Sunday and averaged 5.5 yards per play.
Maye threw for 269 yards and three touchdowns while adding 54 rushing yards.
Buffalo’s defense had played its cleanest game of the season one week earlier against the Chargers. The injuries prevented the Bills from carrying the same personnel through the entire New England matchup.
It would be too strong to say Oliver’s departure caused the late collapse.
The Patriots still had to execute a 73-yard touchdown drive after Buffalo took the lead, and Buffalo had opportunities to finish the game defensively.
His absence did reduce the options available to the front during its highest-pressure snaps.
Buffalo Has Already Learned How to Play Without Oliver
The Detroit game provides the most encouraging evidence.
Oliver’s hip injury occurred so late in warmups that Buffalo had almost no time to redesign the plan.
Deone Walker stepped into a much larger role and responded with seven quarterback pressures.
Greg Rousseau recorded two early sacks.
Bradley Chubb and Michael Hoecht also contributed to a pass rush that sacked Jared Goff four times despite Oliver’s absence.
TSE’s Bills-Lions report documented how Buffalo’s defensive front compensated while Allen and the offense produced 41 points.
The difference now is cumulative depth.
T.J. Sanders has been working back from an appendectomy. Landon Jackson also needed attention Sunday. The defensive line could therefore be rotating through several health questions simultaneously.
How Many Bills Were Injured Against New England?
Buffalo publicly reported at least five notable injury developments during the game.
| Player | Issue | Game Status |
|---|---|---|
| DJ Moore | Shoulder | Downgraded to doubtful; did not return |
| Ed Oliver | Knee | Questionable; did not return |
| Dee Alford | Ankle | Questionable; did not return |
| Te’Cory Couch | Hamstring | Downgraded to doubtful |
| Landon Jackson | Undisclosed in-game issue | Cleared to return |
That count excludes players who were unavailable before kickoff.
Christian Benford was inactive because of a toe injury. Sanders was also out. Hancock had previously gone to injured reserve.
The secondary became particularly stretched because Couch had been elevated from the practice squad to help cover existing absences.
This is the exact roster dynamic TSE has tracked throughout the opening month. Our Week 1 injury analysis argued that depth would become one of the first competitive separators of the season.
Did Injuries Contribute to Buffalo’s First Loss?
They contributed to the circumstances. They should not become an excuse for every mistake.
Buffalo still led 26-21 with 4:33 remaining.
Maye and New England then drove 73 yards in eight plays.
Efton Chism’s one-handed 23-yard touchdown gave the Patriots the lead with 1:55 left.
Maye found Rhamondre Stevenson for the two-point conversion.
Buffalo still had an opportunity to answer.
Allen’s deep pass intended for Joshua Palmer was intercepted by Craig Woodson, ending the Bills’ final possession.
New England became the first visiting team to win at the new Highmark Stadium.
Those moments are why the defeat cannot be reduced to the injury report.
The injuries matter because Buffalo now has to solve the mistakes from the loss while potentially preparing for Los Angeles without several important contributors.
Buffalo’s 3-0 Start Had Already Hidden Some Warning Signs
The Bills were unbeaten entering Week 4, but the opening month had not been flawless.
Houston scored 31 points in Week 1.
Detroit scored another 31 in Week 2.
Buffalo then committed five turnovers against the Chargers and still recovered to win 24-16.
TSE’s broader early-season NFL analysis highlighted how quickly strong records can hide problems when elite quarterbacks repeatedly rescue difficult situations.
Against New England, Buffalo again played from behind for long stretches.
This time the final rescue never arrived.
Why DJ Moore’s Shoulder Deserves Particular Attention
Repeated injuries to the same body area naturally raise more questions than an isolated knock.
That does not mean the two shoulder incidents are medically identical.
The Bills have not said that.
The first occurred against Detroit when Moore landed while attempting a catch. Buffalo initially described that injury as a shoulder and stinger issue before listing it simply as a shoulder injury.
He returned the following week.
Sunday’s injury was again listed as a shoulder problem.
Until testing is complete and Buffalo provides a diagnosis, projecting a recovery period would be speculation.
What Should the Bills Do if Moore Cannot Play Against the Rams?
Coleman and Shakir become even more important.
Coleman’s 116-yard performance against New England was the strongest evidence that he can handle additional responsibility.
Palmer would likely see more work outside, while Buffalo could lean further into multiple-tight-end packages involving Kincaid and Knox.
James Cook also gives Allen a receiving option from the backfield.
Buffalo’s offense was designed to avoid dependence on one wide receiver.
Moore’s absence would test whether that design survives when the receiving rotation loses one of its most experienced pieces.
What Happens if Oliver Misses Week 5?
Walker becomes central again.
Greg Gaines and DeWayne Carter provide interior depth, while Sanders’ recovery status becomes more important.
Buffalo may also need to manage the defensive front more carefully if Jackson is limited during the practice week.
The Rams make that particularly relevant.
Los Angeles improved to 2-2 by beating Philadelphia 24-20 on Sunday. Kyren Williams ran for 80 yards, caught 10 passes for another 67 and scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns.
Continue the NFL Story
That is 147 yards from scrimmage.
An interior defense missing Oliver would immediately be tested by a running back coming off one of his most complete performances of the season.
When Do the Bills Play the Rams?
Buffalo travels to SoFi Stadium for Monday Night Football on October 12.
The Bills’ official schedule gives Buffalo eight days between the New England loss and the Rams game.
The extra recovery day matters.
It gives Moore, Oliver, Alford and the rest of the medical staff more time before Buffalo has to make game-status decisions.
It also means the Bills should have a clearer injury picture before the first full practice report of Week 5.
Why This Is Buffalo’s First Real Depth Test of 2026
Buffalo has already survived injuries.
Moore left the Detroit game.
Oliver did not play that night.
Ty Johnson missed the first two games.
Sanders has been unavailable.
Hancock moved to injured reserve.
Yet the Bills reached 3-0.
TSE’s preseason injury and roster analysis identified the same issue before the year began: contenders rarely get to play their preferred 22 for an entire season.
The difference now is concentration.
Multiple problems are appearing in the same position groups at the same time.
That can change game plans rather than merely personnel.
Buffalo’s Injury Problem Fits a Wider Week 4 Pattern
The Bills were hardly alone.
Week 4 brought significant injuries across the league, including Green Bay linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and Washington return specialist Jaylin Lane.
TSE’s analysis of Cooper and Lane’s likely season-ending injuries showed why raw statistics often fail to explain the full cost of losing players who perform multiple structural roles.
Moore and Oliver create a similar problem for Buffalo.
Moore stretches the receiving structure.
Oliver changes the interior of the defensive front.
Replacing their names on a depth chart is straightforward.
Replacing all of their functions is harder.
DJ Moore and Ed Oliver Injury FAQs
What Injury Did DJ Moore Suffer Against the Patriots?
Moore left with a shoulder injury late in the second quarter and did not return.
Is It the Same Shoulder Moore Injured Against Detroit?
Buffalo has listed both incidents as shoulder injuries. The team has not publicly confirmed whether the underlying injuries are identical.
What Injury Did Ed Oliver Suffer?
Oliver suffered a knee injury during the third quarter against New England and did not return.
How Long Will DJ Moore Be Out?
No official return timeline had been announced at publication time. Further evaluation is required before Buffalo establishes his availability.
How Long Will Ed Oliver Be Out?
Buffalo had not announced a definitive diagnosis or recovery timetable at publication time.
How Many Bills Were Injured Against New England?
Buffalo reported at least five notable in-game injury developments involving Moore, Oliver, Dee Alford, Te’Cory Couch and Landon Jackson. Jackson was cleared to return.
Who Replaces DJ Moore if He Misses Time?
Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir and Joshua Palmer would carry more receiving responsibility, while Buffalo could also increase the involvement of Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox.
Who Replaces Ed Oliver?
Deone Walker is one of the primary internal options. Buffalo also has Greg Gaines, DeWayne Carter and other defensive-line depth, with T.J. Sanders’ health another factor.
What Is Buffalo’s Record?
The Bills are 3-1 after their 29-26 loss to New England.
Who Do the Bills Play Next?
Buffalo visits the Los Angeles Rams on Monday, October 12 at SoFi Stadium.
