Bills get unexpectedly great news on injured defensive leader

After suffering what looked like a scary ankle injury that required him to be carted off the field and into the locker room, Buffalo Bills star linebacker Terrel Bernard seems to have avoided a significant injury.

The unexpectedly great news gives Bernard a chance to suit up for the Bills this weekend when they host the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round.

Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Bernard “has what is believed to be an ankle sprain,” after the X-ray results were negative. Bills head coach Sean McDermott addressed the media earlier today and stated that Bernard is day-to-day as they await MRI results to confirm the diagnosis and evaluate the next steps.

Will Terrel Bernard play in Bills Divisional playoff game?

It will be tough to assess Bernard’s outlook for this weekend’s AFC Divisional Round clash between the Bills and Chiefs until later in the week, making his practice status leading up to Sunday night’s game worth monitoring. Given his importance to the Bills defensive unit, the status of the second-year linebacker out of Baylor bears watching.

Bernard has stepped up in a big way for Buffalo this season since All-Pro linebacker Matt Milano suffered a season-ending leg fracture in the Bills’ Week 5 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, cementing himself as one of the team’s top defenders and a leader in the middle of the field.

In 17 regular season games this year, Bernard racked up 143 combined tackles, 10 tackles for loss, nine quarterback hits, 6.5 sacks, five pass deflections, three interceptions, and three fumble recoveries. 

Before being injured early in the third quarter of Buffalo’s victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers during the Super Wildcard Weekend slate, Bernard made his presence felt. He recorded four combined tackles, two pass deflections, and a fumble recovery.

If Bernard can't play against the Chiefs this weekend, it’d be a brutal blow for a Bills defense that has looked revitalized over the past couple of months after hitting a rough patch during the season.