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Alaina GetzenbergESPN
TAMPA, Fla. — The Buffalo Bills have activated guard Jon Feliciano off injured reserve ahead of Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Feliciano, who has not played since Week 8, will provide a boost to an offensive line that has struggled in recent weeks to find consistency. Feliciano was dealing with a calf injury over the past five games and returned to practice last week. He has started five games at left guard and one game at right guard this season, his third with the Bills.
Backup Ike Boettger has started at left guard in his absence, while the offensive line as a whole has shuffled multiple times over the course of the season due to various injuries and players on the COVID-19 list.
Offensive lineman Jamil Douglas was released from the roster in a corresponding move.
Buffalo (7-5) has scored 15 points or less in each of the three losses during Feliciano’s absence. In its four wins over the past eight games, Buffalo averaged 35 points with a +86 point differential. But in the four losses, the team averaged just 15.5 points with a -36 point differential.
Since Week 9, quarterback Josh Allen has been sacked 11 times, compared to just eight sacks in the first seven games.
“You got to celebrate when you win and you got to learn when you lose,” Allen said this week. “… That’s something we’re dealing with and we got to pull through this rut that we’re in.”
The Bills are looking to avoid losing back-to-back games for the first time this season.
Defensive tackle Star Lotulelei and backup tight end Tommy Sweeney have already been ruled out for Sunday’s game.