Bills lose fourth defensive starter to injury on Sunday Night Football

The Buffalo Bills starting safety left the Week 4 road game due to a head injury.

Ralph Ventre | 2 Hours Ago

Sep 8, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson (33) runs with the ball against Buffalo Bills safety Taylor Rapp (9) during the first half at Highmark Stadium. / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

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As if the Buffalo Bills haven't experienced enough injuries on defense, they lost another starter against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football.

Safety Taylor Rapp went down while stopping Derrick Henry on a first-down play with 10:00 to go in the second quarter. Henry ran left and Rapp came up to hit him about five yards past the line of scrimmage. The Bills starting safety went low on Henry and appeared to whack his head on the running back's lower body.

Rapp was down on the M&T Bank Stadium turf for a few moments before walking off to the sideline. Reportedly being evaluated for a head injury, he spent some time in the blue injury tent before heading into the locker room.

The Bills ruled Rapp out at start of third quarter, officially listing him with a concussion.

Rapp is the fourth Bills' defensive starter on the shelf. All-Pro linebacker Matt Milano is out until December with a torn pectoral tendon. Linebacker Terrel Bernard and nickel cornerback Taron Johnson are also sidelined for a few weeks.

The Ravens dominated the Bills' depleted defense in the first half, averaging 10.4 yards per play and holding a 21-3 lead at the break.

Buffalo re-signed Rapp tafter he played 16 regular season games in 2023 after coming over as a free agent from the Los Angeles Rams.

Bills' starting center Connor McGovern was also evaluated for a concussion during the first quarter after being buzzed off the field by the independent neurologist watchdog. It appeared McGovern was cleared to return but an apparent miscommunication involving the officiating crew kept him sidelined for a few extra snaps. He eventually returned.

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