They needed overtime to do it, but the Buffalo Bills got back on the winning track after suffering their first loss of the season against the New England Patriots in Week 4.
The Bills got by the Los Angeles Rams 37-34 on a game-winning field goal by Tyler Bass on Monday night. Before they move on to Las Vegas to face the Raiders on Sunday, the Bills announced news on an injured wide receiver whose absence was felt in the Rams game.
Bills receiver DJ Moore missed Wednesday’s walk-through with a shoulder injury, the Bills announced, clouding his status for Sunday’s game at Las Vegas. Moore was perhaps the most prominent name on a lengthy injury report with 15 Bills players listed.
The AC joint issue that began in Week 2 has already cost Moore one game and now threatens a second absence heading into the Week 7 bye.
The team listed Moore as an estimated non-participant. Defensive lineman Ed Oliver (knee) also sat out. Limited participants included receiver Joshua Palmer (shoulder), cornerback Dee Alford (ankle), tackle Spencer Brown (back), running back Ty Johnson (hamstring) and defensive lineman T.J. Sanders (shoulder).
DJ Moore Injury Timeline With the Buffalo Bills
Moore sprained the AC joint during the Week 2 win over the Detroit Lions and exited that game early, according to Sports Illustrated. He played in Weeks 3 and 4, then re-aggravated the injury in the second quarter against the New England Patriots and did not return.
The aggravation is not “a long-term issue,” according to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter. The hope for the rest of the season is that “more rest will help,” according to NFL Network.
Moore skipped practice Thursday and Friday last week, went limited Saturday and drew a questionable tag before sitting out the Rams game, according to CBS Sports. Through four games, he had 12 catches for 178 yards and one touchdown.
The injury is week-to-week and will likely not require an injured reserve designation. The short week complicates a Sunday return, and sitting him would stretch his recovery across the bye to nearly three weeks while costing only two games.
Moore, 29, was born in Philadelphia and set a Maryland record with 80 receptions for 1,033 yards as a junior. The Carolina Panthers drafted him 24th overall in 2018, and he set a career high with 1,364 yards for the Chicago Bears in 2023.
His 2025 production fell to 682 yards on 50 catches, and the Bills acquired him in March for a second-round pick, with a fifth-round selection returning to Buffalo, according to NFL.com.
Buffalo Bills Offense Without DJ Moore at Las Vegas Raiders
Buffalo acquired Moore to give quarterback Josh Allen an outside receiver who can stretch the field, with Khalil Shakir working the slot. When Moore left games early in Weeks 2 and 4, Keon Coleman produced six catches for 63 yards and six for 116 yards with a touchdown.
Against the Rams, with Moore and Palmer inactive, Buffalo ran 37 times and threw 19 passes in an overtime win. The Bills also elevated receiver Trent Sherfield Sr. from the practice squad that day, according to BuffaloBills.com. Rookie Skyler Bell also made his debut in that game.
Another absence would put Allen’s scrambles and designed runs beside James Cook and the ground game, while targets flow toward Shakir, Coleman and tight end Dalton Kincaid. Defenses also would face one fewer deep threat on the outside.
Buffalo travels to Las Vegas on a short week following Monday night’s overtime win over the Rams. Thursday and Friday practice reports will determine Moore’s game designation for the Raiders.
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