Sunday Night Football for Week 9 could very well be a postseason preview as the Buffalo Bills head on the road to take on the Cincinnati Bengals.
Both teams haven’t been quite themselves during the 2023 NFL season as they’ve suffered some uncharacteristic losses though they’ve seemingly found some momentum as they’re coming off Week 8 victories.
Josh Allen has been his usual self as he remains one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the league, while Joe Burrow looks like he’s finally fully healthy after dealing with a calf injury over the offseason and early part of the season.
This is the second consecutive year that the Bills find themselves in Bengals territory as the two teams faced off toward the end of the 2022 NFL season.
However, fans will always remember that game as the night that Damar Hamlin went down on the field and needed emergency help.
Ahead of their matchup, Hamlin recounted the experience and gave credit to the medical staff that helped keep him alive via ESPN.
“Anyone can be a hero. These are mine,” Hamlin said.
“Anyone can be a hero. These are mine.”
Damar Hamlin chronicles the last time he faced the Bengals and his journey since 🫶 pic.twitter.com/wlEqLdNrDx
— ESPN (@espn) November 5, 2023
It was one of the scariest moments on an NFL field to ever happen as Hamlin made a routine tackle on Tee Higgins, got up and almost immediately fell backward and collapsed.
Hamlin was transported from the field to a nearby hospital and was fortunately eventually released.
The public outpouring from the league and fans was encouraging to see and the Bills safety is back to playing the game he loves.
All in all, it was good that the medical staff was able to respond as quickly as they did and Hamlin is surely grateful to be where he is now.
