Both of Buffalo's top tailbacks were nicked up in Sunday's win over Baltimore. Jackson was able to finish the game, but Spiller was not. Neither of them will have the typical time to recover in a given game week as the Bills must travel to Cleveland to take on the Browns Thursday night. Despite the compressed schedule this week both backs are planning to play in three days.
Spiller was a non-participant Monday evening in the Bills walk through practice. Jackson was limited.
RELATED: Full injury report
"I sprained my MCL again, but it's not as significant (as in the past)," said Jackson. "It's something that we can manage and I expect to play. I'm sore, but I'll be alright and ready to go."
Spiller is hopeful that he'll be good enough to play Thursday night, but wasn't ready to etch it in stone on Monday.
"If it was a Sunday game I'd definitely say I'd be out there," Spiller said. "I'm going to do everything I can to position myself to be out there. If I can get to at least 80, 85 (percent), I think that would be good enough for me to play."
For Spiller it's a matter of improving the condition of his ankle injury to the point where he feels he can cut and drive off it to get through holes and avoid tacklers.
It's been a difficult first month of the season for Spiller. The dynamic running back has come out of almost every game with some type of injury. When asked to gauge his level of frustration, he put it at the top of the scale.
"It's a ten. The frustration is a ten," he said. "The last two games I haven't even completed a half. Especially (Sunday) because I thought I was really getting into a good groove, back to taking what they were giving me. To not be able to finish it was the frustrating part about it. It's football, a stupid injury happened and I've just got to move forward."
Jackson and Spiller combined for 164 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's win, as Buffalo now has the second-best rushing game in the NFL averaging 152 yards a game. But if both backs are not 100 percent it's likely that Tashard Choice will be pressed into action for carries Thursday night. Choice had three carries for 11 yards against Baltimore.
Spiller wasn't ready to call himself a game time decision for Buffalo's tilt with Cleveland, but it wouldn't be surprising if both he and Jackson were designated as such come Wednesday.
"That'll be coach Marrone, but hopefully I'll have somewhat of an indicator as to how I feel," said Spiller. "Like I said if I can get to at least 80 or 85 (percent), I'm going to try to give it a go."
