Bills face Saints with Oliver and Milano out and Brown inactive

Orchard Park, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills will host the winless New Orleans Saints on Sunday at Highmark Stadium with kickoff set for 1 p.m. Eastern, but the home team will be without two defensive starters while also losing a veteran offensive tackle for the game. Head coach Sean McDermott announced Friday that defensive tackle Ed Oliver and linebacker Matt Milano have been ruled out, and right tackle Spencer Brown will not play because of a calf injury sustained last week against the Miami Dolphins.

McDermott said Brown suffered the calf injury on Buffalo's opening drive at Miami and did not practice Wednesday. "All are improving and headed in the right direction," he said of the injured players, "it's just a matter of taking it one day at a time." With Brown inactive, Ryan Van Demark is expected to start at right tackle and rookie Chase Lundt is active for the first time this season as a reserve tackle. Jordan Phillips has been added to the interior defensive rotation after the team chose not to elevate a practice-squad lineman for the game.

The absences deepen questions about Buffalo's defensive front. Oliver has been the team's primary interior pass rusher; his ankle issue...