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ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills defensive back Aaron Williams was limited in Tuesday's practice but said he will be ready to play Thursday night against the Cleveland Browns.

Williams did not finish Sunday's win over the Baltimore Ravens with a lower back injury and worked with the strength and conditioning staff during the early portion of Tuesday's practice.

"I'll be ready to go," he said.

Williams, who returned to cornerback in the wake of Leodis McKelvin's injury, did not take part in the defensive backs' walk-through early in Tuesday's practice. In his place, the Bills had Justin Rogers, Nickell Robey and Brandon Burton lined up at cornerback.

The Bills also upgraded kicker Dustin Hopkins and receiver Marquise Goodwin to limited participation in Tuesday's practice. However, head coach Doug Marrone said Hopkins will not play Thursday, while he cautioned that Goodwin has only caught passes on his fractured hands for two days.

Full injury report from Tuesday's practice:

DID NOT PRACTICE
RB C.J. Spiller (ankle)
CB Stephon Gilmore (wrist)
CB Ron Brooks (foot)

LIMITED PARTICIPATION
K Dustin Hopkins (right groin)
OL Kraig Urbik (knee)
CB Leodis McKelvin (hamstring)
WR Stevie Johnson (hamstring)
DB Aaron Williams (low back)
RB Fred Jackson (knee)
WR Marquise Goodwin (hand)

FULL PARTICIPATION
S Jairus Byrd (foot)
DE Mario Williams (ankle)
DT Kyle Williams (Achilles)

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills safety Jairus Byrd fully participated in Tuesday's practice, the team's only session of the week before playing Thursday night against the Cleveland Browns.

Byrd had been listed as limited in practice for the first four weeks of the season. The Pro Bowl safety has plantar fasciitis, a foot condition.

"We're definitely getting better and we're getting real close," coach Doug Marrone said Tuesday.

Byrd said Tuesday that he "got some work with the defense," which likely led to his status being upgraded.

However, he remained a member of the scout team during the defensive backs' walk-through, the only portion of practice open to his media Tuesday. In his place, Jim Leonhard and Da'Norris Searcy continued to line up at safety.

Marrone said a decision will be made Wednesday on if Byrd plays Thursday night, and after the team returns from their weekend off, he will likely be considered "day-to-day."

Byrd said last month that he played with the foot condition last season, but wants to be fully healthy before playing this season, despite numerous injuries to the Bills' secondary.

"Any time you want to be out there to play this game, this is your job, so you want to play this game," Byrd said Tuesday.

During the interview, Byrd pointed to foot inserts in his locker that he said have improved his condition since last week.

"I just got some really nice, expensive orthotics made last week," he said. "It's helping a lot. Shout-out to the training staff on that."

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills running back C.J. Spiller did not practice Tuesday and says he is still a game-time decision for Thursday night's game against the Cleveland Browns.

"If I can go, I'll go," Spiller said. "If I can't, I can't."

ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported Monday that Spiller will play.

Spiller walked through the locker room with a heavy limp Tuesday evening after practice. He said there is "not much swelling" in his ankle, which he injured in last Sunday's win over the Baltimore Ravens.

"It felt good. To be honest, I didn't think I would be able to jog today. So that was an encouraging sign," Spiller said. "Tomorrow will be a huge day for us, to see what the reaction will be."

Fred Jackson, who sprained his left MCL on Sunday, was limited in practice. He wore a brace over his injured knee.

The Bills are expected to give Tashard Choice more carries Thursday night, and coach Doug Marrone said Tuesday that the team may consider signing running back Ronnie Wingo off the practice squad.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills running backs C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson were both on the practice field Tuesday, the team's lone practice before facing the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night.

Jackson, wearing a brace on his left knee, took part in individual drills, the only portion of practice open to reporters. Spiller did not participate in individual drills and later rode an exercise bike.

ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported Monday that Spiller will play Thursday night.

Meanwhile, cornerback Aaron Williams pulled out of individual drills to work with the strength and conditioning staff. Williams, who had two interceptions in Sunday's win, did not finish the game with a lower back injury.

Cornerback Leodis McKelvin (hamstring) and safety Jairus Byrd (foot) continued to work with the scout team during defensive back drills, and with Williams out, that left Justin Rogers, Nickell Robey, and Brandon Burton lining up at cornerback in the positional walk-through.

Wide receiver Marquise Goodwin, who fractured his hand in the season opener, was catching passes for the first time since the injury.

Cornerbacks Ron Brooks and Stephon Gilmore did not participate in practice.

A weekly examination of the Bills' ESPN.com Power Ranking:

Preseason: 30 | Last Week: 24 | ESPN.com Power Ranking since 2002

Just a slight bump.

That was all voters gave the Bills after their win over the Baltimore Ravens, who were ranked No. 11 entering the game. Improving to 2-2, the Bills rose just one spot in the overall rankings, to No. 23.

I think they should be higher. Of teams Nos. 20-22, the Bills have lost to one (the Jets, No. 22), defeated another (the Panthers, No. 21) and will play the other Thursday night (the Browns, No. 20). The Panthers' lone win came against the 0-4 Giants, and the Browns were ranked No. 31 two weeks ago.

Are the Bills really worse than either Cleveland or Carolina? I don't think so.

And ESPN's Kevin Seifert doesn't, either. He gave the Bills their highest vote of the season, placing them No. 18 in his ranking.

Sunday's win over the Baltimore Ravens was one to forget for Buffalo Bills receiver Stevie Johnson.

Targeted six times by EJ Manuel, he finished with just one catch for minus-1 yard. And for the second consecutive game, Johnson had less offensive snaps than receiver Robert Woods, a rookie.

At least on the surface, it wasn't the sort of performance the Bills would like from their quarterback-top receiver combo.

Part of it may be due to injury. Johnson hurt his hamstring a week ago against the Jets, and also came up holding his wrist on one play in that game. He sat out Wednesday's practice and was limited the rest of the week.

But because of injury or otherwise, Johnson's play has dropped off a bit the past two games. In Week 2, Johnson snagged eight of 10 targets for 111 yards and a touchdown. He caught six of 13 targets for 86 yards (although that led the team) in Week 3, and had just the one catch on Sunday.

It's far too early to sound the alarm on Johnson, as you don't have to look past Woods to realize that things can turn around quickly. The second-round pick caught just two of 10 targets in Week 3 before having his best game to date on Sunday (four catches for 80 yards and a touchdown).

But since Johnson is a player, who over the long haul, needs to contribute significantly to the Bills' offense, it's worth digging deeper into his six targets Sunday and taking notes to see if any problems carry forward.

Here's a play-by-play look at his performance Sunday:

1. Incomplete pass on 1st-and-10 from Baltimore 41-yard line (9:22 in first quarter) -- Johnson is open on inside slant route, but Manuel's throw is behind him. Johnson gets his hands on the ball, but can't make the catch.
2. Incomplete pass on 2nd-and-12 from Baltimore 30-yard line (7:33 in second quarter) -- This was a play-action pass with some roll-out action on Manuel, but he ended up rolling into pressure from Terrell Suggs. He was hit as he threw and his pass sailed over Johnson, who was open down the right sideline, near the pylon.
3. Incomplete pass on 3rd-and-4 from Buffalo 45-yard line (4:48 in second quarter) -- This was a designed quick-strike pass from the shotgun on third-and-short. The protection was good and Johnson had a clean break off the line of scrimmage. However, Manuel's pass, intended for Johnson over the middle, came in before Johnson broke in his route. After the play, Manuel motioned towards Johnson, suggesting that there may have been a mis-communication.
4. Completed pass for gain of minus-1 on 3rd-and-8 from Buffalo 22-yard line (14:02 in third quarter) -- Not a whole lot went right on this play. It was a designed bubble screen to the left, with Johnson behind Woods in a two-receiver stack. There was also a play-action element, with Manuel faking an inside draw to Fred Jackson. The problem was Jackson was aligned to the left of Manuel, so the right-handed rookie QB had to wait until Jackson cleared toward the line of scrimmage before throwing to Johnson. His pass came in high, slowing down Johnson off the catch, while Woods couldn't block his man.
5. Intercepted pass on 3rd-and-8 from Buffalo 14-yard line (11:23 in third quarter) -- Another third-and-long from the shotgun, the protection was solid, opening a passing lane for Manuel on his throwing side (the right). Johnson was part of a three-receiver stack to the left side, again breaking towards the middle of the field. This time, Johnson broke in his route and was open, with two Ravens defenders breaking towards him. Manuel was late to react but his throw still came in on-target. It bounced right off Johnson's hands and into those of linebacker Daryl Smith.
6. Incomplete pass on 3rd-and-5 from Baltimore 47-yard line (8:59 in third quarter) -- This time on third-and-short, Manuel was under center, with Johnson the lone receiver to the left against press coverage. Manuel had good protection, a passing lane, and Johnson was able to shake Corey Graham off the line. However, Johnson's route broke inside after only one yard, so Manuel held onto the ball, waiting for Johnson to cut downfield (another three yards were needed for the first down). By that time, Graham had recovered and a Ravens safety was closing from the inside. Manuel sensed the safety and threw behind Johnson, but he wasn't ready for that placement of the ball, stumbling backwards and unable to make the catch. This is one of those tough throws that needs to be made in a small window, and Manuel might have been a tad late.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Despite holding just a walk-through practice Monday evening, the Buffalo Bills were required to release a practice participation report in advance of their Thursday night game against the Cleveland Browns.

Running back C.J. Spiller (ankle) and cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore (wrist) and Ron Brooks (foot) were listed as "did not practice." ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported earlier Monday that Spiller will play Thursday night.

Meanwhile, running back Fred Jackson, who sprained his MCL in Sunday's win over the Ravens, and cornerback Aaron Williams, who did not finish Sunday's game due to a lower back injury, were among eight players listed as "limited" in the walk-through session.

Here is the full walk-through participation report:

DID NOT PRACTICE
RB C.J. Spiller (ankle)
CB Stephon Gilmore (wrist)
CB Ron Brooks (foot)

LIMITED PARTICIPATION
S Jairus Byrd (foot)
WR Marquise Goodwin (hand)
K Dustin Hopkins (right groin)
RB Fred Jackson (knee)
WR Steve Johnson (hamstring)
CB Leodis McKelvin (hamstring)
G Kraig Urbik (knee)
CB Aaron Williams (low back)

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- A look at snaps played by Buffalo Bills defensive players, while analyzing how the totals reflect the way players were utilized (totals provided by the NFL):

LB Kiko Alonso -- 65 of 65
S Da'Norris Searcy -- 65 of 65
S Jim Leonhard -- 65 of 65
CB Justin Rogers -- 65 of 65
DT Kyle Williams -- 57 of 65
DE Mario Williams -- 56 of 65
OLB Manny Lawson -- 54 of 65
CB Nickell Robey -- 48 of 65
S Aaron Williams -- 47 of 65
OLB Jerry Hughes -- 39 of 65
DT Marcell Dareus -- 35 of 65
DT Alan Branch -- 28 of 65
DL Corbin Bryant -- 19 of 65
CB Brandon Burton -- 17 of 65
S Duke Williams -- 11 of 65
OLB Marcus Dowtin -- 11 of 65
LB Arthur Moats -- 11 of 65
DL Jay Ross -- 10 of 65
LB Nigel Bradham -- 7 of 65
OLB Jamaal Westerman -- 5 of 65
CB Johnny Adams -- 0 of 65
S Jonathan Meeks -- 0 of 65

Analysis: The Ravens' 65 offensive snaps were a season low for Bills opponents. ... Alonso is the only Bills defender to play every snap through the first four games. ... Aaron Williams had only missed one snap until Sunday's game, when shoulder and lower back injuries limited him to just 47 snaps. ... The Bills went with a lighter defensive package, with sub-rusher Hughes seeing more time than Dareus, Branch or Bryant, who combined to fill the void left by Alex Carrington. ... Brandon Burton played 17 snaps after not seeing any action on defense in the first three games. ... The Bills appear to be trying different combinations at linebacker next to Alonso, with Dowtin seeing a season-high 11 snaps, as many as or more than Moats and Bradham.

A review of four hot issues from the Buffalo Bills' 23-20 win against the Baltimore Ravens:

Henderson gets game ball: Game balls are often given out by coaches to players, but the Bills gave a game ball to defensive backs coach Donnie Henderson following Sunday's game, ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported. The Bills' secondary was without its top three players but held its own against Joe Flacco and the Ravens. Henderson came up through the coaching ranks with the Ravens and Jets early last decade, along with Rex Ryan and Mike Pettine. But four years ago Henderson was out of work and volunteering for the California Redwoods of the now-defunct United Football League. Quite the turnaround for the veteran coach.

Too close for comfort: Despite what looked like a lopsided matchup on paper -- the defending Super Bowl MVP leading a 2-1 Ravens team against a 1-2 Bills squad with a rookie quarterback -- this was a game the Bills controlled nearly from start to finish. Two Buffalo drives stalled in the red zone in the first quarter, and even so, the Bills were still able to lead 23-14 by late in the third quarter. It wasn't ideal for Buffalo to allow the Ravens to make it a three-point game late, with a chance to tie or win prior to Flacco's last interception. "We let them back in the ballgame," defensive tackle Kyle Williams said. "We didn't steal a game or we didn't squeak by. We let them back in and we let it that get close."

Bills tie team record: The Ravens didn't exactly try too hard to run against the Bills' defense, but when they did, they weren't able to gain any first downs rushing. That ties a Bills record, set three times prior: Oct. 30, 1966 against the Jets; Oct. 26, 1982 against the Patriots; and Oct. 30, 2011 against the Redskins.

Test for Bills ahead: The Bills are 2-2 entering the second month of the season. They're 2-1 at home, but they enter a tough October stretch that includes three road trips, starting Thursday in Cleveland on a short week. They return home to face Cincinnati in Week 6, but play only three of their final 10 games at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Bills have gotten the job done at home, but they'll need to prove themselves on the road.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- A look at snaps played by Buffalo Bills skill-position players in Sunday's loss to the New York Jets, while analyzing how the totals reflect the way players were utilized (totals provided by the NFL):

QB EJ Manuel -- 84 of 84
WR Robert Woods -- 80 of 84
WR Steve Johnson -- 69 of 84
TE Lee Smith -- 67 of 84
TE Scott Chandler -- 52 of 84
FB Frank Summers -- 42 of 84
RB Fred Jackson -- 41 of 84
RB C.J. Spiller -- 31 of 84
WR T.J. Graham -- 22 of 84
RB Tashard Choice -- 12 of 84
WR Chris Hogan -- 3 of 84
WR Marcus Easley -- 1 of 84

ANALYSIS: Woods played more snaps than Johnson for the second straight week. The rookie was on the field for every offensive snap last week against the Jets and played 95 percent of snaps on Sunday. Unlike last week, when he snagged only two of his 10 targets, Woods led the team with four catches (on eight targets) for 80 yards and a touchdown. Johnson had one catch (on six targets) for minus-1 yard. ... Lee Smith and Frank Summers both set season-highs for snaps, part of a heavier offensive look from the Bills. Smith earning more time than Chandler may have been a product of his blocking ability, with Buffalo accounting for the Ravens' explosive edge rushers. ... Choice's 12 snaps were also a season high, as he stepped in for Jackson and Spiller following their injuries in the second half. ... Right guard Kraig Urbik was replaced by Sam Young for four snaps after injuring his knee, the same amount of plays he missed against the Jets. ... For the first time this season, every offensive player active for the game played at least one snap.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Offering unit-by-unit grades following the Buffalo Bills' 23-20 win Sunday over the Baltimore Ravens:

Coaching: B-plus (Last week: B-minus) For another week, there wasn't a whole lot to scrutinize from a game management standpoint, and the Bills did not challenge any plays. The Bills were penalized 11 times for 99 yards, a sign of a continuing problem for the coaching staff. But they deserve credit for a winning game plan against the Ravens. Opting for a run-based offensive strategy against one of the NFL's best run defenses was a gamble and it paid off. It's also worth pointing out the work defensive backs coach Donnie Henderson has done with a continually shifting secondary.

Run Offense: B-plus (Last week: D) The Bills averaged just 3.7 yards per carry, but that statistic was deceiving. From the beginning of the game, the Bills did an excellent job of establishing the running game against a physical defense. They didn't break many big runs -- Spiller's longest was his first (10 yards) and Jackson didn't gain more than 16 -- but it was a steady, consistent effort, even when injuries bit the backfield. The biggest negative here were the fumbles: Jackson and EJ Manuel both had two, with Manuel lucky that his fourth quarter fumble was recovered.

Pass Offense: C-minus (Last week: C-minus) Manuel followed up a rough outing in New York with perhaps his worst performance to date. His two interceptions were the most he's thrown in his first three games, and his 10-for-22 showing (45.5 percent) was only slightly better than last week (45.2 percent). He didn't get much help from Stevie Johnson and had at least one pass that was dropped. He had incompletions to Scott Chandler and Robert Woods (in the end zone) that were reviewed or challenged and could have gone either way. His 42-yard touchdown pass to Woods was a product of play action, something the Bills could work more into their offense. But Johnson making just one catch on six targets is a problem the Bills need to fix, and it falls on both Johnson and Manuel.

Run Defense: A-plus (Last week: C-plus) Hard to grade this any other way. The Ravens, who ran seven times in the first two quarters, almost completely abandoned the run in the second half. They finished with just nine carries for 24 yards. Baltimore did not even try to make this a factor in the game, so hey, what else is there to say?

Pass Defense: B-plus (Last week: C-minus) The Bills defense handed Joe Flacco one of the worst games of his career. It wasn't all of their doing -- some of his interceptions were tipped and caught -- but any defense that snags five interceptions is worthy of praise. Short-handed, the secondary came up big, and other than Aaron Williams allowing a 74-yard catch in the fourth quarter, the Bills were able to avoid giving up long passes, which plagued them last week. The pass rush was also strong, with Flacco sacked four times and hit 12 times. The defending Super Bowl MVP threw for 347 yards and two touchdowns, but those stats were dwarfed by a strong overall effort by this unit.

Special Teams: B-minus (Last week: B) Punter Shawn Powell struggled late in the game, the biggest knock against this unit. His 29-yard punt in the fourth quarter set the Ravens up at their own 44-yard line in a critical situation in the game. The Bills defense came up big to limit the Ravens to a field goal after that play, but more often than not, that's a mistake that ends up costing teams. Otherwise, Dan Carpenter was perfect on his three field goals, and the return units, which generally are becoming less of a factor in the NFL, weren't an issue for the Bills.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- It's just a quarter of the way into the regular season, but Buffalo Bills linebacker Kiko Alonso already has made a strong case to be the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Through Sunday's early games, Alonso leads the NFL with four interceptions, adding two in the Bills' 23-20 win over the Baltimore Ravens.

Alonso, a second-round pick, played in every snap in the first three games. In addition to his NFL-high interceptions, the Oregon product has a sack, a forced fumble and plenty of more opportunities this season add to his rookie resume.

From the beginning of training camp, Alonso has stepped into defensive coordinator Mike Pettine's scheme and manned the "Mike" linebacker position, one that requires a high level of communication and recognition ability.

It was a tall task and a gamble by the Bills, but one that has paid off. Four games in, Doug Marrone took a chance to say he told you so about the rookie's abilities.

"Early on in camp everyone said, 'Is he your starting middle linebacker?' and I said, 'Yeah," head coach Doug Marrone said after Sunday's win. "And they said, 'Well is he a three-down linebacker?' and for us, early on, we felt that way."

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- For most of last week, talk around One Bills Drive centered around the running game. Struggling through three games, the Buffalo Bills "needed" to get their ground game going, CEO Russ Brandon told WGR 550 last Wednesday.

If that was to start Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, it would be a challenge. The Ravens entered the game allowing just 74 rushing yards per game, near the top of the NFL.

But from the first play of the Bills' 23-20 victory Sunday, it was clear Buffalo would have a chance to bruise Baltimore with its running game. C.J. Spiller rushed for 10 yards on his first carry, and finished with 77 yards on 23 carries. Fred Jackson added 16 carries for 87 yards.

Overall, the Bills ran 55 times, the most since 56 carries against the Redskins on Nov. 3, 1996.

Meanwhile, the Ravens all but abandoned their rushing attack, not handing off from 4:29 left in the second quarter until 4:52 remaining in the fourth quarter. They finished with 24 yards on nine carries, the fifth-lowest total allowed by the Bills, and their lowest since Nov. 30, 2003, at the New York Giants.

The stark contrast in ability to ground-and-pound might have been the difference in the game. The Bills averaged just 3.7 yards per carry and had no runs longer than 16 yards, but were able to gain 203 yards total.

Although the running game, and the Bills' offense as a whole, sputtered late in the contest, it was for good reason: Spiller and Jackson were both hobbled by injuries in the third quarter, but returned to the game.

"I went down first, then Fred went down. We left it with [Tashard] Choice," Spiller said. "We had faith in him but we just told coach [Tyrone] Wheatley that we were just going to give him everything we got."

Spiller ran just twice after his ankle injury and does not know if he will be able to play Thursday at Cleveland. Meanwhile, Jackson sprained his MCL but ran five more times and expects to play against the Browns.

"I tried to go in there for a couple plays, then [Jackson] went in there for a couple plays, and that's what you need, when two of your best players on offense [get injured], you just try to show by example that they try to get it out the best you can," Spiller said.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Bills' secondary has been ravaged by injuries early this season, with their top two cornerbacks and top safety inactive for Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Expectations for Buffalo weren't high: Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, the defending Super Bowl MVP, was supposed to have a field day.

But apparently the Bills' cast of back-end replacements didn't get that memo. Flacco threw five interceptions, was sacked four times, and Baltimore's offense was 3-for-16 on third downs as the Bills defeated the Ravens, 23-20.

Leading the charge was Aaron Williams, who has been tossed around in the Bills' defense. Drafted as a cornerback in 2011, Williams struggled in his first two seasons and was converted to safety this offseason. But McKelvin's injury last week forced Williams back to cornerback, where he started Sunday.

Williams intercepted Flacco twice despite himself being hobbled by an early-game shoulder injury and, later, a lower back contusion. He did not finish the game and said he is unsure of his status for Thursday's game in Cleveland.

"Last year, I wasn't really aggressive about getting the ball," he said. "If you really want to be great, you need to go get that ball."

Williams was flagged for a horse-collar tackle that set up a Ravens touchdown in the third quarter, and also was beaten on a 74-yard completion in the fourth quarter. But the Bills have to be pleased with Williams' overall performance, switching positions in a pinch.

"I can't complain about two interceptions, but at the same time, I can't give up the big plays like that toward the end," Williams said.

Head coach Doug Marrone said the Bills would like to have Williams return to safety, but they also want him to settle in at one position instead of worrying about when McKelvin or Byrd may return.

"We made a commitment saying we're going to put him at corner and then we'll take care of the safety positions," Marrone said.

Safety Jim Leonhard, who has become a full-time player when Williams returned to cornerback, also had an interception, but was quick to praise Williams after the game.

"It's unbelievable," he said. "There are not many guys in this league that can go back from safety to corner and play the way he did and gut it out. He's nowhere near 100-percent right now, but to go out there and play the way he did, you have to give him a lot of credit. I think he's earned a lot of respect."