Aaron Williams taken off the field in an ambulance

Bad turned to much worse for the Buffalo Bills in Sunday’s 40 32 loss to the New England Patriots. On a Julian Edelman touchdown in the third quarter, safety Aaron Williams suffered a neck injury and was taken away on an ambulance.

On the play, Williams took an angle at Edelman, dove and came crashing down near the pylon.

He laid motionless on the turf for several minutes as his body was immobilized. A Bills spokesman said later Sunday night that Williams went through a series of tests and was released from the hospital.

If Buffalo is without its safety for any period of time, it’d sting.

“It’s going to be a huge loss,” cornerback Nickell Robey said. “I don’t know what the deal is right now. I’m trying to get information. It’s very important that we have him.”

Williams was not shy in the days leading up to this AFC East showdown, saying he did not like the Patriots and how they conducted themselves.big49erssanfrancisco http://www.big49erssanfrancisco.com And, before the injury, it was a rough day for Buffalo’s leader of the secondary. He was flagged for taunting and unnecessary roughness earlier in the game and Tom Brady finished with 466 passing yards the most ever for a Bills opponent.

But he’s also grown from embattled second round cornerback to a starter at safety.

Safety Bacarri Rambo said he didn’t see anything happen on the play. However, he did see Williams move which was encouraging.

“I was right there praying over him when he was laying on the ground,” Rambo said.

“Aaron is a strong guy, man. Aaron is the true definition of a warrior. I know that injury is not going to hold him back. I know he’ll be back soon sooner than later. He’s going to fight. Whatever it is, he’s going to fight through that because he’s a strong guy. He fights. He’s a fighter. He’s a warrior.”

And players do look to him as the emotional leader of the secondary.

“That’s what he brings to the table and we absorb it and understand what he’s saying and just continue to go out there and play ball,” Rambo said.

So if the Bills are without him for several weeks, they’ll need to adjust. Corey Graham did return after his Week 1 concussion, and the Bills have Rambo, Duke Williams and practice squad safety Jonathan Meeks.