by CHUCK POLLOCK, Wellsville Sun Senior Sports Columnist
I’m sure the TV numbers will be impressive, even for HBO, but in my mind, the first edition of “Hard Knocks,” Bills’ edition, was pretty much a dud.
The first of the five 57-minute Tuesday night shows didn’t have much to offer.
To be sure, I was shocked that team owner Terry Pegula and coach Sean McDermott agreed to allow Buffalo’s participation in the popular series where some teams figuratively take the gloves off.
But the first episode of the Bills version was pretty tame.
The language was fairly sanitized with the exception of seven somewhat-disguised F-bombs.
But most of the show was routine, players getting packed, renewing acquaintances and not particularly meaningful coaching speeches.
IN FAIRNESS, the time utilized on quarterback Josh Allen was totally justified. Viewers got an immediate view of the charisma and likability that makes him the unquestioned team leader.
Meanwhile, the time spent on Dion Dawkins face time was wasted. To be sure, he’s one of the NFL’s top offensive tackles, but he’s not the charming, lovable personality he hopes he is.
And the segment on drifting — controlled skids and slides in a sports car — consumed too much time and left me wondering whether his young children, who took turns in the passenger seat, were terrified.
One thing that’s apparent is the Bills don’t have the super-charged, devil-may-care personalities which dominate so many other teams.
Here’s hoping Episode 2 kicks it up a notch and focuses on more interesting players.
BUFFALO’S first preseason game kicks off Saturday afternoon (1 o’clock, WIVB-TV, Bills radio network) at Highmark Stadium and with training camp barely two weeks old, the Bills have been bitten hard by injuries, though few of them seem severe.
One that does, however, is the non-contact knee injury endured by first-round draft choice Maxwell Harrison who figures to miss the preseason games and could be questionable for the regular-season opener on Sept. 7 in Orchard Park against Baltimore.
General manager Brandon Beane scores points for his wisdom in bringing back two former Bills corners.
Tre’Davious White was McDermott’s first draft pick after being hired as coach in 2017. Following seven seasons with Buffalo and one each with the Rams and Ravens he freturns to the Bills. And even before Harrison’s injury, White appeared to have, at least temporarily, won a starting cornerback job.
Jackson, a seventh-round draft p[ick in 2020, spent four seasons with the Bills and one in Carolina before returning this spring with experience and knowledge of the system.
BESIDES Harrison’s knee injury, Buffalo has two others of potential concern.
One is wide receiver Khalil Shakir’s high-ankle sprain that could keep Allen’s favorite target out for a few weeks. The other is place-kicker Tyler Bass’ pelvis issue.
Injuries always tend to hit teams in the same spot at the same time and this training camp, for the Bills, it’s been hamstrings. Among the victims are linebackers Terrell Bernard and Shaq Thompson, wide receivers Curtis Samuel and Kaden Prather, tight end Dawson Knox and defensive end Hayden Harris.
Others on the current list with injuries of various severity: offensive lineman Eric Anderson (knee), wide receivers Elijah Moore and Laviska Shenault (legs), linebackers Dorian Williams, Baylon Spector and offensive lineman Sedrick Van Pran-Granger (calfs), safety Cole Bishop (quad), safety Taylor Rapp (knee), wide receiver Joshua Palmer and fullback/special teamer Reggie Gilliam (groins) and offensive tackle Spencer Brown (back).
As usual, in the preseason opener, McDermott won’t play Allen, nor most of his starters unless injuries force his hand.
(Chuck Pollock, a Wellsville Sun and Olean Star senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@wnynet.net.)
