Josh and the boys head to Texas
By Chuck Pollock, Senior Sports Writer
Joe Brady will get a major test in his first game as Bills head coach.
Buffalo’s former offensive coordinator replaces the fired Sean McDermott for this afternoon’s game at Houston’s NRG Stadium (1 o’clock, CBS-TV, Bills Radio Network).
Brady’s offense will be charged with facing the defending No. 1 NFL defense.
He’ll be on the sideline calling offensive plays while defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard will be in the same place doing a similar chore for his unit.
Buffalo’s offensive advantage is former NFL MVP Josh Allen at quarterback paired with league defending rushing champion, RB James Cook. They figure to get a lift from former Panther and Bear, D.J. Moore at wideout.
The Bills’ problem is defense where the lack of depth renders it a decidedly pedestrian unit even though Buffalo is favored by 1 1/2 points.
For the Texans, pass-rush specialist Will Anderson has missed the last two practices before participating in Saturday’s walk-through and he’s supposedly healthy.
WHEN ASKED about his first game as an NFL head coach, Brady allowed he hasn’t contemplated the consequences. “I’ve got enough on my plate game-planning and trying to lead a football team. It’ll never be about me.”
He added, “All I care about is doing what the heck we have to do to go 1-0. It’s so cliche and coachspeak … but it’s who we are. It doesn’t have to look good, it doesn’t have to be pretty.
“Just put the ball down and play the next one and do what we have to do to get one more point than them.”
Prediction: Texans 20, Bills 17
(Chuck Pollock, a Wellsville Sun and Olean Star senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@wnynet.net.)
