By CHUCK POLLOCK, Sun Senior Sports Columnist
The first thing you couldn’t help but notice was the spread.
Undefeated Buffalo was favored by 16 1/2 points over the 0-3 New Orleans Saints for Sunday afternoon’s game at Highmark Stadium (1 o’clock CBS-TV, Bills Radio Network), a touchdown more than the Lions over the Browns in this week’s second-longest odds.
And, yes, the Bills have been favored by more. In a game at Orchard Park in 2021 against Houston, the line varied between 17 1/2 and 19 1/2 points. And if you bet the home team you’d still have covered in a 40-0 victory.
Still, if you listen to Buffalo coach Sean McDermott, he doesn’t see this as such a one-sided matchup.
“THEIR FIRST two games were one-possession (losses, 20-13 to Arizona, 26-21 to San Francisco),” he said, “and they had the ball with a chance to win the game.” “the last game got away from them a little bit (44-13 loss at Seattle).”
Saints coach Kellen Moore agreed.
“We’ve missed three opportunities … it’s not a time to panic or shift gears,” he said. “The first two we were right there and competing at a high level. I loved the way we played and just came up short … but we competed. The last one got away from us (surrendering three first-quarter touchdowns).”
BUT THE Bills haven’t exactly been dominant in their 3-0 start.
They stole the opener in a 41-40 win over Baltimore thanks to a killer fumble by Ravens running back Derrick Henry. After a 30-10 win over the Jets, nine days ago Buffalo’s 31-21 win over Miami was a one-possession game until the final 22 seconds.
Of course, despite being in his first year as head coach, the New Orleans media questioned Moore about his job security.
“The won-loss record is where we’re graded,” he said of himself and quarterback Spencer Rattler. “and we tend to carry (that responsibility).”
But he also knows the importance of the quarterback position especially facing Buffalo’s Josh Allen.
“He’s playing clean football … excellent in the progressive game and just getting competitive at a really high level,” Moore said. “The game feels really calm to him and when it gets off-schedule, that’s when he uses his legs and he doesn’t use them just to use them … when it gets off-schedule he’s often making phenomenal plays (with his legs).”
He added, “We’ve got to do an excellent job on the first phase of the play, then on the second phase the rush has to keep coming and we have to cover (the receivers) for an extended period of time because that’s where (Allen) has made some exceptional plays that change games.”
AND IT’S not just the Bills’ QB that concerns Moore.
There’s also running back James Cook, second in the league in rushing and first in touchdowns (4).
“He has great vision and suddeness,” Moore said. “and that’s the conflict you’re in (defensively). They’re really good at what they do and it will be a challenge for us.
“Every team has tendencies but the good ones have them because they’re good at them.”
One tendency the Saints have is drawing penalties, having accumulated a league-leading 31 in three games, many of them of the pre-snap variety.
And McDermott, whose team is playing only the first of two 1 p.m. starts at home is counting on some help from the sellout crowd to increase New Orleans number of flags.
“We take a lot of pride in defending our dirt … defending our fan base,” McDermott said. “Let’s be honest, our fan base creates an environment … the ’12th man’ is real and we’ll need that again this week.”
ONE AREA where the Buffalo crowd can’t help is with the team’s injuries.
The Bills will again be without outside linebacker Matt Milano (pectoral) and defensive tackle Ed Oliver, plus offensive tackle Spencer Brown (calf) and edge rusher A.J. Epenesa (pectoral) are questionable, meaning three starters could be out, plus one key sub (Epenesa).
Out for New Orleans is edge rusher Chase Young (calf).
POLLOCK’S PICK: Bills 27, Saints 16
(Chuck Pollock, a Wellsville Sun senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@wnynet.net.)
