By CHUCK POLLOCK, Wellsville Sun Senior Sports Columnist
Well, after beating Carolina 29-14 and then the Browns 31-7 Saturday afternoon in Cleveland, the Bills are off to a 2-0 preseason start with the finale coming up Thursday night against Pittsburgh at Highmark Stadium.
In fairness, it’s unlikely either the Panthers (1-1) or Browns (0-2) are looking at playoff seasons, but that’s hardly Buffalo’s problem.
The weather presented a bit of a distraction early in the game at Huntington Bank Field. Two minutes into the game, lightning caused a one-hour delay.
— Buffalo’s James Cook, one of the NFL’s elite running backs, sat out Saturday’s game with most of the other starters, but Buffalo still found a ground game as Ian Wheeler had four carries for 56 yards and Frank Gore Jr, added 54 yards on nine carries. Those two reserves combined for 110 yards on 13 carries.
SOME OTHER TAKES on the Bills win at Cleveland.
— It was a sad time for the Bills entire roster as defensive tackle Ed Oliver’s 2-year-old son drowned in the family pool outside of Houston. City police are investigating the incident.
— What frustrated new Buffalo coach Joe Brady in the win over the Panthers was his team’s 10 penalties for 98 yards. But, versus the Browns, the Bills halved that number of flags.
— It’s hard not to assume that Kyle Allen has won the backup quarterback job behind Josh Allen. Last week against Carolina he was 14-of-16 through the air and Saturday, versus Cleveland, he was 10-of-12 with a touchdown.
That likely means that No. 3 QB, Shane Buechele, is practice squad-bound unless Brady decides to keep a third quarterback on the 53-man roster.
–The only starters who played for the Bills were place-kicker Tyler Bass, rookie punter Tommy Bowman, and guards Alec Anderson and Austin Corbett, one of whom will start at the left offensive guard spot.
— Coming into the season, Buffalo’s position of greatest need was wide receiver. As of now eight players are bidding for five or six roster spots. Against the Browns, 30-year-old Trent Sherfield strengthened his bid with four catches while Ja’Mori Maclin had a 71-yard touchdown reception.
Adding their names to the competition from Khalil Shakir, former Panther and Bear, D.J. Moore, Keon Coleman, draftee Skyler Bell, veteran Mecole Hardman and Joshua Palmer.
None of them played at Cleveland, Shakir with an undisclosed injury. Meanwhile, Coleman is nursing a foot/toe sprain, Bell has a groin inujry. In addition, Tyrell Shavers is on the physically unable to perform list (PUP) with a knee injury.
(Chuck Pollock, a Wellsville Sun and Olean Star senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@wnynet.net.)
