It was a ‘tense’ 36-31 victory, led by Mr. Josh Allen
By CHUCK POLLOCK, Senior Sports Columnist
If you were looking for Sean McDermott, he wasn’t there.
The since-fired Bills head coach was back in Charlotte, presumably watching Sunday’s NFL games on the Red Zone Channel wondering where his next coaching job might be.
Still, Buffalo’s tense, 36-31 victory over the Texans, Sunday afternoon at Houston’s NRG Stadium stirred memories of McDermott’s mostly successful, but sometimes checkered nine-year career with the Bills that ultimately led to his dismissal.
Joe Brady, Buffalo’s former offensive coordinator, who replaced McDermott, replicated some of the gaffes made by his former boss.
In a game that had eight lead-changes, the Bills were called for an unacceptable 10 penalties for 85 yards.
Brady was 0-for-2 in going for it on fourth down and some of his play-calls were dubious. And, as with last season, the Bills struggled with stopping the opponents’ running game, letting Houston rush for a generous 124 yards on 32 carries, nearly four per try.
But Buffalo won this game because it has one of the league’s best quarterbacks.
Josh Allen accounted for all four Bills touchdowns; a 43-yard throw to trade acquisition D.J. Moore and a 34-yarder for the deciding score to free agent and No. 4 receiver Joshua Palmer, plus runs of 21 and 1 yard.
Place-kicker Tyler Bass, who missed all of last season with calf and hip injuries hit each of his three field-goal games attempts.
On its last possession with 1:36 and two timeouts remaining and needing a touchdown to win, the Texans drove, on seven plays, to the Bills’ 9-yard line, 1st-and-goal.
That’s when Buffalo defensive tackle Deone Walker sacked Houston QB, C.J. Stroud. And, two plays later, Stroud was sacked again, this time by edge rusher Greg Rousseau who also caused a fumble and recovered it, letting the Bills run off the last few seconds. On the game he caused a pair of fumbles and recovered two.
ONE AREA of concern for Buffalo, reminiscent of the McDermott years, was the Bills defense. New coordinator Jim Leonhard saw his unit surrender 31 points, 381 yards and 26 first downs.
But Allen and the offense saved Brady’s first win as an NFL head coach.
“We scored 36 points against a fantastic defense,” Allen mused.
Of course, Buffalo’s offense supplied its own drama while driving for the winning touchdown.
First running back James Cook fumbled on the initial play but the Bills recovered.
Then, before he threw the winning touchdown to Palmer, he misfired on a throw to th at same receiver, but a Texans defender dropped an easy interception.
“That was on me,” Allen said, “I threw to the wrong spot and I got lucky on that one.”
NOTES from the Bills 36-31 win over the Texans, Sunday at Houston’s NRG Stadium.
— Buffalo’s first takeaway came when edge rusher Greg Rousseau sacked Texans quarterrback C.J. Stroud who fumbled with Buffalo defensive tackle Ed Oliver, a Houston native, recovering.
Later, Rousseau had the strip-sack of Stroud that let Buffalo run out the clock.
— The Texans first sack of Bills quarterback Josh Allen was logged by edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney. Houston’s second sack of the Bills’ QB was shared by Willie Anderson and Edwards.
— Veteran wide receiver Greg Dortch handled both Buffalo’s kickoff and punt returns until the fourth quarter when reserve running back Ray Davis returned two kickoffs.
— Bills punter Tommy Doman Jr., a seventh-round draft choice, didn’t get his first attempt until the third period when he booted a 63-yarder to the Texans 4-yard line.
— Buffalo inside linebacker Terrell Barnard had a game-high 12 tackles (six solos) one for a loss plus a fumble recovery and a game-best five quarterback hits.. Outside linebacker Dorian Williams had nine stops and a tackle for loss.
— The Bills face a short week, hosting the Lions in the first regular-season game at the new Highmark Stadium on Thursday night.
— Inactives for the Bills: running back Ty Johnson (hamstring), defensive tackle T.J. Sanders (knee), wide receiver Skyler Bill, safety Jalon Kilgore, outside linebacker Mike Danna, guard Ar’maj Reed-Adams and guard-tackle Jude Bowery.
— No Texans starters were inactive.
(Chuck Pollock, a Wellsville Sun and Olean Star senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@wnynet.net.)
