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The Buffalo Bills look to bounce back on Sunday after they lost to the Baltimore Ravens in primetime last week, 35-10. To do so, they need to knock off the AFC South-leading Houston Texans. Here are five storylines to watch for in a game with significant playoff implications.
For the first time in 2024, the Bills are coming off a loss after starting the season 3-0. That’s the bad news. The good news? Buffalo is 18-5 in games following a loss under head coach Sean McDermott. It obviously doesn’t guarantee victory, but it shows that McDermott, Josh Allen, and crew are able to refocus quickly after a setback. Not letting one loss turn into multiple is a key to any successful season.
Related: Sean McDermott explains what’s next for Bills’ decimated defense
It’s no secret that when the Bills visit the Houston Texans, it is a chance for the media to wax poetic about Stefon Diggs being traded by Buffalo to its Week 5 opponent in the offseason. The storyline was beaten like a dad taxing his kid’s Halloween candy. That said, it is worth noting that this game not only features Diggs, who had the four best years of his career with Buffalo, but also has former Bills Tim Settle, Jerry Hughes, and Robert Woods on the Houston sideline. Expect plenty of cameras to be aiming at Allen and Diggs during pregame.
Okay, it’s not quite the age disparity as in the famous scene from Step Brothers, but Josh Allen is seen as the pinnacle of quarterback play in the NFL while C.J. Stroud is looking to crack into that top tier of quarterbacks. The duo is also currently second and third in NFL MVP odds, with Allen slightly ahead of the young calf.
There are people who will tell you not to pay attention to the playoffs yet; it’s too early. It’s never too early. The Bills and Texans both enter Sunday with 3-1 records and sit first in their respective divisions. If the playoffs started today, Houston would be the two-seed and Buffalo the number-four seed because of tiebreakers. You know what helps more? Having a better record!
Related: Should the Bills pursue superstar WR Davante Adams?
We all know there is a coaching carousel every offseason. There will be five or more coaching vacancies at the end of every year. Over the last few years, the talking heads and fans have screamed that (enter team here) should hire the next Sean McVay or Kyle Shanahan. Rarely is it talked about to find the next hot defensive-minded coach. The Seattle Seahawks, who are also 3-1, got little national publicity for hiring Mike Macdonald, who guided a great Ravens defense and helped turn around the eventual national champion Michigan Wolverines. Defense just isn’t sexy when it comes to selling tickets, but it is pretty hot and steamy when it comes to winning; just ask New England Patriots fans from 2000 to 2020. Sean McDermott of the Bills and DeMeco Ryans of the Texans are two of the better coaches in the league, and both are defensive-minded. Oh, how is that Mike McDaniel experiment going in Miami?
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