Buffalo News sports writers predict the outcome of Sunday's Buffalo Bills-Houston Texans game at Highmark Stadium. The Bills are a 16.5-point favorite.
Culley was the quarterbacks coach for the Bills from 2017 to 2018, working with Allen as a rookie.
Jay Skurski: We’re in rare territory in terms of the point spread. Just once since 1992 have the Bills been favored by at least 17 points, which was the opening line. That shows a big-time belief in the Bills after consecutive dominant performances, along with a pretty low opinion of the Texans. Whether either team is truly as good or bad as this spread suggests, there is little reason to think that the Texans are ready to pull a historic upset. A rookie quarterback making his first career road start in Orchard Park is no easy task. If the Bills' defense can win early downs and force Houston into obvious passing situations, it could be a recipe for more takeaways. Defensively, Houston is allowing nearly 270 passing yards per game, which is bad news considering Bills quarterback Josh Allen looked to be in his 2020 form last week against Washington. Bills, 42-17.
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Katherine Fitzgerald: Well, the Bills should win this one. The theme of all these predictions is whether they’ll cover the spread. I think they will. The Bills have outscored opponents 78-21 the last two weeks, and Houston doesn’t seem like it will be the team to slow Buffalo. The way this offense is rolling, the Bills should be able to score with ease. Quarterback Josh Allen and wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders showcased their connection last week in an offense that also has Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley at Allen’s disposal. The Bills' defense was able to shake quarterback Taylor Heinicke last week, and Texans quarterback Davis Mills is less experienced. Buffalo should be able to get a couple takeaways once again, after six in the last two games. Bills, 38-17.
"Josh Allen, his arm strength and mobility and his ability to make throws from different arm angles and inside and outside the pocket is very similar to what Patrick Mahomes possesses in terms of arm strength and mobility," Trent Green said.
Mark Gaughan: I hate giving away double-digit points. However, I love picking against rookie quarterbacks in their first road start. Which betting principle is more significant? Houston’s Davis Mills made only 11 career starts in college at Stanford. Texans coach David Culley suggested he would take the straight-jacket off Mills this week. The Texans were ultra conservative in play-calling against a good Carolina defense last week. If the Bills get a lead, is Mills ready to start slinging it? On the other side of the ball, I was surprised how much pressure the Houston pass rush was able to get on Sam Darnold. This is an unheralded front seven, to say the least. If Tyrod Taylor were starting for the Texans, the spread obviously would not be as large, but I’d probably take the points. Tyrod is good at protecting the ball and keeping games close. I’ll be surprised if Mills can play a turnover-free game. Bills, 30-13.
Jason Wolf: This is a massive spread for an NFL game, and I was tempted to pick Houston to cover. But with the way Josh Allen and the Bills’ offense finally found its stride against Washington, and the way the defense has played all season, and with the Texans starting their third-string quarterback, this one could get out of hand quickly. Buffalo should make short work of Houston and easily win its third consecutive game against an opponent forced to play a backup quarterback, following Jacoby Brissett in Week 2 in Miami and Taylor Heinicke in Week 3 in Orchard Park. Texans rookie Davis Mills, a third-round pick out of Stanford, will make his first career road start at Highmark Stadium. Good luck with that. Bills, 38-10.
Poyer was hurt late in Sunday's victory against Washington and did not return. He left the stadium in a walking boot.
Rachel Lenzi: The Bills are on a roll, and that’s going to continue when they host the Texans. The Bills have outscored their last two opponents 78-21, and turned on the jets early and often in last weekend’s win against Washington. The defense has been productive, too, registering six turnovers in the last two games, including three that set up 17 points against WFT. Stopping the run shouldn’t be difficult for the Bills, either, as the Texans have clearly established that they have little to no run game, averaging 94.6 yards per game. Last week against Carolina, the Texans finished with a paltry 42 yards rushing, and rookie quarterback Davis Mills is learning on the fly as he manages a work-in-progress offense. This will be a warmup for when the Bills face the Chiefs a week from Sunday in Kansas City. Bills, 42-24.
