Buffalo Plus: Bills vs Texans Preview — "EGO Game," Offense Keys, and Facing CJ Stroud

Episode Date: October 4, 2024
Hosts: Mike Catalana, Jenna Cottrell, Dan Fetes
Episode Focus: Previewing the Buffalo Bills' matchup against the Houston Texans, with a focus on the Stefan Diggs storyline, offensive keys, injury updates, and what to expect from CJ Stroud and the Texans' weapons.

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the first clash between the Buffalo Bills and former star receiver Stefan Diggs, now with the Houston Texans. The crew explores the emotional undercurrents (“ego game” vs. “revenge game”), how Buffalo matches up with Houston’s new-look offense, debates the prospect of a blockbuster trade, and weighs in on the AFC landscape. The hosts bring their trademark humor, banter, and insider perspective for Bills fans hungry for real talk.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Stefan Diggs’ New Role & The “Ego Game” (00:00–07:45; 39:44–47:25)

• Emotional Stakes:

  • Discussion led by Dan Orlovsky framing this as an “ego game,” not a revenge game, for both Diggs and the Bills, focusing on who “looks better” post-breakup.
  • Jenna Cottrell (00:24): "If you go to the same wedding… you want to look hotter. If I’m being honest… you want to look better than the other person."
  • The crew agrees Diggs has something to prove, but for Allen and the Bills, it’s about showing they've moved on.

• Diggs’ Role in Houston:

  • Mike Catalana (03:10): "He’s in the spot that makes him the most dangerous… not being expected to be a number one guy."
  • Now the WR2 behind Nico Collins; perhaps humbling for Diggs, but still a significant threat.

• Keys for Buffalo:

  • Discussion about whether Josh Allen should “rally the troops” to make a statement against Diggs:
    • Dan (41:34): “You wanted to leave Buffalo and what you left was better…I like the thought of him stepping up as the leader.”
    • Mike (43:46): "Josh Allen is not going to make this personal about Stefan Diggs… that would seem kind of petty..."
  • Consensus: Team needs to play like they have moved on, not make it about Diggs personally.

2. Bills WR Situation & Trade Speculation (06:11–15:16)

• Devonte Adams Trade Rumors:

  • All hosts agree adding a true WR1 (like Adams) would help, but salary cap concerns and philosophy ("everybody eats") make a midseason trade unlikely.
  • Dan (06:34): “I believe wholeheartedly the salary cap isn’t real and they could make it work… I don’t think Bean does it.”

• Other Options:

  • Mike (13:32): Suggests Amari Cooper as an intriguing target: “I’d take Amari Cooper— younger, puts up numbers.”

• AFC Landscape:

  • Discussion about the AFC being more “open” than expected, with Kansas City, Miami, Ravens, and Bengals all having vulnerabilities.
  • Jenna (14:42): “It looks more gettable than you were expecting. It looks more open.”

3. Scouting CJ Stroud & Houston's Offense (16:48–24:37)

• CJ Stroud Analysis:

  • Cautious optimism about Stroud’s growth, noting the dangers of overhyping young QBs after a hot start.
  • Mike (17:13): "I do not like when you take small sample sizes and try to turn them into bigger things than they are."
  • Jenna and Dan agree: Stroud is ascending but not yet “arrived.”

• Texans Weapons:

  • Nico Collins highlighted as a true WR1 (see below).
  • Injuries to Tank Dell and Joe Mixon noted as limiting Houston’s ceiling for now, but the offense is seen as dangerous once healthy.

4. Bills Defensive Concerns & Injury Updates (24:37–32:30)

• Key Injuries:

  • Taron Johnson (hand), Terrel Bernard, Ed Oliver (hamstring), Khalil Shakir (ankle), and Austin Johnson (oblique) all mentioned—several are “pain tolerance” situations, with starters possibly missing time.
  • Mike (25:17): “Ed Oliver with a hamstring... not good.”
  • D-line depth and run defense are major worries.

• D-line Inconsistency:

  • Criticism of DaQuan Jones and Ed Oliver for disappearing against the run.
  • Dan (29:00): "So far this year, Ed and Greg [Rousseau] have been the Gabe Davis of the defense… lack of consistency."
  • Need for more "beef" inside; mention of new DT Zion Louge.

• Mentality After Loss:

  • Reflection on “getting punched in the mouth” by Baltimore and whether that sort of loss can serve as a wakeup call for focus and urgency.
  • Mike (34:21): “I don't think it's a bad thing to get blown out... you get beat this badly, it gets everybody's attention.”

5. Nico Collins: Under-the-Radar Star (35:55–39:44)

• Breakout Season:

  • Jenna (36:11): “Nico Collins has 489 receiving yards… that’s a hundred more than any other receiver in the league.”
  • Noted as the clear WR1 in Houston (“physical, big, can run”)—Bills have a strong record at limiting top WRs, but Collins will test them.

• Bills' Pass Defense:

  • Dan (37:14): “Last 23 games, Bills have allowed three 100-yard receivers… usually not the number one guy.”
  • The hosts expect the Bills D to challenge Houston to win on the ground, not in the air.

6. Pre-Game Dynamics & Allen/Diggs Reunion (47:25–53:15)

• On-field Reunion:
  • Speculation about how Allen and Diggs will interact pregame, expecting a quick, civil exchange "less than a minute," probably with Case Keenum as a buffer and plenty of cameras watching.
  • Dan (50:42): “The over-under of their interaction has to be 15 seconds.”
  • Jenna (51:46): “I'm hoping that's me [getting the video], hoping I'm getting that.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On The Allen–Diggs “Breakup”:
  • Mike: “When you first break up… you’re constantly asked about the circumstances, about the other person… You have to react a certain way. Josh has been asked about it… he’s laughed it off, joked it… After Sunday, it'll really go in the rearview mirror.” [56:43]
• On the Bills’ Pass Defense:
  • Dan: "They really have been able to shut down teams' number one wide receivers over the last year and four days." [37:42]
• On the AFC’s Unpredictability:
  • Jenna: “It looks more gettable than you were expecting. It looks more open than you thought.” [14:42]
• On Football Motivation:
  • Dan: "Football is extremely personal. I think the relationships that they have make this game different than other ones." [45:53]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Stefan Diggs/Allen Relationship & "Ego Game" Framing: 00:00–07:45, 39:44–47:25
• Bills WR Trade Rumors & AFC Landscape: 06:11–15:16
• CJ Stroud & Texans Offense Deep Dive: 16:48–24:37
• Bills D-line & Injury Concerns: 24:37–32:30
• Mentality After a Blowout Loss: 32:30–35:55
• Nico Collins Spotlight: 35:55–39:44
• Pre-Game Allen/Diggs Speculation: 47:25–53:15
• Predictions & Closing: 53:19–56:35

Game PREDICTIONS

• Jenna: Picks Texans (24-21), citing injury worries and "this game means a lot" to Diggs. [53:19]
• Mike: Picks Bills (27-24): “I like the Bills offense to bounce back in this game… better against a passing team than a running team.” [54:15]
• Dan: Picks Bills (26-20): Sees defense improving with Bernard, expeccts Joe Brady to recalibrate offense. “Bills win 26-20. Bass misses an extra point.” [55:56]

Tone & Interactions

Playful, honest, and unvarnished—plenty of friendly arguments, peer chiding, and offbeat analogies (breakup, weddings, “look hotter,” etc.), while always keeping things rooted in deep knowledge of the team and league. Episode is packed with personality and takes that go beyond the box score.

Final Word

The hosts agree: emotions on both sides will be high, but the Bills' challenge is to stay focused on the bigger picture. Injuries and defensive inconsistencies loom, Nico Collins poses a real threat, and the AFC is unpredictable—so a single “statement game” won’t define Buffalo’s season. For Josh Allen, moving on is about showing the Bills are stronger as a team, with or without Diggs.

For more analysis and on-field updates, catch Buffalo Plus throughout the weekend and on YouTube.