Buffalo Bills vs. Houston Texans: 5 Bold predictions for Wild Card Round
The Buffalo Bills have an upset in mind for the Wild Card Round of the 2020 NFL Playoffs but can they pull it off against the Houston Texans on Saturday?
Two 10-6 teams will kick off the 2020 NFL Playoffs on Saturday afternoon as the Houston Texans welcome the Buffalo Bills to NRG Stadium in a matchup between the AFC’s No. 4 and 5 seeds, respectively. And when it comes to this Wild Card Round contest, it’s hard to decipher which way the needle should be leaning as game time approaches.
On one hand, Josh Allen and the Bills have been one of the most fascinating teams of the 2019 season. The second-year quarterback has flashed brilliance just as often as he’s flashed questionable moments that leave fans scratching their heads. However, Sean McDermott‘s club has been a defensive stalwart with a little bit of pop as they improved their offensive playmakers this offseason.
Then there’s the Texans, who were ultra-aggressive with Bill O’Brien calling the shots this season. Making one trade after another, Houston is clearly all-in on trying to capitalize on Deshaun Watson while he’s on his rookie deal. The question, however, is whether or not they did enough — specifically on the offensive line and in the secondary — to even get out of the Wild Card Round.
This game might not always be pretty but it should be highly entertaining. Taking that into account, let’s make five bold predictions for the Wild Card Round matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans on Saturday in the 2020 NFL Playoffs.
5. Brown breaks off 40+ yard touchdown
Perhaps the most underrated free-agency signing for 2019 was the Bills landing speedy wide receiver John Brown. The former Cardinal and Raven led Buffalo’s offense in receiving for the year, catching 72 balls for 1,060 yards and six touchdowns. He was a big-play threat down the field but also a more reliable target than just being a one-trick pony.
Though I’m a bit concerned about Josh Allen on Saturday as he’s likely to have plenty of heat put on him, the Bills will still look to unleash his arm a time or two and take some shots down the field. And while Cole Beasley may hog the targets in this game, Brown will make at least one big splash play.
Simply put, no one in the Texans secondary has the ability to hang with Brown’s speed down the field. While Allen may miss him on a few throws deep down the sidelines, he’ll find his most productive target from this season at least once and Brown will know what to do with it, taking it to the house for a long touchdown reception.