Sean McDermott and the Buffalo Bills (0-1) turned some heads in Week 1 before even kicking off against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The team’s inactives had some surprises.
The first of two was running back Zack Moss. Expected to be a contributor after a promising rookie season, McDermott said earlier this week that Moss being left on the sideline had to do with “numbers.”
Now, a different tune.
Speaking to the team’s radio broadcast partner, WGR-550, on Friday, the coach now attributed some of the reasoning to Moss being injured.
“Zack missed quite a bit of training camp for us and was out so we’ll see where it goes this week,” McDermott said.
Between rehabbing his broken ankle from last year’s playoff run and a hamstring injury in training camp, the second-year rusher certainly has had to work to get back on the field.
But this is a change of reasoning from the coach. Previously it sounded like Moss was jumped on the depth chart by both by Devin Singletary and Matt Breida.
Now maybe we’ll get a dose of Moss this week against the Miami Dolphins (1-0), if healthy. McDermott did add that he liked the way the running back practiced during the week.
Along with Moss, Boogie Basham was also scratched.
Bills fans might be able to swallow the pill of the second-round pass rusher being an opening-day healthy scratch because that same thing happened to AJ Epenesa last year… This still doesn’t make it the norm.
In many cases, a second-round pick is a difference maker on game days. At minimum, they’re not standing in the press box, when healthy.
McDermott did not exactly provide much detail when discussing why Basham wasn’t playing against the Steelers, though.
“It’s tough, it’s always tough. Those are two good football players,” McDermott said. “We’ll see where it goes this week. Two young players that continue to develop for us.”
Time will tell when Basham will get a chance to further his development on the field, in a game setting.
[lawrence-related id=87831,87827,87824,87808]