Tag: bills texans

NFL finally admits call from Bills-Texans playoff game was legal

NFL changes tune on Cody Ford block during Buffalo Bills playoff game.

When the Bills lost to the Texans in the playoffs a few years back, the highlight reel moment for many was actually a penalty called in overtime.

Tied 19-19, the Bills were flagged for an illegal block by offensive lineman Cody Ford. Had the flag not been tossed, the Bills would’ve had a first down in field goal range after a Josh Allen run.

Instead, the 15-yard penalty led to a punt and the Texans won the game on the next drive.

Now the NFL says the play was legal. In a video released Friday, the play was used as an example as a legal, not illegal, play:

Commenting on the video is  NFL Senior VP of Officiating Training and Development Walt Anderson. He declares Ford as good to go on the play.

Kind of too little too late, NFL…

The least the league could now do is give Ford his money back. He was fined for the play… which is now legal.

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Report: J.J. Watt will take his time, but wants a contender

Former Houston Texans DE JJ Watt will take his time picking team, wants a contender. Are Buffalo Bills a fit?

Are the Buffalo Bills going to be in on defensive end JJ Watt now that he’s free to sign with any team? It seems likely that Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane would at least make a phone call.

But for a response, Beane might have to wait until Monday for that. After Watt was released on Friday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the three-time Defensive Player of the Year… just wants to relax over the weekend.

Reportedly Watt will wait to talk to “potential options” until after weekend, so Monday or Tuesday depending on if Watt is going to take a long holiday weekend. Can’t blame the guy for that.

In addition, the report indicates one positive thing for the Bills. It is “important” to Watt to play for a contender. The Bills certainly fit the bill there as they’re fresh off a trip to the AFC Championship game:

Watt, 32 next season, could be a viable option for the Bills to improve their pass rush. According to Pro Football Focus, he was the NFL’s seventh-best edge defender last season despite only having five sacks. Watt is certainly still a talented player.

That rating alone shows that Watt has yet to slow down with age, but in Buffalo, he would also play in Sean McDermott’s defense. That scheme calls for a rotation along the defensive front, which would help keep Watt fresher than perhaps with other teams. Watt and the Bills could make sense… but as first mentioned… it’s time to wait for now.

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Reasons why Bills need to be in J.J. Watt sweepstakes

Why the Buffalo Bills need to pursue former Houston Texans DE JJ Watt.

The Houston Texans nearly made it an entire week without being in the NFL offseason headlines in a massive way… so close. But then, Friday happened.

Defensive end JJ Watt is being released by the Houston Texans in something that is nothing short of a shocking move. While the Texans have had head coaching and quarterback drama as of late with Deshaun Watson also expressing a desire to leave, Watt is… almost next level.

Watt’s name has become synonymous with Houston.

But now the 31-year-old is free to sign with any team in the NFL, and now the moment you’ve been waiting for: The Buffalo Bills.

There’s little reason why the Bills shouldn’t be involved in the Watt sweepstakes. Some are obvious, but there’s other circumstances that could help Buffalo’s cause, too.

With that, here’s a rundown of reasons why the Bills should be pursing Watt’s services this offseason:

Deshaun Watson saga puts rare spotlight on Buffalo Bills

Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson requesting trade puts Buffalo Bills in a new spotlight.

The Buffalo Bills are in a rare position right now. One they haven’t been known to have.

First, they’re not anywhere near the bottom of the barrel in the NFL. In terms of a “laughing stock” image, that probably belongs to the Houston Texans currently. After an extended period of poor management, things hit a fever pitch for them as franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson wants out.

Just earlier this week, Watson official made it publicly known he wants to be traded. The hiring of David Culley as their next head coach makes no difference to the QB.

So how does this affect the Bills?

Turn on any sports-related program right now and the Texans QB is probably being talked about. Watson is young (25) and good. He has three Pro Bowls under his belt and even led the NFL in passing yards in 2020 (4,823).

Of all the teams that could be realistically use Watson’s services… the Bills are among the very few that have zero interest in him.

One can debate if Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen is better or worse than Watson. But at this point? We’re kind of just splitting hairs.

Both surpassed 4,500 passing yards (4,544 for Allen) this year, putting the pair in the top-five in terms of passers this season. Watson and Allen have had postseason successes as well.

Putting the Bills in a discussion to trade for Watson would have you laughed out of a room right now. It makes no sense, and it’s a credit to what the club has built under the guidance of head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane. They’ve gotten a guy like Allen, who appears to be locked into their, dare we say, process… for the foreseeable future.

In a way, one can even connect clubs like the Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys, who have elite quarterbacks already, to Watson, and make a better case for them to trade for him then you could for the Bills. Will Aaron Rodgers and Dak Prescott be back with those respective teams in 2021? It could be more than likely yes, but those still don’t have the level of certainty attached to them like Allen and Buffalo does right now.

Legitimately only a year ago at this time, the Bills could be a team who would’ve been viewed as one that would be upgraded with Watson… let alone looking back to guys the club had during their not-so-long-ago playoff drought. Instead, western New Yorkers are much more curious about… pretty much anything else than the quarterback position this offseason.

What a time to be alive…

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The Texans have a new head coach and it’s not Leslie Frazier

Buffalo Bills will not lose Leslie Frazier as Houston Texans hire Baltimore Ravens’ David Culley.

The Houston Texans have a new head coach. It is not Leslie Frazier.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Texans have decided to hire Baltimore Ravens’ wide receivers coach/ passing game coordinator/ assistant head coach David Culley to be their next bench boss. That means the Bills will still have the services of Frazier as their defensive coordinator (and assistant head coach).

Bills Wire previously reported that Culley might have the upper leg because he has experience working with Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.

The Texans and Watson have gone through a period of turmoil and some expect that hiring Culley will be a positive in terms of keeping Watson happy. According to the Houston Chronicle,  Culley and Watson grew a “good connection” at the 2020 Pro Bowl.

Formerly a member of Sean McDermott’s coaching staff, Culley and Frazier had second interviews with both Frazier and Culley this week.

Earlier this offseason, Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll interviewed for jobs with the Jets and Chargers. Both teams went on to hire others as well.

At this time, it appears the Bills will keep both of their coordinators in 2021.

Stay tuned to Bills Wire for any further head-coaching search updates involving the Buffalo coaching staff.

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Bills’ Leslie Frazier to officially have second interview for Texans’ job

Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier to have second interview for Houston Texans’ head coach job.

Without a Super Bowl opponent to prepare for this upcoming week, Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier has time to have a second interview with the Texans in regard to their vacant head coaching job.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, that’s exactly going to happen. While a time for the interview was not reported on, Frazier evidently will have it.

It was reported on Sunday if the Bills were to lose in the AFC Championship game to the Kansas City Chiefs, he would have a better look at landing the Texans job. A second interview is at least a step in that right direction.

Along with Frazier, Monday’s update indicates that Ravens quarterbacks coach and assistant head coach David Culley will also have a second interview for the position.

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Report: Bills’ Leslie Frazier scheduled to interview with Texans on Sunday

Buffalo Bills’ Leslie Frazier will interview with the Houston Texans for their head coach job on Sunday.

It was reported on Monday that Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier would join his counterpart on Buffalo’s offense, Brian Daboll, on the head-coaching interview circuit. The Texans asked permission to interview Frazier for their vacant position.

We now know when that will take place. According to Josina Anderson, host of the Undefined with Josina Anderson podcast, Frazier’s interview is scheduled to go down on Sunday.

On Saturday the Bills (13-3) will host the Ravens (11-5) in the AFC Divisional playoffs. By rule, Frazier isn’t allowed to interview with anyone until after that game so Sunday comes as no surprise.

So far the Texans are the only team to reportedly request to interview Frazier for their head coach gig.

Since 2017, Frazier has been Buffalo’s defensive coordinator and eventually was promoted to assistant head coach. Frazier calls the plays for Buffalo’s defense as well. The 61-year-old was previously the head coach of the Vikings from 2011-2013 after taking over as their interim head coach in 2010.

Meanwhile Daboll had interviewed for the vacant Jets and Chargers head coach jobs, however, the Jets hired Robert Saleh and Thursday. A second interview for Daboll with the Chargers has yet to be announced, but on Friday, a second report that there is “interest” from the Eagles in Daboll surfaced.

Stay tuned to Bills Wire for all head-coaching search updates involving the Buffalo coaching staff.

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Report: Bills’ Leslie Frazier to interview for Texans’ head coach job

Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier to interview for Houston Texans head coach job.

Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll has been connected to multiple head coaching vacancies across the NFL currently. Defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier is now on the board, too.

According to Pro Football Talk on Monday, the Houston Texans will interview Frazier for their head coaching position.

Frazier, 61, was previously the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings from 2011-2013 after taking over as their interim head coach in 2010. After that, Frazier jumped to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for two seasons, taking over as their defensive coordinator, before being hired as the Baltimore Ravens’ secondary coach in 2016.

Since 2017, Frazier has been Buffalo’s defensive coordinator and eventually was promoted to assistant head coach . Frazier calls the plays for Buffalo’s defense as well.

At the end of the 2006 season, Frazier won Super Bowl XLI as an assistant on Tony Dungy’s coaching staff. As a player, Frazier won Super Bowl XX while he was a member of the Chicago Bears’ famous 1985 defense.

Recently Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott commented via WGR-550 radio that he would support either Daboll or Frazier in their endeavors to become head coaches.

“I think they’ve both done a phenomenal job. I’d hate to lose either of them, but I would highly recommend both of them that they’re ready to take the next step. I think they’ve show that they can lead and do the coordinator job at a high level, both of them. You’d hate to lose both of those guys, but when you win and you have sustained success like we’ve been able to have the last two seasons, that’s what happens,” McDermott said.

The Texans is Frazier’s first interview this offseason. Meanwhile, Daboll reportedly interviews with both the New York Jets and Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

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Bills’ Brian Daboll connected to Texans head coach opening

Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll is connected to Houston Texans job opening.

The Buffalo Bills may have a third team to worry about in regard to losing offensive coordinator Brian Daboll: The Houston Texans.

Daboll, who had interviews with the Jets and Chargers on Sunday, was connected to the Texans via ESPN recently.

Last week, the Texans tabbed former New England Patriots front office member Nick Caserio as their next general manager. Because of Daboll and Caserio’s ties to the Patriots, ESPN believes there’s interest:

Daboll is believed to be a candidate with the Texans, Jets and Chargers, and he has interviews planned with the latter two teams Sunday, after his team’s playoff game with the Colts, according to a source. He has New England connections (was on the coaching staff there from 2000 to 2006 and again from 2013 to 2016) that could help him with the Jack Easterby/Nick Caserio brain trust in Houston. And he went to the same high school as Chargers GM Tom Telesco.

While the Texans could be interested in Daboll, there has yet to be a concrete report that Daboll will interview for the job.

The Texans are also going through a bit of turmoil currently. Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson’s future with the organization has been in question recently because, according to Texans Wire, the QB was none too happy with Caserio’s hiring.

With all that going on, it remains to be seen if someone like Daboll would be interested in such a job.

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Bills’ Brian Daboll already mentioned as head coach candidate this week

Is Buffalo Bills’ Brian Daboll a head coach candidate for Houston Texans?

The Houston Texans are the first NFL team on the board in 2020 to get rid of their head coach. Bill O’Brien, who also held general managing duties. He was fired by the club earlier this week/

After a rocky offseason and start to the season, O’Brien’s firing came as little surprise. However, some believed the Jets would remove Adam Gase first. Maybe one day.

But in regard to a potential fix for the Texans, a Buffalo Bills name was mentioned… offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. The Houston Chronicle pegged a couple of quick-fire names that could potentially replace O’Brien, and right away, Daboll’s name was listed:

The 45-year-old Daboll certainly has had some great mentors, winning five Super Bowls in his 11 seasons under Bill Belichick as a Patriots offensive assistant and then a college football national title in his one season as Alabama co-offensive coordinator under Nick Saban. After that Alabama title, Daboll to the job as the Bills’ offensive coordinator and has put together one of the NFL’s strongest offenses, including turning Josh Allen into legitimately impressive quarterback.

Daboll would not interview for the Texans job until much later down the road, but so far through four games this season, he does deserve some praise for the work he’s done with the Buffalo’s offense. Several players, including Allen, have credited Daboll for putting guys on the field in a position to succeed.

That, plus Daboll’s resume, certainly could cost the Bills their offensive coordinator following 2020.

In addition to Daboll, the Chron mentioned these, Ravens defensive coordinator Wink Martinedale, Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, and Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.

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