The Buffalo Bills continue to lean on fantasy football star Josh Allen while the Houston Texans try to stay in the playoff hunt. And here is the start ‘em, sit ‘em advice for their Week 12 Thursday Night Football contest.
Buffalo (7-3) enters off the high of a tough 44-32 win over the Buccaneers, while the Texans (5-5) will try to ride the momentum of a modest two-game winning streak after edging the lowly Titans.
It should be typical Thursday night football, where things are rarely typical of what you would ordinarily expect from teams.
Start ‘em: QB Josh Allen, Bills
Yes, I know, it’s obvious. You always start Allen, even if he played two against 11. One guy to snap and Allen to bull ahead for as many yards as he could get. Never, ever, ever sit Josh Allen.
However, there is a word of caution here. Allen isn’t going to account for six touchdowns this week. That has only happened twice in NFL history, with Allen doing it both times.
But this is a much better defense. The Texans are allowing the fewest yards in the NFL this season at 258.1 per game. They are No. 3 against both the run (87.1) and the pass (171.0). And they rank No. 1 in points allowed at 16.3.
Now, this doesn’t mean the Texans are going to completely shut Allen down. But it does mean he’s probably going to have an average game, for him.
Another thing that goes against Allen having a big game is the halo effect. Allen has been put on a pedestal, and rightly so, for his game against the Buccaneers, according to ESPN.
“Dude's a dog,” Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir said. “He's just a dog. That's what it is. There's no need to overthink it. I mean, he's unreal at everything he does. The best player in the league by far, and he's going to show that every game day.”
But the NFL is a league where it’s tough to repeat things.
Still, start him. Just be prepared for less instead of more.
Start ‘em: RB James Cook, Bills
After back-to-back weeks of less-than-stellar ground efforts, look for Cook to bounce back this week. The Bills know the limitations of the Texans’ offense, so they can play conservatively and lean more on Cook.
And here’s where Cook becomes more valuable: in the passing game. The Texans should be able to shut down the Bills' receivers. That means Allen will be scrambling for yardage and also checking down to Cook.
They will also likely try to get Cook down the field for a big play through the air. Cook could salvage a lesser yardage total with a long touchdown catch like he did against the Buccaneers.
Whatever happens, Cook likely won’t have much to say about it. He loves the game, but not the words, according to head coach Sean McDermott via Sports Illustrated.
“You know James, he loves ball,” McDermott said. “We don't need to share a lot of words. But I do appreciate how our relationship has grown over the years. He was locked and loaded last week.”
Sit ‘em: All Bills receivers
Go ahead, tell me which one will have a decent game against the Texans. Tyrell Shavers again? Gabe Davis? Dawson Knox? Curtis Samuel? Joshua Palmer?
How about Khalil Shakir? He had one catch for minus-three yards in a game where his team scored 44 points. Allen throws to whom he throws. Don’t try to guess. Avoid.
Start ‘em: WR Nico Collins, Texans
And that’s about it. Don’t mess with running backs, or Jayden Higgins, or Dalton Schultz, or anybody else. Roll with the dog, Collins, and avoid others.
Collins showed he’s quarterback-proof with 16 catches for 228 yards and a touchdown over the last two games, with Davis Mills taking the captain’s chair.
One of the better wideouts in the NFL, Collins said he and his teammates need to keep rolling, according to Sports Illustrated.
“We've got to continue to go,” Collins said. “We know what type of team Buffalo is. It's another great matchup, and they coming in, they're trying to win,” Collins said ahead of Week 13. “So, for us, it's a short week. Continue to get on the game plan, take care of our bodies, and get ready for Buffalo, man.”
