Bills Central

WATCH: Did Buffalo Bills Goof in Cutting New Texans TE O.J. Howard?

Houston found a way to make something work ... where Buffalo could not.

Mike Fisher

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The Buffalo Bills have earned a reputation for making all the right moves when it comes to building a roster.

But the Houston Texans are delighted by the possibility that GM Brandon Beane and coach Sean McDermott may have goofed on one recent notable decision.

A highly productive debut from former tight end O.J. Howard in his first game with his new team now looks like an eyebrow-raiser in Buffalo.

Howard was a semi-surprise release for the Bills on cutdown day, as many believed that the former first-round tight end - even while he arguably under-produced while at Buffalo training camp in his effort to be Dawson Knox' backup - would make the roster and be given time to fit in.

Instead, the Bills kept Tommy Sweeney and Quintin Morris ... and sent Howard packing.

The then-street free agent signed with the Texans, and his in his first game there caught two TD passes in what would end at a 20-20 tie with the Indianapolis Colts.

In fairness, Howard became just the third tight end in the last 50 years to catch two TDs, in a debut with a new team. And it's been years since he caught two TD passes in an entire season.

But Houston found a way to make something work ... where Buffalo could not.

That's also fair.

"He came in really last week and got to work, put his head down, and I think he's in a really good spot right now," Houston quarterback Davis Mills said after connecting with Howard twice for 38 yards and the two touchdowns. "He made some big-time plays ... Having him as an addition is going to help a lot of that."

And hopefully for Bills Mafia, it won't hurt too bad in Buffalo.

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Mike Fisher
MIKE FISHER

Mike Fisher - as a newspaper beat writer and columnist and on radio and TV, where he is an Emmy winner - has covered the NFL since 1983. He is the author of two best-selling books on the NFL.

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