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In a thrilling “Thursday Night Football” game, the Houston Texans held off the Buffalo Bills 23-19.
The Texans’ defense dominated the Bills’ offense, sacking Josh Allen eight times to lead Houston to the win. The Texans also had two interceptions. Houston played without starting quarterback C.J. Stroud for the third straight game and is 3-0 in that stretch. Stroud is expected back next week.
Houston improved to 6-5, while Buffalo dropped to 7-4.
Davis Mills threw for just 31 yards in the second half, but it was enough to lead the Houston Texans to another win. In fact, the Texans are 3-0 in his starts since C.J. Stroud has been sidelined with a concussion.
Overall, Mills completed 16-of-30 passes for 153 yards with two touchdowns, one to Christian Kirk and the other to Jayden Higgins.
With the way the Bills' defense was playing tonight, Mills could have put together a prolific night, but there was a batch of missed opportunities. Luckily for the Texans, they still found a way to win.
Overshadowed by the Texans dominant showing on defense was the dynamic performance of James Cook.
The Bills running back was sensational tonight, averaging 6.8 yards per attempt against Houston's vaunted defensive unit. He totaled 116 yards on the ground, including a 45-yard touchdown dash in the first quarter and caught three passes for 13 yards.
To this point, he certainly has earned the contract he held out for.
Quarterback Davis Mills started and won his third consecutive game with starter C.J. Stroud in concussion protocol.
The Texans’ passing game got off to a slow start. Mills went 1-for-8 in the first quarter and several of his throws fell short of his targets. The Bills limited the impact of receiver Nico Collins, who had been targeted 25 times and made 16 receptions in Mills’ first two starts. Collins was held to three targets and three receptions for 55 yards. Mills finished 16-for-30 with 153 yards and two touchdowns.
Instead, Houston took advantage of the Bills’ poorly ranked rushing defense to make up for the disparities in the passing game. Rookie running back Woody Marks accounted for a career-high 74 yards on 16 carries.
Of course, Davis Mills won his duel with Josh Allen, who remains winless in Houston throughout his career. Mills started 26 games for the Texans in 2021-22, but he never won two in a row. Now, he has been victorious in three straight while the reigning MVP took his worst beating in nearly three seasons.
Allen last Sunday reverted to a more refined version of the fun-but-reckless heroball of his younger days, scrambling around like a mad man and making sensational plays to keep Buffalo solvent. Buffalo gave up 32 points to Tampa Bay, but Allen threw for three TDs and ran for three TDs. He couldn’t quite will the Bills past Mills and the Texans. They chased him all over the yard. Allen absorbed eight sacks – the most of his career – and four additional QB hits.
Early in the third quarter, Allen ran himself into an 18-yard loss, the second-longest sack of his career and the worst since his rookie season. He went 25 of 34 for 262 yards and zero touchdowns with two interceptionms. An illegal blindside block erased a Texans pick-six in the second quarter. Allen ran five times for 20 yards.
One of the most thrilling “Thursday Night Football” games we’ve had in some time! Here’s what you had to say about the Texans’ victory:
Asparagus P: What a waste of a 4th and 27 miracle play.
Scott A: This is the Will Anderson game.
Paul H: GG Texans fans. That defense is tremendous.
James P: Great game, credit the Bills and Josh Allen for fighting to the end.
The Bills' offense hit an unbearable low for the better part of the game. Beginning with Josh Allen's second-quarter interception and extending through the end of the third quarter, the Bills gained only 15 yards on 14 plays, as the Bills were held scoreless for that entire time. The play calling was clearly out of sync, as the Texans showed no real respect for the Bills' passing game for most of the second half.
The Bills nearly got away with it after a few chunk plays, most specifically on a ridiculous hook-and-lateral play to gain 44 yards on a fourth-and-27. But the late surge does not take away from the overarching fact that the Bills' offense cannot seem to get out of its own way for long enough stretches to win games they should.
It does not even have to be said, but I'll say it anyway – the Houston Texans' defense is ELITE and put on a clinic tonight against the Buffalo Bills.
With only a handful of blitzes, Houston sacked Josh Allen eight times and forced three takeaways, two interceptions and a fumble. Calen Bullock was involved in all three, recording both interceptions and forcing a Khalil Shakir fumble.
Will Anderson Jr. was everywhere, too, recording 2.5 sacks while Danielle Hunter sacked Allen twice.
The Texans started their season 0-5 in one-score games. They’re 3-0 the last three weeks.
Houston wins its third straight without C.J. Stroud to pull above .500 for the first time in 2025.
And just like that, the Texans are back in the playoff hunt. The Colts play the Chiefs on Sunday, and their breathing room just evaporated a little more.
The Texans' defense is just magnificent. What a game.
Often times Josh Allen has to be Superman for the Bills to have success. Tonight, the Texans' defense made the reigning MVP look human.
Allen completed 25-of-35 passes for 262 yards but was intercepted twice, once late in the first half and again on fourth down late in the fourth quarter with the Bills driving to take the lead.
Did I mention he was sacked eight times?
Final – Texans 23, Bills 19
The Houston Texans were 3-5 when they lost C.J. Stroud to concussion protocol. Massive credit to Davis Mills for holding down the fort and DeMeco Ryans’ incredible defense going above and beyond for a 3-0 record in this stretch — capped by a prime-time performance to remember against Josh Allen.
What a game!
Q4 0:18 – Texans 23, Bills 19
Calen Bullock intercepts Josh Allen again, but there’s a flag… for OFFENSIVE pass interference!
The crowd goes wild in Houston. That will do it!
Q4 0:21 – Bills 23, Texans 19
Will Anderson, one-man wrecking crew. He bats down the screen on third-and-1… and then the Bills false start to back it up to fourth-and-6!
Q4 0:28 – Bills 23, Texans 19
After Gabe Davis is just out of bounds on a catch that would have put the Bills at the 1-yard line, Josh Allen hits Ty Johnson on a screen and gets nine yards. Bills call a timeout. Third-and-1 from the Texans 17.
Q4 0:41 – Bills 23, Texans 19
OH MY GOODNESS, PERFECTLY EXECUTED HOOK-AND-LATERAL. JOSH ALLEN TO JOSHUA PALMER TO KHALIL SHAKIR. THE BILLS GET 33 YARDS ON FOURTH-AND-27.
Q4 0:51 – Texans 23, Bills 19
… and now one play after Danielle Hunter sacks Josh Allen, Will Anderson and Mario Edwards get home! Allen gets up shaking his right hand in pain.
Q4 0:56 – Texans 23, Bills 19
Sack number SEVEN for the Texans defense against Josh Allen tonight!
The Bills have to call a timeout, and a third-and-20 awaits.
Q4 1:55 – Texans 23, Bills 19
Joe Brady redeems himself a bit, perfectly called an executed WR screen from Josh Allen to Khalil Shakir to move the chains.
Texans defense shuts down Bills, Josh Allen on 'Thursday Night Football:' Live updates and reaction – The New York Times
