Through weird quirks of the NFL’s scheduling formula, for the third straight season, the Houston Texans faced off against the Buffalo Bills at Reliant Stadium. The first two games in this sequence, in 2024 (Week 5) and 2025 (Week 12), were marked by mightmare performances by Josh Allen, the first one featuring a 9 for 30 passing performance, and the second one featuring eight sacks by the Texans’ defense.
Sunday afternoon’s 36-31 Bills victory looked nothing like either of those games, as you can probably tell by the final score. In a game that went over the Vegas point total of 44.5 by halftime, the Texans’ came away likely feeling far better about their offense than they did a year ago, and wondering just who in the hell was wearing those defensive player uniforms on Sunday.
Sure, the jerseys all had names like “ANDERSON,” “HUNTER,” and “LASSITER” on the back, but the human beings wearing those uniforms didn’t remotely resemble those players. Overall, the mood around this team should be optimistic, as the offense seems to have figured several things out, while I am willing to write off the defensive performance as a bad day at the office.
Whatever the case, the Texans need to flush this game quickly, because the Cincinnati Bengals are coming to town next week, and the Texans cannot afford to drop to 0-2 on the season. Here are your winners and losers from Sunday’s loss:
WINNERS
4. C.J. Stroud
All training camp long, Stroud looked dialed in, and really looked like he was grasping every element of the offense. In short, it was the best camp of his career. That translated on Sunday, as Stroud led the offense on four touchdown drives, often answering scores from Buffalo’s offense, which dominated the Texans’ defense with chunk plays all day long. Stroud was excellent at the end of each half, with a quick one minute touchdown drives at the end of the first half, and a drive that unfortunately ended with a fumble to close out the game. The only negative I can say is that he missed a huge opportunity but being unable to punch in a touchdown to win the game. That would have been the ultimate statement in Week 1 of a season in which Stroud is seeking a record-setting contract.
3. David Montgomery
The Texans made a concerted effort this offseason to get tougher and more physical offensively, along the offensive line and in the running game. Trading for Montgomery was a huge part of this initiative and he displayed why on Sunday, with three touchdowns and numerous short yardage conversions on third and fourth down. He and Woody Marks were the catalysts for a run game that netted over 130 yards on the ground. Between Stroud’s spreading the ball around through the air, and Montgomery and Marks getting it done on the ground, the Texans can win a ton of game with this as their offense.
2. Kai and Ka’imi
Special teams was hit or miss all day (more on that in a moment), but both of the human beings responsible for applying their foot to the ball, punter Kroeger and kicker Fairbairn, were excellent at their jobs on Sunday. Kroeger punted the ball well all afternoon, including dropping two inside the Bills’ five yard line. Fairbairn made all of his extra points and nailed a 58 yard field goal that gave the Texans a 31-30 lead in the fourth quarter.
1. Josh Allen
Demons were exorcised on Sunday, as Allen had easily his best game in this stadium. Prior to Sunday, Allen was 0-4 in starts in Houston, including two of the worst games of his career. Allen looked like an MVP on Sunday, as he was able to get rid of the ball quickly, escape pressure at times, and use his legs when he needs to, as well. When he had time to throw, he was peppering the Texans’ defense with lasers, chunk plays everywhere. The Bills had eight pass plays of 16 yards or more, including four plays of 35 yards or more. Allen was 20 of 29 for 334 yards, with no turnovers (although he got help from Kamari Lassiter’s hands on that stat), and I’d guess he has a great shot at being the AFC Offensive Player of the Week.
LOSERS
4. The fearsome Texans pass rush
Part of the reason Allen was so good was because he actually had time to throw. The fearsome pass rush that turned Allen into a 6-foot-7 rag doll a year ago was largely tamed on Sunday. In the first half, you would barely know Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter were on the team, let alone both All Pros who’ve spent the last two matchups with the Bills tormenting Allen. The Texans will have better days, exponentially better days, killing opposing quarterbacks in the future, but Sunday was a major letdown.
3. Kick coverage
While the two fellows actually kicking and punting footballs for the Texans had nice days on Sunday, the coverage and return units left a lot to be desired. The Bills started their drives beyond their own 30 yards line after all but two kickoffs. Meanwhile, the Texans only had two drives start beyond their 30 yards line. Jaylin Noel’s decision making as the punt returner was poor. In the first half, he allowed a punt to bounce and roll inside the Texans’ five yard line, and in the fourth quarter, he fair caught a punt with at least ten yards of room to return it. Frank Ross will be one of several Texans coaches or players who likely slept poorly on Sunday night.
2. Reed Blankenship
This was not a great debut for the Texans’ biggest signing in free agency on the defensive side of the ball. Blankenship was supposed to bring stability to one of the few underperforming positions from 2025, and instead he allowed a 40 yards line after touchdown to D.J. Moore, because he gambled in trying to jump a route. Blankenship was also beaten multiple times by tight end Dalton Kincaid, who was a machine on Sunday with five catches for 130 yards.
1. Kamari Lassiter
Blankenship can feel good, I suppose, that he wasn’t the worst player in the Texans’ secondary on Sunday. That distinction would go to Lassiter, who had a 46 yard pass interference penalty in the end zone on Moore in the first half, setting up a Bills’ touchdown. In the second half he sandwiched multiple chunk plays allowed, including the game winning touchdown, around dropping an interception in the end zone, which would have all but ended the game, and given the Texans the win. Lassiter is an outstanding, young football player, but he embodied this game for the Texans better than any individual player — this was a group of really good players, who picked a bad week to have their worst games in a Texans uniform.
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