ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WENY) – The start of the NFL season is here, and the Buffalo Bills are gearing up to face the Houston Texans. The tough road battle is set to kick off at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday and comes with a sense of reflection for the Bills as they prepare to turn the page from last season.
Buffalo faced Houston in Week 12 in 2025, a game that saw the Bills fall short. Head Coach Joe Brady hopes his team learned from the challenges they faced during last November’s contest, particularly the struggles on the offensive line. Reflecting on that game, Brady noted, “We obviously weren’t good enough, allowed our quarterback to get hit and get touched.”
Quarterback Josh Allen faced significant pressure in last year’s matchup, enduring eight sacks at the hands of the Texans’ defense. Brady emphasized that this isn’t a recipe for success, stating it’s never a good thing when Allen is getting up off the ground. He remains confident in his offensive line, however, and believes they’re ready for the challenge. “Take the team component out of it, I think anytime…I hope we don’t have the type of guys that are like “Oh I’m more motivated this year because of something that happened the previous year”…like I hope we have the competitive stamina that it really doesn’t matter. I thought the way that we responded from an offensive line, play calling, offense last year from this game, I thought there were a lot of positives that came from it. I don’t need Dion [Dawkins] and Spencer [Brown] to approach this week any differently than they have been throughout their career, but I know they’ll be ready to rock,” Brady said.
The history between the two teams has been challenging for Buffalo, with the Bills winning only one of their last five matchups against Houston. Despite this, the players and coaching staff are focused on moving forward. Allen, now entering his ninth season, downplayed any lingering effects from past games. “Every year is different, every game is different. It’s how we execute on Sunday,” Allen remarked. He reflected on previous performances, acknowledging areas for improvement, including avoiding unnecessary sacks and making better decisions to keep the team out of tough situations. “Granted, those guys [the Texans’ defense] get paid too, and those guys are gonna make plays, but limiting their impact on the game is what we have to do as an offense.”
This game will also mark a significant milestone for Joe Brady, as Sunday will be his first regular-season game as the head coach of the Buffalo Bills. While he understands the importance of the occasion, Brady made it clear that the focus is on the team. “No, right, wrong or indifferent, I’m kind of not built to ever kind of take those seconds and kind of appreciate that. I know we have a huge test for our guys this week, and I gotta be whatever they need me to be. That’s the most important thing,” Brady said.
A new era for the Buffalo Bills begins this weekend. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. in Houston, Texas.
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