HOUSTON — Stefon Diggs expressed that the victory over his former team was deeply meaningful, as the Texans secured a 23-20 win against the Buffalo Bills, improving their record to 4-1.
This game marked the first faceoff between the Texans and Bills since Diggs was traded to Houston in the offseason for a second-round pick in 2025. Following the win, both coaches and players emphasized their desire to achieve this victory for their star receiver.
In the lead-up to the highly anticipated matchup, Diggs admitted he had contained his emotions all week and didn’t overly focus on the significance of the game with his teammates. Nevertheless, he was thrilled to have his team’s support during the contest.
“We got a dub this week. We 1-0. Obviously, playing my old team, I’m not going to act like it was just another game,” Diggs stated. “It meant a lot to me, and it was reassuring that my teammates recognized its importance to me, even without me saying it. I try to stay composed and treat every week the same, but I would be dishonest if I said it didn’t mean a lot to me.”
The Texans quickly established a 14-3 lead in the first quarter, highlighted by a 67-yard touchdown catch from wide receiver Nico Collins. Collins, the current leader in the NFL for receiving yards with 567, unfortunately suffered a hamstring injury during that play and did not return to the game.
Despite this setback, quarterback C.J. Stroud managed to throw for 331 yards and achieved a passer rating of 97. Stroud relied on Diggs to navigate Collins’ absence, as Diggs recorded a game-high 82 receiving yards.
“It was huge. I know Diggs was a little emotional today. He just wanted to perform well against his former team,” Stroud commented. “He did a great job channeling his emotions into his performance, and he played excellently. I’m just happy for him with this win.”
Stroud did face some struggles in the second half with two turnovers — a lost fumble and an interception — that allowed the Bills to climb back into the game, tying it with three minutes left after trailing 20-3 early on. However, Stroud led the Texans down the field to set up a winning field goal, which kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn successfully converted from 59 yards with just two seconds remaining.
A significant factor in the Texans’ win was head coach DeMeco Ryans’ defensive strategy against Bills quarterback Josh Allen, who finished the game with a season-low 131 yards on 9-of-30 passing and a passer rating of 56.
Ryans’ defense forced Allen to post the lowest completion percentage (30.0%) for a game with at least 30 attempts in the last three decades, according to ESPN Research.
“I’m really happy for Diggs,” said Ryans. “I knew how important this win was for him and how crucial this week was. We had to get this one for Diggs.”
The Texans’ successful defense against Allen was supported by an effective pass rush and tight coverage on the Bills’ offensive playmakers.
No Bills receiver caught more than 50 yards, and Allen faced pressure on a career-high 45% of his drop backs. While under pressure, he completed only one pass for 24 yards on 14 attempts.
“Limiting Josh is essential. He’s a fantastic player and challenging to deal with, but it took a tremendous team effort,” Ryans noted. “We knew we wouldn’t get many sacks because he’s so elusive. We just maintained pressure, and our secondary played well in coverage, which was the key.”
Looking ahead, the Texans will head to New England to face the Patriots in Week 6, though they may be without Collins. Sources indicate he experienced hamstring tightness following his touchdown reception and opted not to push through it.
Ryans indicated Collins is currently “day-to-day.”