HOUSTON – The Buffalo Bills are seeking to bounce back on Sunday afternoon as they face off against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium.
Following a disappointing 35-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the road to recovery for the Bills won’t be easy, especially with the Texans entering the game at 3-1, firmly positioned among the NFL’s elite teams.
Additionally, the Bills will be up against a motivated Stefon Diggs, the star wide receiver they traded to Houston during the offseason. While Diggs maintained a low profile on social media leading up to the game, the Bills took time to praise his impressive four-year stint in Buffalo.
“Stef’s playing at a high level,” said coach Sean McDermott. “He was a really good player here and competitive, as you guys know, and he’s highly competitive on tape, as I watch, and playing at a high level. So, it’ll be a big challenge for us.”
The game concluded with a final score of Houston Texans 23, Buffalo Bills 20, thanks to a last-minute field goal from Ka’imi Fairbairn.
With just seven seconds left on the clock, C.J. Stroud connected with Dare Ogunbowale for a 5-yard gain, prompting the Texans to call a timeout with two seconds remaining. Fairbairn then successfully kicked a 59-yard field goal to end the game.
Josh Allen completed just 9 of 30 passes for 131 yards with one touchdown, while James Cook rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. On defense, Dorian Williams led the Bills with 12 tackles and recovered a fumble.
Stroud had a strong performance, completing 28 of 38 passes for 331 yards along with one touchdown and one interception, while Stefon Diggs recorded six catches for 82 yards against his former team.
The Texans improved to 4-1 with this win, while the Bills dropped to 3-2 after suffering their second consecutive loss.
Buffalo came close to forcing overtime but instead handed Houston another opportunity for a game-winning drive. Starting from their own 3-yard line with just 32 seconds left and no timeouts, the Bills opted for three deep passes. All attempts to Curtis Samuel, Mack Hollins, and Keon Coleman fell incomplete, consuming only 16 seconds off the clock. Sam Martin then punted 56 yards, allowing Robert Woods to return it to the Bills’ 46-yard line with seven seconds remaining.
Houston appeared destined for a go-ahead field goal before Stroud faced a penalty for intentional grounding, putting them out of field goal range.
With 32 seconds remaining, the Bills managed to tie the game at 20-20 after Tyler Bass converted a 33-yard field goal when Allen returned to the field.
Buffalo’s defense made a key play, with Dawuane Smoot producing a strip sack of Stroud, leading to a fumble recovery by Williams at the Texans’ 15-yard line.
However, Allen suffered an injury after connecting on an 18-yard scramble and did not return for a few plays. Linebacker Terrel Bernard, returning from injury, intercepted a pass intended for Diggs during the game, providing a spark for the Bills.
The Texans experienced a slow third quarter, managing only two field goals across five possessions. Buffalo continued to apply defensive pressure, ultimately scoring a touchdown on a fourth-down play, with rookie Keon Coleman catching a pass and running 49 yards for the score.
Despite promising moments, the Bills struggled to capitalize on opportunities and ended the game without a chance to secure a win in overtime.
As the game unfolded, questions about the Bills’ performance lingered, especially regarding their struggles with deep passing and the absence of several key players on both teams due to injuries.