Josh Allen faced a night to forget as the Buffalo Bills fell 23-19 to the Houston Texans on Thursday. The Bills came close to a late comeback, but an interception in the final minute ended their hopes.
Allen, who has led the Bills to a 7–4 record, was sacked eight times, marking a career-high, and hit on four additional plays. Despite his struggles, he tried to rally his team in the closing moments.
On Buffalo’s final possession, Allen was taken down on consecutive plays, forcing a fourth-and-27 situation. The Bills gained 44 yards on a short pass from Allen to Josh Palmer, who then lateraled to Khalil Shakir. However, a false-start penalty turned it into a fourth-and-6. With just 24 seconds left, rookie Calen Bullock intercepted Allen’s pass at the Houston 9-yard line, ending the game.
Allen reflected on the close loss, saying the team had a chance to win. “We did a good job of staying in it, and our defense bailed us out a couple of times. We’ve got to find a way, and we didn’t,” he said.
The Bills’ offense struggled to find rhythm, with Allen throwing for 253 yards, two interceptions, and no touchdowns. This followed a six-touchdown performance in last week’s win over Tampa Bay.
Bills coach Sean McDermott expressed concern about the heavy pressure Allen faced. “When they hit our quarterback 12 times, I don’t like that. It’s not a healthy way to play, and it’s not good for keeping our quarterback healthy for the rest of the season,” he said. “We’ve got to play better.”
Allen briefly went down in the first half after landing awkwardly on his left shoulder. He said it went “a little numb” but insisted he was okay. The quarterback admitted he could have done better to avoid some of the hits. “Too many times, I was going backwards. I’ve got to be better at throwing the ball away,” Allen said.
The eight sacks cost Allen 70 yards. Texans defender Will Anderson Jr. led his team with 2.5 sacks, including one where Allen initially escaped only to be chased across the field for an 18-yard loss.
Buffalo also played without receiver Keon Coleman for a second straight game. He was a healthy scratch after being late to team meetings. McDermott noted that the team is taking it “one day at a time” when it comes to Coleman’s status.
Despite the offensive struggles, there were bright spots for Buffalo. Shakir led the team with eight receptions for 110 yards. Running back James Cook contributed 116 rushing yards and a touchdown, showing the team’s ability to move the ball on the ground.
The Bills’ inability to execute key plays in the final minutes was frustrating for Allen. “Ultimately, we’ve got to execute, and we didn’t do a good job of that tonight. Whatever the situation, we’ve got to find a way, and we didn’t,” he said.
Buffalo will look to regroup as they aim to maintain their position near the top of the AFC East. The team has shown they can compete in high-pressure situations, but their passing game needs more protection for Allen to perform at his best.
The Texans, meanwhile, earned a hard-fought victory behind a disciplined defense and timely plays. Rookie Bullock’s interception will be remembered as the defining moment of the game.
With the Bills now at 7–4, the team faces the challenge of protecting their quarterback better and finishing stronger in close games. The season is still full of potential, but lessons from Thursday’s loss will be crucial as Buffalo moves forward.
