The last time Josh Allen played in Houston, it was ugly.
The Texans sacked him eight times.
So when Buffalo returned to Houston for the 2026 season opener, one question seemed obvious:
Could Houston’s defensive front do it again?
The answer was no.
This time, Allen was sacked only twice — and finished with 334 passing yards and four total touchdowns.
So what changed?
The Biggest Difference Was in Front of Allen
Houston still created pressure.
But Buffalo’s offensive line handled it far better than it did a year ago.
According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Allen faced only nine total pressures and was remarkably effective when Houston did get close.
Under pressure, he completed 5 of 7 passes for 85 yards.
Instead of spending the afternoon escaping defenders, Allen had enough time to attack Houston downfield.
Houston Knew Allen Could Run. It Still Didn’t Solve the Problem.
Allen also scored twice with his legs, including a 21-yard rushing touchdown.
That is what makes defending him so difficult.
Rush too aggressively, and Allen can escape.
Focus too much on containing him, and he gets more time to throw.
Buffalo exploited that dilemma throughout the game.
Allen completed 11 passes of at least 10 air yards and generated 286 yards on downfield throws — the most Houston has allowed in a game since DeMeco Ryans became head coach in 2023.
And Then Came the Final Drive
The biggest difference showed up when Buffalo needed it most.
Trailing late, Allen led a 96-yard drive and found Joshua Palmer for a 34-yard touchdown with 1:36 remaining.
Buffalo won 36-31.
Allen finished 20-of-29 for 334 yards, two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns.
Houston had already shown it knew how to make Josh Allen uncomfortable.
A year later, the Bills arrived with an answer.
Maybe the question is no longer how Houston stops Josh Allen.
It’s what Houston does when the same plan stops working.