Washington (AFP) – Houston’s Calen Bullock intercepted reigning NFL Most Valuable Player Josh Allen twice, and the league’s top defensive unit powered the Texans over Buffalo 23-19 on Thursday. Allen was sacked eight times, his most in any game, for 70 lost yards, and Bullock’s final pickoff killed the Bills’ last desperate drive with 18 seconds remaining.
The Texans, who have allowed the NFL’s fewest points and fewest yards a game this season, shut down Allen, who produced six touchdowns in a victory over Tampa Bay just four days earlier. “The defense stayed disciplined,” Houston’s Danielle Hunter said. “We had a game plan to keep him contained in the pocket, and I think we did a good job all around.”
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Davis Mills improved to 3-0 as a starter for Houston in place of injured C.J. Stroud, completing 16-of-30 passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns. “He’s just going to keep going and make plays,” Hunter said. Allen completed 24-of-34 passes for 253 yards but was intercepted twice and rushed all night by an aggressive Texans defensive unit. The Bills fell to 7-4, two games behind NFL-best New England (9-2) in the AFC East division. The Texans improved to 6-5, one half-game behind Jacksonville for the last AFC wildcard playoff spot.
James Cook ran 45 yards for a touchdown to put the Bills ahead 6-0 after only 5:49 of the game, but Matt Prater missed a conversion kick. Houston’s Ka’imi Fairbairn answered with a 24-yard field goal, but Prater connected on a 44-yarder to give the Bills a 9-3 edge. The Texans responded by marching 77 yards in 12 plays, with Christian Kirk’s two-yard touchdown catch from Mills and a Fairbairn conversion kick giving Houston a 10-9 advantage, which Fairbairn later boosted with a 43-yard field goal.
On the ensuing kickoff, however, the Bills reclaimed the lead as Ray Davis returned the ball 97 yards for a touchdown, giving a 16-13 Buffalo edge. Mills, however, flipped an eight-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Higgins with five seconds remaining in the second quarter, and the conversion gave Houston a 20-16 halftime lead. “It was a perfect two-minute drive,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Couldn’t ask for anything better.”
Fairbairn added a 26-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter to boost Houston’s lead to 23-16. The Bills drove to the Houston 23-yard line but were stopped on downs, then drove again but settled for a 38-yard Prater field goal, lifting Buffalo within 23-19 with 5:44 to play. On the final march, Buffalo moved 60 yards in 13 plays only to be undone when Bullock picked off a fourth-down pass by Allen.
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