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The Houston Texans suffered a heartbreaking Sunday following a brutal 36-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills, after holding a 31-30 lead with 6:44 left in the fourth quarter. Elsewhere in Week 1, the Dallas Cowboys fell 28-20 to the New York Giants while the Cincinnati Bengals secured a 33-27 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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At Reliant Stadium, Houston had chances to win; their offense scored 31 points and looked sharp for long stretches. The two C.J. Stroud fumbles, including the late-sack that halted Houston’s final drive, proved costly.
Head Coach DeMeco Ryans will certainly have plenty to address after this game. Here are a few key takeaways from the opener.
Texans’ Offense Finally Showed Some Bite Under David Montgomery
The biggest positive was the offense performance. The Bills are one of the AFC’s top contenders, yet Houston went 3-for-3 in the red zone, showing major improvement in an area they focused on improving throughout the offseason.
David Montgomery looked like a shrewd offseason addition. The veteran running back scored three touchdowns, two on the ground and one through the air, while rushing for 60 yards. He became the first player to score three touchdowns in a Texans debut.
Ten different Texans receivers caught passes as Stroud spread the ball around effectively. Nico Collins led Houston’s receivers with seven catches for 75 yards, including a touchdown that gave the Texans momentum before halftime.
Jo’quavious Marks also contributed 42 rushing yards on nine carries. If Montgomery and Marks can keep producing, Houston will not have to rely solely on Stroud’s arm every week.
C.J. Stroud Still Has to Clean Up the Big Mistakes
Stroud played well, but the turnovers overshadowed his overall effort. He finished 26-of-38 for 274 yards and two touchdowns. For most of the afternoon, it appeared he had given Houston enough offense to win, but then his two fumbles altered the outcome.
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Greg Rousseau strip-sacked Stroud on Houston’s opening possession, leading to Buffalo’s first points. Then, with the Texans inside the Buffalo 10 late in the fourth quarter, Rousseau sacked Stroud again and forced the fumble that ended the game.
On a positive note, the quarterback’s connection with Nico Collins was encouraging. Stroud clearly trusted his No. 1 receiver in important moments.
Houston’s Defense Was Nowhere Near Its Standard
This side of the ball was expected to be Houston’s biggest advantage yet it allowed 36 points to the Bills more than the team allowed in any game in the previous season. The Texans entered the season having finished with the NFL’s No. 1 total defense, making this Week 1 collapse particularly concerning.
Josh Allen took the advantage of the lapse and completed 20-of-29 passes for 334 yards and two passing touchdowns. He also rushed for two touchdowns, giving him four total touchdowns.
Cornerback Kamari Lassiter dropped a potential-game sealing interception before allowing Palmer to get behind him for the winning touchdown. Safety Reed Blankenship also missed an interception earlier that resulted in a 43-yard touchdown for DJ Moore.
Now, the Texans have to fix the balance. The offense showed it can carry its weight, and the defense must regain its identity.
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This story was originally published September 14, 2026 at 4:36 AM.