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The Buffalo Bills’ 2025 season ended with a crushing (and controversial) divisional playoff loss to the Denver Broncos that cost head coach Sean McDermott his job. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady was promoted to replace McDermott, and he wasn’t handed any favors when the schedule-makers decided to send him on the road to face the Houston Texans in his head coaching debut. With Josh Allen running his offense, though, the Bills handed Brady a mammoth victory that could have serious playoff implications.
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In a thrilling back-and-forth slugfest, the Bills outlasted the Texans, 36-31, with Allen hitting Joshua Palmer for the go-ahead, 34-yard touchdown with 1:36 remaining. Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, who came into this season under pressure to turn around his disappointing 2025 season, drove Houston inside the 10-yard line in the final minute, but he took two costly sacks, the second of which resulted in Greg Rousseau’s second strip-sack of the game. And that was all she wrote.
JOSH ALLEN TO JOSHUA PALMER!!!
BILLS LEAD pic.twitter.com/OcTK4QsDSw
— The Sports Place (@offsportsplace) September 13, 2026
The fearsome Texans defense, widely considered the best in the NFL coming into this season, held Allen and the Bills’ offense in check each of the past two seasons — Houston beat the Bills 23-19 in 2025 and 23-20 in 2024. This time, however, Allen was ready to remind the football world how prolific he can be.
Allen completed 20 of 29 passes for 334 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He added another two touchdowns rushing. Allen now has 81 career rushing touchdowns. He already holds the all-time record for quarterbacks, and Sunday’s scores move him past Hall of Famer Edgerrin James and into a tie for 20th on the all-time list for all payers.
As for that vaunted Texans defense, this was the most points it has allowed since midway through the 2023 season. The Texans allowed 17.4 points per game last season, allowing 30 or more points just once.
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The Texans, who ended the regular season last year on a nine-game winning streak, should still be considered a serious playoff contender — which makes this win all the more important for the Bills. Not only do they now have a leg up on Houston, they have a one-game lead on the New England Patriots, who opened their season Wednesday with a loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Congratulations, Coach! pic.twitter.com/eZn0aB5POa
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) September 13, 2026
When the Patriots won the AFC East last season, it snapped a five-year run for the Bills as division champs. With Allen looking as sharp as ever, this statement win has the league on notice that Buffalo is looking to regain its spot atop the AFC East.
It’s a short week for the Bills before their next game. Buffalo will christen its brand new home stadium with a Thursday night game against the Detroit Lions. After putting up 36 points against the Texans, there’s no telling how many touchdowns Allen can put up against a Lions defense that just gave up 410 passing yards and 30 points against quarterback Tyler Shough and the New Orleans Saints.
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This story was originally published September 13, 2026 at 3:04 PM.