Image Credit: © Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
The first five or so minutes of Sunday’s game against Houston would prove that the Texans were going to have their hands full with the Buffalo defense. It was a good thing because the Bills offense sputtered until later in the second half. In the end, Buffalo would win its third straight game, move to 3-1, and maintain its spot at the top of the AFC East Division.
The Texans, who started rookie Davis Mills at quarterback for the second consecutive week due to the injury to Tyrod Taylor, started the game at their 25-yard line. On their first series against the Bills, Houston would gain a total of minus-8 yards.
After punting to Buffalo, the Bills dangled a carrot for the Texans on their very first play. Bills QB Josh Allen sailed his first pass attempt over the head of Stefon Diggs. The ball was picked off by Lonnie Johnson Jr., who returned Allen’s errant pass to the Buffalo 13-yard line.
Once again, the Bills’ defense proved impenetrable. Houston gained seven yards in three plays to set up a 4th-and-3 from the Buffalo 6-yard line. Bills DE Jerry Hughes tipped away Mills attempted screen pass to RB David Johnson, and the Houston scoring threat was averted.
© Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
It was just one of many frustrations for the Texans on Sunday. In the first half, Houston would gain a total of eight yards of offense. For the game, the Texans gained a paltry 109 yards and managed just six first downs.
In just four weeks, the Buffalo defense has recorded two shutouts. It marks the first time since 1990 that the Bills have two shutouts in a season. Buffalo also is the first team since the 2009 New York Jets to shutout two opponents by 35 or more points in the same season. The Bills also joined 1991 Washington and 2000 Baltimore as the only three teams to post two shutouts in the first four weeks of a season.
While the Bills defense was busy dismantling Mills and the Houston offense, Buffalo faced its own struggles with the football. Buffalo's offense stalled after Allen hit TE Dawson Knox with a 25-yard touchdown late in the first quarter. Kicker Tyler Bass hit three field goals in the second quarter to give the Bills a 16-0 halftime lead. He would hit a fourth early in the third quarter after an 11-play, 65-yard drive fizzled out at the Houston 10-yard line.
© Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Buffalo’s offense finally found some life in the fourth quarter. Allen would hit Knox again on a 1-yard touchdown pass early in the final period. That touchdown gave Allen 103 total scores allowing him to surpass Jack Kemp and move into third place in franchise history for touchdowns by a quarterback.
Allen would finish the game 20-of-29 for 248 yards and two touchdowns. The interception he threw in the first quarter was just his second of the season. Mitchell Trubisky replaced Allen in the fourth quarter with the game out of reach. Trubisky scored on a four-yard run with just over three minutes left to play in the game.
The victory sets up a showdown next Sunday night in Kansas City as the Bills take on the Chiefs. The two teams played twice last season, once in the regular season and again in the AFC championship game. The Chiefs won both games.
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