The Houston Texans 1 of their season opener Sunday at Reliant Stadium.
Listed here are the grades:
Quarterback: B-
C.J. Stroud had lots of outdoors stress coming into Sunday's recreation. His agent failed to achieve an settlement with the crew on a contract extension earlier than the season, ok.
However Stroud performed effectively for essentially the most half. He stored the Texans within the recreation with well timed throws and conversions on third downs. He completed 26-of-38 for 274 yards and two touchdowns.
He made two vital errors, although – two fumbles, together with one on the offense's ultimate drive.
The primary fumble got here on the offense's first possession in Texans territory, which clearly can't occur.
Working again: B+
The most important space Houston wanted to enhance was its working recreation. So, the Texans traded for working again David Montgomery within the offseason. Montgomery made good on that funding, scoring two first-half speeding touchdowns. He added a receiving landing within the fourth quarter.
He rushed for 60 yards and his TD catch briefly gave the Texans a one-point lead.
Woody Marks was stable, too, speeding for 42 yards on 9 carries.
Large receivers/tight ends: B-
It wasn't a bountiful efficiency from the Texans' receivers and tight ends. 9 receivers and tight ends caught passes from Stroud.
Nico Collins led all receivers with 75 yards on seven catches. The deep cross wasn't there typically. However Houston's offense did sufficient to win the sport if the protection had stored the Payments out of the tip zone on at the least one in every of their scoring drives.
Offensive line: B-
The Texans' offensive line largely gave Stroud sufficient time within the pocket for the primary 3½ quarters. The quarterback was sacked thrice, with two approaching Houston's ultimate drive. Whereas there have been enhancements all through the sport, there actually had been errors, too.
Trent Brown's false-start penalty put the Texans behind the sticks on their ultimate drive. Then got here the 2 sacks. It was a powerful begin however a poor end.
Line of defense: C+
By the Texans' requirements, they weren't good in any respect. They sacked Payments quarterback Josh Allen solely twice. However they did make a number of key performs within the fourth quarter.
One was Sheldon Rankins hitting Allen's hand and forcing a fourth down within the purple zone. One other got here with about six minutes left on third down, when Danielle Hunter hit Allen's arm to pressure an incompletion.
Whereas it wasn't an important efficiency, the defensive position deserves credit score for its end.
Linebackers: D+
Payments working again James Prepare dinner had too many holes to run via early. And tight finish Dalton Kincaid was left open far too typically up the center.
Kincaid completed with 5 catches for 130 yards, together with an enormous 35-yard catch that arrange the Payments' profitable landing.
Linebackers Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To'oTo'o did make a number of key run stops within the second half. However their efficiency wasn't sufficient to cease the bleeding the Payments inflicted on them.
Secondary: F
This was arguably Kamari Lassiter's worst recreation. He allowed the go-ahead landing for the Payments, one play after dropping what might have been a game-winning interception.
However he wasn't the one one to get overwhelmed. Reed Blankenship additionally struggled, whiffing on an interception that allowed Allen to attach with D.J. Moore on a 43-yard landing within the second quarter.
This was uncharacteristic of a protection that had performed at an elite stage all through the 2025 season.
Particular groups: C+
Ka'imi Fairbairn's 58-yard discipline aim gave Houston a short fourth-quarter lead. It was his solely discipline aim of the sport. Punter Kai Kroeger had two punts contained in the 5-yard line.
However the kick-return protection on either side wasn't nice.
Teaching: D
There have been nice moments from the offense, and the operation seemed loads smoother. Penalties within the fourth quarter and Stroud's ultimate fumble, although, had been expensive.
However the largest subject was the protection's play and the way it allowed 36 factors – a complete that will have been the Texans' season excessive final season.
BILLS 36, TEXANS 31
| Buffalo | 3 | 21 | 3 | 9 | – | 36 |
| Houston | 7 | 14 | 0 | 10 | – | 31 |
First Quarter
Buf_FG Bass 46, 7:28. Drive: 4 performs, 4 yards, 2:04. Key Play: J.Allen 11 cross to Coleman on Third-and-12.
Buffalo 3, Houston 0.
Hou_Montgomery 1 run (Fairbairn kick), :32. Drive: 13 performs, 76 yards, 6:56. Key Performs: Noel kick return to Houston 24; Stroud 16 cross to Klein; Stroud 25 cross to Collins on Third-and-8.
Houston 7, Buffalo 3.
Second Quarter
Buf_J.Allen 21 run (Bass kick), 12:46. Drive: 7 performs, 62 yards, 2:46. Key Performs: Dortch kick return to Buffalo 38; J.Allen 19 cross to Shakir; J.Allen 16 cross to Shakir.
Buffalo 10, Houston 7.
Hou_Montgomery 18 run (Fairbairn kick), 4:48. Drive: 14 performs, 75 yards, 7:58. Key Performs: Marks kick return to Houston 25; Stroud 15 run on Third-and-12; Montgomery 2 run on Third-and-1; Marks 12 run.
Houston 14, Buffalo 10.
Buf_J.Allen 1 run (Bass kick), 3:58. Drive: 4 performs, 65 yards, 00:49. Key Play: J.Allen 18 cross to Moore.
Buffalo 17, Houston 14.
Buf_Moore 43 cross from J.Allen (Bass kick), 1:29. Drive: 3 performs, 96 yards, 00:41. Key Performs: J.Allen 38 cross to Kincaid; J.Allen 15 cross to Moore.
Buffalo 24, Houston 14.
Hou_Collins 12 cross from Stroud (Fairbairn kick), :26. Drive: 5 performs, 86 yards, 1:03. Key Play: Stroud 35 cross to Noel.
Buffalo 24, Houston 21.
Third Quarter
Buf_FG Bass 34, 4:24. Drive: 6 performs, 27 yards, 3:34. Key Performs: J.Allen 11 cross to Kincaid; J.Allen 2 cross to Shakir on Third-and-12.
Buffalo 27, Houston 21.
Fourth Quarter
Hou_Montgomery 7 cross from Stroud (Fairbairn kick), 13:34. Drive: 14 performs, 72 yards, 5:50. Key Performs: Marks kick return to Houston 28; Montgomery 2 run on 4th-and-1; Stroud 21 cross to Boutte; Marks 3 run on 4th-and-1; Stroud 12 cross to Wayne.
Houston 28, Buffalo 27.
Buf_FG Bass 33, 10:31. Drive: 8 performs, 52 yards, 3:03. Key Performs: Davis kick return to Buffalo 34; J.Allen 40 cross to Kincaid on Third-and-4.
Buffalo 30, Houston 28.
Hou_FG Fairbairn 58, 6:44. Drive: 8 performs, 26 yards, 3:47. Key Performs: T.Smith kick return to Houston 35; Marks 10 run; Stroud 20 cross to Hutchinson on Third-and-10; Stroud 2 cross to Collins on Third-and-6.
Houston 31, Buffalo 30.
Buf_Palmer 34 cross from J.Allen (cross failed), 1:36. Drive: 7 performs, 93 yards, 1:36. Key Performs: Prepare dinner 12 run; J.Allen 35 cross to Kincaid.
Buffalo 36, Houston 31.
A_71,008.
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| Buf | Hou | |
|---|---|---|
| FIRST DOWNS | 20 | 26 |
| Speeding | 5 | 10 |
| Passing | 13 | 11 |
| Penalty | 2 | 5 |
| THIRD DOWN EFF | 3-9 | 7-16 |
| FOURTH DOWN EFF | 0-1 | 2-2 |
| TOTAL NET YARDS | 409 | 377 |
| Whole Performs | 52 | 73 |
| Avg Achieve | 7.9 | 5.2 |
| NET YARDS RUSHING | 86 | 124 |
| Rushes | 21 | 32 |
| Avg per rush | 4.095 | 3.875 |
| NET YARDS PASSING | 323 | 253 |
| Sacked-Yds misplaced | 2-11 | 3-21 |
| Gross-Yds passing | 334 | 274 |
| Accomplished-Att. | 20-29 | 26-38 |
| Had Intercepted | 0 | 0 |
| Yards-Move Play | 10.419 | 6.171 |
| KICKOFFS-EndZone-TB | 8-1-0 | 6-1-1 |
| PUNTS-Avg. | 2-54.5 | 4-52.0 |
| Punts blocked | 0 | 0 |
| FGs-PATs blocked | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| TOTAL RETURN YARDAGE | 143 | 202 |
| Punt Returns | 2-10 | 0-0 |
| Kickoff Returns | 5-133 | 8-202 |
| Interceptions | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| PENALTIES-Yds | 10-85 | 7-106 |
| FUMBLES-Misplaced | 2-0 | 2-2 |
| TIME OF POSSESSION | 23:42 | 36:18 |
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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING_Buffalo, Prepare dinner 13-57, J.Allen 6-23, Davis 1-3, Gore 1-3. Houston, Montgomery 20-60, Marks 9-42, Stroud 2-15, Collins 1-7.
PASSING_Buffalo, J.Allen 20-29-0-334. Houston, Stroud 26-38-0-274.
RECEIVING_Buffalo, Kincaid 5-130, Moore 5-100, Shakir 4-50, Prepare dinner 3-12, Palmer 1-34, Knox 1-7, Coleman 1-1. Houston, Collins 7-75, Schultz 4-35, Hutchinson 3-32, Montgomery 3-19, Noel 2-53, Moreau 2-15, Boutte 1-21, Klein 1-16, Wayne 1-12, Marks 1-(minus 2), Stover 1-(minus 2).
PUNT RETURNS_Buffalo, Dortch 2-10. Houston, None.
KICKOFF RETURNS_Buffalo, Dortch 3-82, Davis 2-51. Houston, Marks 3-78, Noel 3-70, T.Smith 2-54.
TACKLES-ASSISTS-SACKS_Buffalo, Bernard 6-6-0, Gardner-Johnson 6-2-0, Rousseau 4-0-2, Williams 3-6-0, D.Walker 3-3-1, Benford 3-2-0, Bishop 2-5-0, Oliver 2-3-0, Hairston 2-1-0, Carter 1-1-0, Gaines 1-1-0, Hoecht 1-1-0, Igbinosun 1-0-0, Jackson 1-0-0, Chubb 0-4-0, Alford 0-2-0, Elarms-Orr 0-2-0, Hamlin 0-2-0, Parker 0-1-0, Solomon 0-1-0. Houston, Al-Shaair 5-3-0, Bullock 5-1-0, Blankenship 4-2-0, Pitre 4-2-0, Stingley 4-0-0, Anderson 1-2-.5, Lassiter 1-2-0, To'oTo'o 1-1-0, Togiai 1-1-0, Clowney 1-0-1, Rankins 0-3-0, Edwards 0-1-.5.
INTERCEPTIONS_Buffalo, None. Houston, None.
MISSED FIELD GOALS_None.
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OFFICIALS_Referee Alex Moore, Ump Terry Killens, HL Dana McKenzie, LJ Tom Eaton, FJ Mearl Robinson, SJ Anthony Jeffries, BJ Terrence Miles, Replay Jamie Nicholson.
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