Bills and Texans Thursday Night Football Clash Includes Hefty Playoff Implications
Week 11 has come and gone, and Week 12 is now among us with the first game of the week: Buffalo Bills versus Houston Texans. Both teams are coming off wins and hoping to better their odds in the AFC playoff picture. With the Bills at 7-3, they’re already firmly in the top Wild Card spot, while the Texans have some ground to cover due to being 5-5 and third in the AFC South. Nonetheless, both teams still have something to fight for in this prime-time matchup on Thursday Night Football.
Texans Have Tough Matchup Without QB1
Davis Mills has been very impressive for a backup quarterback playing in place of the starter. Texans starter CJ Stroud suffered a concussion in Week Nine and will miss his third consecutive game on Thursday. In his two starts for the Texans, Mills has thrown for 283 yards per game with a 61.6 completion percentage as well as four total touchdowns to go along with one interception. However, both the Jaguars and Titans, Mills’ previous opponents, have mediocre to downright awful passing defenses. The former Stanford Cardinal will now have to show out against a defense that allows the second-fewest passing yards per game. Even so, Mills will try to win his first game against the Bills in his second start versus the team, the first being a 40-0 walloping when he was a rookie in 2021.
Will the Bills Continue to Lean on Allen for a W?
After a start to the season where it looked like James Cook had a chance to win Offensive Player of the Year, the running back who earned a long-term contract extension in August has been in a slump. Four games ago, Cook rushed for 216 yards and two touchdowns, but he has combined for just 101 yards on 29 attempts in his last two contests, leading to the Bills changing their game plan to try and win. Due to the lackluster rushing attack, Josh Allen had a very Josh Allen-esque game: super high highs, head-scratching lows, and nothing in between. Starting the game off with a chest pass for an interception inside his own 10-yard line looked like the Allen that was seen back in his first two seasons. Then, he launched a perfect pass from the midfield logo to the end zone to Tyrell Shavers, confirming the fourth lead change of the game just halfway through the second quarter. Looking into this matchup, offensive coordinator Joe Brady may have to call on his quarterback’s number even more than last game. The Texans allow just over 87 rushing yards per game, which could signal danger for the slumping Cook, but bodes well for Allen, who’s been heating up.
Playoff Implications
Even with a loss this week, the Bills would still be in a playoff spot. However, the five-time consecutive AFC East champions are not looking to stay complacent and will surely bring their A-game since they’re still trailing the Patriots for the division lead. As for the Texans, a victory would still leave them out of a playoff spot unless the Jaguars lose to the 3-7 Cardinals. According to NFL.com, Houston has a 30% chance to make the playoffs, which drops down to 21% with a loss and goes up to 45% with a win. Their current percentage is the lowest of any of the top 10 seeds in the AFC, making it a long shot for Houston to make the playoffs even with a win.
