Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans already drove home his point about how big a challenge Buffalo Bills Pro Bowl quarterback Josh Allen presents ahead of “Thursday Night Football,” and the reigning MVP returned the favor.
Allen specifically had high praise for the Texans’ defense.
These two teams faced off in Week 5 last season, a matchup the Texans won 23-20, handing Allen and the Bills one of their four losses.
Bills QB Josh Allen Gets Honest About Texans
GettyWill Anderson Jr. #51 of the Houston Texans celebrates after defeating the San Francisco 49ers.
The Texans enter this matchup at 5-5 on the season, but boast the No. 1 scoring and overall defense in the league.
Moreover, Allen noted their simplistic approach.
“I think I think, one, the way they can produce those type of numbers and still be … a team that doesn’t blitz a whole lot. They’re not [using] a lot of exotic looks. They just kind of put the ball down and play. They’re fantastic in the back end. I think their front is great. They’re getting a lot of pressure on the quarterbacks. So, yeah. We’re going to have our hands full,” Allen told reporters on November 18.
“On a short week, just trying to put together a gameplan, watching as much film as we can, trying to develop as good of a plan as we can. Ultimately, comes down to executing on Thursday.”
The Texans are tied for the ninth-most sacks entering play on Thursday, and they have the 23rd-ranked pressure rate, per Pro Football Reference.
Still, Texans defensive ends Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson are both among the best.
Josh Allen Looks Back on 2024 Matchup vs Houston
GettyJosh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills looks on against the Carolina Panthers.
The last time the two teams faced off, the Texans held Allen to nine completions on 30 attempts for 131 yards and 1 touchdown. They also sacked him once, while Allen scrambled for 54 yards on four carries.
Allen’s 54.6 passer rating in the contest is the 10th-worst mark of his career.
“I got beat up that game. Didn’t play well at all. It’s watching that film. There’s a lot of good stuff to watch from that film, but it’s hard to watch. I played pretty badly,” Allen said.
“Hopefully, we can go out there and play a little bit better and move the ball a little bit better. But again, this defense is no easy task to go against, and it’s going to take uh everything that we got from everybody on the field.”
The Texans have had multiple sacks in four of their last five games and each of their last two.
Local Product Gives Bills Additional Incentive
GettyTerrel Bernard #8 of the Buffalo Bills tackles Bijan Robinson #7 of the Atlanta Falcons.
Bills fourth-year linebacker Terrel Bernard is from La Porte, Texas, less than 30 minutes outside of Houston.
Allen spoke candidly about his teammate and the only other Bill team captain ahead of their visit to the latter’s neck of the woods. Allen said Bernard, who played his college ball at Baylor, is “unbelievable.”
“He’s still pretty young in this game. And to have the grasp of what being a professional football player is and what it looks like, he leads by example. He’s battled through a lot, and more than I think anybody would ever know. But that’s just the type of guy he is, the type of player he is. He doesn’t want to let his teammates down. He works extremely hard. He’s one of the first ones in, one of the last ones out. And again, he just goes out there, and he balls. And he puts his body on the line, and he does it for his teammates. So, I love that guy.”
Bernard is the Bills’ second-leading tackler behind safety Cole Bishop.
He is also certainly someone Ryans and the Texans must account for when Davis Mills and the offense are on the field.
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