The Buffalo Bills suffered a tough 23–19 loss to the Houston Texans, with quarterback Josh Allen enduring an onslaught that defined the game and highlighted critical protection concerns for Buffalo’s offense.
The alarming scene came early, when Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. chased Allen down on a third-and-6 and delivered a powerful tackle that sent the quarterback crashing onto his hands and left shoulder. Allen lay on the turf, kicking his legs in pain as teammates motioned for medical staff. After several tense moments, he rose and walked to the sideline under his own power, declining a trip to the medical tent. Moments later, he returned to the field.
Allen later explained that the hit left his shoulder numb for a brief time. “It went a little numb on me,” he said. “It’s not fun.” Despite the scare, he did not miss a snap, though the physical toll would only escalate from there.
Houston’s defensive front dominated, repeatedly overwhelming Buffalo’s offensive line and sacking Allen a career-high eight times, while delivering 12 total hits to the quarterback, according to league statistics.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott voiced his frustration and concern afterward, calling the level of contact Allen endured unacceptable. “When they hit the quarterback 12 times, I don’t like that, I don’t like that stat at all,” McDermott said. “It’s not a healthy way to play or a healthy way to keep our quarterback healthy through the remainder of the season. That’s just not a good formula right there.”
The breakdowns represented a sharp departure from Buffalo’s season to date. Entering Week 11, the Bills had allowed only 20 sacks through 10 games—one of the better protection marks in the AFC. But on Thursday, the unit collapsed under Houston’s relentless pressure. Anderson, Jonathan Greenard, and the Texans’ front repeatedly penetrated the backfield, disrupting timing and forcing hurried decisions that derailed Buffalo drives.
Allen shouldered some of the blame, saying he needed to be more decisive and willing to throw the ball away rather than attempting to salvage broken plays. “I ran into a couple of sacks myself,” Allen said. “I’ve got to be better with throwing the ball away and living to see another down. Too many times I was going backwards and gotta be better on that.”
The punishment clearly affected Buffalo’s offensive rhythm. Allen completed 24 of 34 passes for 253 yards but failed to throw a touchdown and tossed two interceptions, including a desperate fourth-down attempt with 24 seconds remaining that sealed the loss. He added just 20 yards on the ground—well below his typical output for a prime-time matchup.
Houston’s defensive effort helped spoil a game Buffalo once controlled, briefly leading 6–3 after a strong opening quarter. But as sacks mounted and drives stalled, momentum shifted dramatically toward the Texans, whose physicality dictated the final three quarters.
The loss places Buffalo in a precarious position with seven weeks remaining. The Bills now trail the New England Patriots by two games in the AFC East, and the Patriots hold the head-to-head tiebreaker. Buffalo currently sits sixth in the AFC playoff race, with a crowded field threatening to tighten further as the calendar turns toward December.
Allen acknowledged the urgency, expressed disappointment over the missed comeback opportunity, but remained hopeful. “They wanted it today,” he said. “We had a chance to win it there at the end and got to find a way.”
Buffalo’s postseason hopes now depend on urgently fixing their protection issues. If the Bills cannot protect Allen, Thursday night’s beatings could signal ongoing threats to both the offense and their playoff chances.
