Defense racks up 8 sacks as Texans shut down Bills

Overview

The Houston Texans defeated the Buffalo Bills 23-19 on Thursday night, racking up eight sacks and forcing two interceptions while overcoming a late Bills rally.

Key Plays and Stats

Defense: Texans recorded 8 sacks, with Will Anderson posting 2 ½ and Danielle Hunter adding two.
Offense: Davis Mills threw two touchdown passes; Mills completed 16 of 30 passes for 153 yards.
Buffalo: Josh Allen finished 24 of 34 for 253 yards with two interceptions.
Rushing: James Cook led Bills rushers with 116 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries.
Special Teams: Ray Davis returned a kickoff for a touchdown.
Receivers/Targets: Christian Kirk and Jayden Higgins each caught a touchdown pass for Houston.

Game Flow

Houston (6-5) built a lead by pressuring Allen and limiting big plays, then withstood a late Buffalo surge. Allen engineered a late push, converting a fourth-and-27 from Buffalo’s own 30-yard line with an 11-yard pass to Joshua Palmer, followed by a lateraled play to Shakir for 33 yards to the Houston 26 with 41 seconds remaining. On the ensuing Bills drive, Buffalo faced fourth-and-6 from the Houston 22, and Bullock intercepted Allen at the goal line to seal the win.

“Defense racks up 8 sacks as Texans shut down Bills” — Hawaii Tribune-Herald

Injuries

Buffalo linebacker Terrel Bernard exited with 10:27 left in the third quarter due to a right elbow injury.

Team Records

Texans improve with their fourth win in five games; Bills drop to 7-4 after their second loss in three games.

Author’s summary

Texans dominate on defense with a flurry of sacks and timely offense to edge the Bills 23-19, highlighting Houston’s improving form and a costly late surge by Buffalo.

Hawaii Tribune-Herald — 2025-11-21