The Buffalo Bills do not need to spend this week bracing for a barrage of blitzes from the Houston Texans. If anything, the challenge is the opposite: being ready for a defense that comes hard with its front four and lets the rest sort itself out.
Houston was the least blitz-happy team in the NFL last season, sending extra rushers just 16.7% of the time. Even so, the Texans still finished seventh in pressure rate at 40.3%, according to Fantasy Points Data. That’s the kind of formula every defensive coordinator dreams about, and it showed up again when the Texans beat the Bills in Week 12 last year.
In that game, Houston blitzed Josh Allen on only 15.2% of his 39 drop backs but still got to him on 43.5% of those plays. Seven of Allen’s eight sacks came without a blitz. That’s an eye-popping split, and it underscores the unique problem Houston can create without sending extra bodies.
Allen’s numbers in that matchup tell the story. Against non-blitz looks, he went 19 of 28 for 186 yards, with no touchdowns, two interceptions and a 56.5 rating. When the Texans did bring pressure, he was 5 of 6 for 67 yards and a 113.2 rating.
There were also some clear caveats on the Bills’ side. Spencer Brown was playing through an injury and clearly wasn’t at full strength.
Dion Dawkins left for a long stretch, which forced Ryan Van Demark into 17 snaps. Dalton Kincaid missed the game because of a knee injury, and Keon Coleman was not in the lineup.
The game script mattered, too. Allen dropped back on 28 of 39 plays in the second half, and Joe Brady later acknowledged that his play-calling in the loss wasn’t up to standard.
Still, that one game doesn’t erase the bigger picture for Buffalo against non-blitzing defenses. Even with the Texans game included, Allen’s 105.4 quarterback rating against no-blitz looks ranked third among qualifying passers last season. Remove that outing, and the number climbs to 110.4.
For a Bills offense built around Allen, it may sound unusual to talk up the run game, but James Cook makes that conversation unavoidable. He enters as the league’s reigning rushing champion, and in the first half of that Week 12 loss he had 71 yards on seven carries, including a 45-yard touchdown run.
Getting Cook involved again would make sense here. It would give Buffalo another explosive weapon, and it would help keep Houston’s pass rush from teeing off on Allen. That matters because containing Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter is central to beating this Texans defense.
Buffalo has spent the offseason talking about a “they have to play us” mindset, and that’s the matchup in a nutshell: Allen, his pass catchers and Cook forcing Houston to deal with every part of the offense.
In Other News...
Mike Tomlin Just Created A Bills What-If Fans Will Notice
Mike Tomlins first public comments since parting ways with the Steelers in January had a ripple effect that Bills fans were bound to notice. After 19 seasons in Pittsburgh, the longtime head coach said in a recent interview that he is open to getting back into the NFL if the right opportunity comes along, and he also spoke glowingly about Josh Allen while reflecting on his time away from the sideline.
For Buffalo, it is the kind of what-if that naturally lingers around a franchise built around a franchise quarterback and high expectations. Tomlin did not sound eager to rush into anything, but he made it clear he still sees coaching as a real possibility, which only adds another layer to a future that already has Bills fans thinking about how long this current window can stay open. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Captain Picks Say A Lot About Buffalos 2026 Leadership Plan
The Bills have settled on their leadership core for the 2026 season, and the group says plenty about how the locker room is being shaped around both continuity and change. Josh Allen and Terrel Bernard are back in their familiar roles as captains, while Dawson Knox, Bradley Chubb, Reid Ferguson and Sam Franklin Jr. round out a group that mixes established voices with a few new faces.
For Knox, it is his first time wearing the captain label, a notable step for a player who has long been part of the team's identity on offense. Allen, meanwhile, keeps extending one of the more durable captaincy runs on the roster, reaching his eighth, and the mix of returning leaders and first-time additions suggests the Bills are leaning on experience while widening the circle of responsibility heading into the new season. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Depth Chart Settles One Key Battle Before Week 1
The Bills released their unofficial depth chart ahead of the season opener against the Texans, and it offered a first glimpse at how the roster is lining up for Week 1. Keon Coleman is listed as the third wide receiver, while Ray Davis appears set as the second running back and the primary kick returner, and Dee Alford is penciled in as the top punt returner. On defense, Maxwell Hairston shows up as the starting cornerback two, with backups also sorted out along the defensive line and at linebacker.
For a team still finalizing roles around the edges, the chart matters because it hints at how Buffalo wants to open the season without waiting for game-day guesswork to sort things out. The biggest value may be in what it settles for now and what it leaves open for later, especially with the offense, return game and secondary all carrying spots that could still change once the real games begin. [Read more 🡒]