Tyler Bass came back looking like the version Buffalo thought it was getting all along.
One week into the 2026 season, the Bills kicker has already shaken off the old baggage and opened with a near-perfect night in a five-point win over the Houston Texans. With Buffalo in a tight game, every kick mattered, and Bass delivered on all of them.
He was asked to handle three extra points, and while one of them barely squeezed inside the right upright, it still counted. That was the only hint of anything less than clean.
The field goals were even smoother. Bass connected from 46 yards, then knocked through attempts from 34 and 33 yards. None of them looked shaky, and all three added up to 12 points from his foot.
But the real reason Bass stood out in this one was the kickoff work. The NFL’s recent rule tweaks have turned that part of the game into a precision contest, rewarding kickers who land the ball just short of the end zone. Those kicks can’t be downed unless they reach the end zone, so placement matters more than ever.
Bass was sharp there too. The closest thing to a miss was a kick that landed at the seven, and the rest of his kickoffs were just as impressive. The sequence went: Buffalo eight, Buffalo one, touchback, Buffalo five, Buffalo five, Buffalo one.
That kind of consistency would look good from almost anyone, but it was especially notable coming from Bass, who has had a reputation for inconsistency in the past and missed the entire 2025 NFL season because of injury. Buffalo believed a healthy Bass was the answer, and early on, that call is paying off.
Fairbairn also had a big day Sunday, including another long field goal against Buffalo, but Bass’ control was the story here.
For Bills fans, the hope is simple: this isn’t a one-game burst. Bass still owns the Bills’ single-season points record with 141, one more than Steve Christie’s old mark, and if this version sticks around, Buffalo’s special teams could become a real weapon again.
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