The Houston Texans handed the Buffalo Bills a 23-19 loss during their Thursday Night Football clash in Week 12. So what went wrong with the Josh Allen-led Bills, who looked like the stronger team on paper?

Well, one of the reasons was Allen’s poor outing. The man with 6 touchdowns in the last game couldn’t even manage one. While James Cook racked up decent yardage, even he could manage one touchdown. Then again, that was far from all that went wrong for the Bills.

Cook’s Early Success Didn’t Last Long

James Cook III has been a key weapon for the Bills this season, totaling 1,084 yards and 9 touchdowns on 199 carries in 11 games. But in this game, he only had 17 carries. On his first carry of the second quarter, Cook cut back for 13 yards, giving him 75 on his first seven carries, the most by any opponent this season, including a 45-yard touchdown that put Buffalo first on the board. 

However, after that early success, he saw just seven carries until the second half and struggled late just like Josh Allen, finishing with 117 of Buffalo’s 326 total yards. It's safe to say, Cook’s limited touches hindered the Bills’ offense. 

Mills Was at It Again

CJ Stroud suffered a concussion in a game vs. the Denver Broncos after a hit on the head while trying to slide, and it was Davis Mills who filled in for him with 69 of 116 completed passes for 719 yards, throwing 5 touchdowns and 1 interception in the last 3 games. Against the Bills, Mills struggled early, going 1-for-8 and 3-for-12 before finding a rhythm, hitting eight of his next nine passes before halftime to lead two key touchdown drives. Mills avoided sacks and turnovers, doing his job under pressure.

Calen Bullock Stopped Josh Allen

Josh Allen had recorded 253 yards and an interception from Calen Bullock in the game when the Bills launched their final charge with Allen as the anchor, threatening a late lead. He threw a pass only for it to be intercepted by Bullock at the Houston 9-yard line with 18 seconds left on the clock. And if that wasn’t enough, he was sacked eight times throughout the game.

Josh Allen Wasn’t the Only One Making Mistakes

Besides Josh Allen getting intercepted twice and sacked eight times, the entire Buffalo Bills offense underperformed. They couldn’t capitalize on the momentum Cook provided and managed just three points in the final 39 minutes, hampered by sacks, a Khalil Shakir fumble that set up a Houston field goal, and Cook being stopped on fourth down at the Houston 23.

Texans Are Learning to Win the Close Ones

One major reason the Texans sat at 3‑5 earlier this season was their difficulty in closing out games. They lost their first five one-possession contests by a combined 23 points. Since then, Houston has turned the corner, winning three straight one-score games, each decided in the final seconds.

So what did you think of Thursday’s game between the Texans and the Bills? Give us your personal takeaways in the comments. 

Written by

Reyansh Dubey

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi