Buffalo Bills vs Texans was a 36–31 Bills win on Sept. 13, 2026, in Week 1 in Houston. Josh Allen threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Joshua Palmer with 1:36 left, and Greg Rousseau’s second strip-sack sealed it. The teams do not meet again in the regular season.
Key takeaways
- The Bills won 36–31, their first win in Houston since 2006
- Josh Allen finished with 357 total yards and four touchdowns
- Houston leads the all-time series 8–6, including one playoff game
- Buffalo is 3–0, and Houston is 0–3
Buffalo Bills vs Texans: What Happened in Week 1
The season opener at Reliant Stadium (formerly NRG Stadium) in Houston was a shootout from the start, and it was Joe Brady’s first game as Buffalo’s head coach.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bills | 3 | 21 | 3 | 9 | 36 |
| Texans | 7 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 31 |
Buffalo scored first on a 46-yard field goal by Tyler Bass, which came after Rousseau strip-sacked C.J. Stroud on Houston’s first drive. The Texans answered on David Montgomery’s 1-yard run to lead 7–3. Defensive tackle Ed Oliver had recovered the first fumble on Houston’s 32-yard line, so Buffalo got good field position right away.
The second quarter was wild. Allen scrambled for a 21-yard touchdown, then dove in from the 1 after a pass interference call in the end zone. DJ Moore added a 43-yard touchdown catch, and Buffalo led 24–14. Montgomery ran for an 18-yard score, and Nico Collins caught a 12-yard touchdown, so Buffalo only led 24–21 at halftime.
The fourth quarter was even tighter. Montgomery’s 7-yard touchdown catch put Houston up 28–27. Bass kicked a 33-yard field goal to make it 30–28. Then Ka’imi Fairbairn hit a 58-yarder with about seven minutes left, and the Texans led 31–30.
The 96-yard drive
Allen took over at his own 4-yard line. He drove Buffalo 96 yards and hit Joshua Palmer for a 34-yard touchdown with 1:36 left. One play earlier, Houston’s Kamari Lassiter nearly intercepted Allen in the end zone. Buffalo missed the two-point try, so the lead was 36–31.
Houston still had time. Stroud moved the Texans into Buffalo territory, but he took two sacks. The second one came from Rousseau, who forced a fumble at the Buffalo 28. Terrel Bernard recovered it with nine seconds left.
The Players Who Decided It
Allen was the story. He completed 20 of 29 passes for 334 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He also ran for 23 yards and two scores, which gave him 357 total yards and four touchdowns. The win was his first in Houston after he lost his previous four games there.
Buffalo’s new faces helped, too. Moore had five catches for 100 yards and a touchdown in his Bills debut after a trade from Chicago. Dalton Kincaid had five catches for 130 yards. Brady credited Allen for opening up the whole offense, including Kincaid, James Cook, Keon Coleman, and Palmer.
For Houston, Stroud threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns on 26-of-38 passing. But he lost two fumbles, and Rousseau forced both. Montgomery scored three touchdowns, two rushing and one receiving. Collins led the Texans with 10 targets and finished with 75 yards and a score.
The Texans’ defense had more trouble than usual. Houston is known for its pass rush, but it sacked Allen only once.
How Both Teams Have Looked Since Week 1
The two teams have gone in opposite directions since September 13.
Buffalo has won three straight. The Bills beat the Lions in Week 2, then beat the Chargers 24–16 in Week 3, even though they turned the ball over five times. Allen threw two interceptions and fumbled once, but the defense bailed him out. Brady is now the fifth-youngest head coach in NFL history to start his career 3–0. Through three games, Buffalo has scored 101 points and allowed 78.
Brady is not celebrating yet. He compared the Lions game to a smoke detector going off and the Chargers game to a house fire. The Bills now host the Patriots, who beat them for the AFC East title last year.
Houston has lost three straight. The Texans lost to the Bengals in Week 2, then fell 19–17 at Indianapolis in Week 3. Indianapolis won on a 53-yard field goal with 16 seconds left, only 1:32 after Houston had taken the lead on a Woody Marks touchdown. Collins was inactive with an injury, and the offense scored only 17 points.
Stroud has not looked bad, but the offense has not helped him much. The Texans do not have much of a running game, and Stroud led the team in rushing against Indianapolis with 29 yards. It is the second straight year the Texans have opened 0–3. ESPN noted that Stroud’s Total QBR was just 44.7 over the past two weeks without Collins on the field.
Is There a Buffalo Bills vs Texans Game Coming Up?
Not in the regular season. The Bills and Texans play only once each year, so the Sept. 13 game was it. The only way they could meet again in 2026 is in the playoffs. For that to happen, both teams would have to qualify and then be matched up in the bracket.
Here is what each team has next:
- Bills: host the New England Patriots on Sunday, Oct. 4, at 1 p.m. ET, then play at the Los Angeles Rams on Monday, Oct. 12.
- Texans: host the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Oct. 4, at noon CT, then visit the Tennessee Titans on Oct. 11.
Buffalo Bills vs Texans All-Time Series
The teams have met 14 times, including one playoff game. Houston leads 8–6 overall and 7–6 in the regular season. Buffalo has outscored Houston 300–279 across all 14 games.
| Date | Result | Site |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 13, 2026 | Bills 36, Texans 31 | Houston |
| Nov. 20, 2025 | Texans 23, Bills 19 | Houston |
| Oct. 6, 2024 | Texans 23, Bills 20 | Houston |
| Oct. 3, 2021 | Bills 40, Texans 0 | Buffalo |
| Jan. 4, 2020 | Texans 22, Bills 19 (OT) | Houston (wild card) |
The Texans had won four of the six meetings before this year’s game. Last November, Houston sacked Allen eight times in a 23–19 win on a Thursday night. Backup Davis Mills started for Houston after Stroud was injured in that game, and he threw two touchdown passes.
Before this year, the Texans had won the last four meetings played in Houston, in 2018, 2020, 2024, and 2025. The 2024 game was close, too, with Houston winning 23–20. The biggest result in the series came in 2021, when Buffalo won 40–0. Before Sept. 13, the Bills’ last win in Houston came on Nov. 19, 2006, a 24–21 decision.
People Also Ask
Who won Buffalo Bills vs Texans?
The Bills won 36–31 on Sept. 13, 2026, in Week 1. Josh Allen threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Joshua Palmer with 1:36 left. Greg Rousseau’s second strip-sack of the day on the final drive sealed the win. It was a back-and-forth game, with Houston leading 31–30 late.
How did Josh Allen play against the Texans?
Allen finished 20 of 29 for 334 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He also ran for 23 yards and two scores. His four touchdowns and 357 total yards made it his first win in Houston after four straight losses there.
Who leads the all-time Bills vs Texans series?
Houston leads 8–6, including a 2020 playoff win in overtime. In the regular season, the Texans lead 7–6. Buffalo has scored 300 points in the series, and Houston has scored 279.
When did the Bills last win in Houston before this?
The Bills’ previous win in Houston came on Nov. 19, 2006, when they beat the Texans 24–21. That left Buffalo without a win at Houston for nearly two decades, until Sept. 13, 2026.
When do the Bills play the Texans next?
The Bills and Texans do not play again in the 2026 regular season. They could only meet in the playoffs. Check NFL.com for next season’s schedule when the league releases it. A playoff meeting would depend on both teams qualifying.
The Bottom Line
Buffalo Bills vs Texans lived up to the hype in Week 1. Neither team led by more than 10 points, and the Bills won it on a 96-yard drive and a strip-sack.
The teams do not meet again this regular season. The Bills are 3–0, and the Texans are 0–3 and looking for answers.
Houston still leads the series 8–6, but Buffalo owns the latest chapter in this young rivalry.
Bookmark this page and check back if the two teams are set to meet in the playoffs.
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