by TYLER HATHAWAY
The 2026 NFL season is finally underway, and the Buffalo Bills will begin their 67th NFL campaign when they travel to Texas to take on the Houston Texans on Sunday afternoon. Both teams are coming into this season after each winning 12 games in the regular season and reaching the AFC Divisional round, and both have their sights set on capturing their divisions after each finishing in second place a year ago. It’s also the first game for new head coach Joe Brady. Here’s the breakdown:
BUFFALO BILLS (0-0/AFC East)
vs.
HOUSTON TEXANS (0-0/AFC South)
Sunday, NRG Stadium, 1:00 pm
Storyline #1: Buffalo stares down tough opening month
Buffalo begins its season with a five-game stretch that will throw the Bills into the fire immediately.
After taking a road trip to Houston to open the year, they’ll have three straight home games against Detroit, the Los Angeles Chargers, and the New England Patriots. Then, it’s a Monday night showdown in Los Angeles against the buzzing Rams, who are the Super Bowl favorites after acquiring Myles Garrett and having Aaron Donald return to the team.
Those five opponents had a combined record of 58-27 in 2025, with only the Lions failing to make the playoffs. The good news is after the stretch they travel to Las Vegas to duel the Raiders before getting to what will be a well-earned bye week in Week 7.
Storyline #2: Can Josh Allen get over his Texans hiccups?
While Josh Allen is able to do Josh Allen things against almost everybody, Houston has been a thorn in the side of the former MVP.
Allen has faced off against the Texans five times in his career, four regular season matchups and one playoff matchup. In those five games, Allen averages 196.0 passing yards per game with a completion percentage of 55.4 percent and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of three touchdowns to three interceptions.
His last two matchups in 2024 and 2025 have been especially tough for Allen. He threw two picks and no touchdowns last season and only completed 30 percent of his passes in the 2024 matchup.
Storyline #3: What version of CJ Stroud will we see?
Texans quarterback CJ Stroud has shown flashes of brilliance throughout his career, but has struggled to maintain consistent play. In a nine-game stretch through the middle of the season last year, Stroud put together a 14-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio while leading the Texans to a 7-2 record during that span, with one of the losses being mainly because the Ohio State product left the game with an injury.
However, in the four game stretch that ended the regular season and went into the playoffs, Stroud threw five touchdowns to seven interceptions, including four picks in a 28-16 loss against the Patriots that ended Houston’s season. In that game, Stroud had a season-low 42.6 completion percentage.
If the Texans are to win not just on Sunday but throughout the season, the fourth-year quarterback is going to have to avoid those stretches of bad play and put together games akin to when he was leading the Texans back from an 0-3 start last year.
Key to the game #1: Play clean football
The Bills offense will not have any time to ease into the season, as the Texans defense they will face is one of if not the best in the NFL.
Houston ranked first in the NFL in 2025 in total yards allowed and second in both turnover differential and points allowed. The Bills just cannot give the ball away, especially in their own territory, and give the Texans short fields to score points. Even if it’s a good day for the Bills offense, it still will not be easy to score points, so handing the Texans anything will be a major blow to Buffalo’s chances.
Key to the game #2: Limit the Texans run game
The elephant in the room last year when it came to the Bills was their run defense. Buffalo ranked in the bottom five in rushing yards per game allowed, and it was a big reason the Bills fell in games they should have won, such as against the Falcons and Dolphins.
While the Texans were the 11th-worst rushing offense in 2025, the Texans addressed this in the off-season by adding former Lions running back David Montgomery, who’s ran for over 715 yards in each of the past three seasons despite splitting carries with superstar running back Jahmyr Gibbs.
It’s not an elite rushing offense still by any means, but it will be a good litmus test to see how new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard and his defense does against what was Buffalo’s biggest flaw a season ago.
X-Factor: Bills wide receiver DJ Moore
Josh Allen’s newest weapon is expected to make a big impact on the passing game this year for the Bills, and his services will be well-needed against the Texans.
Like I mentioned earlier, the Texans defense is no joke, and the Bills will need all hands on deck to move the ball through the air. Last season, the Bills were without Dalton Kincaid, and Keon Coleman against Houston, and this year will have a full receiving corps ready to go.
Moore is coming over from Chicago after a three-year stay that saw him start off with over 1,300 receiving yards in 2023, dipping to under 950 in 2024, and only turning in 682 in 2025. Moore was a part of an offense that featured three other prominent pass-catchers, and steps into Buffalo as the clear WR1, with only Khalil Shakir returning with any semblance of consistent receiving production.
If Moore has a big game against the best defense in football on Sunday, it will be a good sign of what’s to come and a real boost to Buffalo’s chances of going 1-0.
Leave a Reply