The Buffalo Bills offense need only look to an undefeated NFL team for a blueprint for success against the Houston Texans in Week 5. The Bills need a bounce-back effort in Houston after coming out flat in a 35-10 Week 4 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night.
Bottling up Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud at home won’t be easy. He’s fourth in the league with 263.5 yards passing a game. If Buffalo can somewhat follow the plan laid out by the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3, then Sean McDermott’s squad could get its fourth win of the year.
The Vikings thumped Demeco Ryans’ squad 34-7 in Week 3, stifling the promising young team. Quarterback Sam Darnold tossed four touchdowns but amassed only 181 yards through the air. Aaron Jones also led the attack, picking up 102 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. He added 46 yards and another score on five receptions. Houston trailed 14-0 at the half and surrendered five sacks.
A balanced attack on offense will keep Houston’s defense honest. All four of Darnold’s touchdown passes came in the red zone. For that reason alone, sustaining long drives will keep Stroud and the offense off the field. With four red zone scores, Allen should be able to feast when and if he drives Buffalo inside the 20 against Houston’s 28th-ranked red zone defense.
Houston will likely try to feature former Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs, while Buffalo will try its best to limit his impact on the game. However, they cannot forget about Nico Collins, who leads the NFL with 489 yards on 30 receptions.
How the Buffalo Bills Offense Can Stack up Success Against the Houston Texans in Week 5
Pound the ground
Buffalo will have to rely on its ground game to keep Collins, Stroud, and a formidable passing attack on the sidelines. Running backs James Cook, Ty Johnson, and even Ray Davis should be instrumental in the screen game. Allen hasn’t relied on feeding one primary target but has instead tried to hit the open receiver.
That should help prolong the drives and keep Houston defenders on their toes by defending the entire field. The MPV candidate also hasn’t gone nuts through the air, only throwing for more than 250 yards once this year (Week 3 against Jacksonville).
The Texans rank fourth in the NFL in passing yards allowed but have surrendered eight touchdowns through the air. Houston is in the middle of the pack (13th) against the run. Featuring Cook extensively in both phases of the offense could open things up for Allen in the passing game. Mixing Johson and Davis in can give Cook a breather to stay fresh for what should be a heavy usage game.
Running Wild
Allen could also take off from the pocket if Houston is able to lock down Buffalo’s average receiving corps. He’s only racked up 106 yards on the ground but may have to scramble to prolong drives. Doing so will eat up time so that Houston cannot fully take advantage of Buffalo’s 30th-ranked rushing defense.
Starting running back Joe Mixon hasn’t practiced all week, forcing Cam Akers to start against the Jaguars last week. Dameon Pierce could return to the lineup against the Bills, but Mixon is the best of the three.
If Buffalo’s offense can control the clock and capitalize on its trips to the red zone, they could leave Texas with a big victory. The two teams currently lead their divisions and could see each other in the playoffs. The Bills already lost a potential tiebreaker by losing to the Ravens. They cannot afford to lose an important tiebreaker to another AFC-leading team.
Main Image: Gregory Fisher – USA Today Sports
