HOUSTON (AP) — Sunday’s shocking defensive debacle by the Houston Texans in a 36-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills proved what coach DeMeco Ryans always preaches to his team.
“You have to put your stamp each and every year on who you’re going to be,” he said Monday. “This is a new team, this isn’t 2025, so you’ve got to go earn it. And that’s every year in the league, you’ve got to go prove yourself.”
The Texans were expected to be among the best defenses
in the NFL entering this season after leading the league in yards allowed (277.2) and ranking second to the Seahawks in points (17.4).
Instead entering Monday, the 409 yards they allowed ranked 27th on opening weekend and the 36 points were 28th and the most they’ve allowed since 2023.
Players throughout the defense talked about the importance of playing up to their standard to turn things around.
“We can’t go out there and give up 36 points again,” safety Calen Bullock said. “So, we know how important it is.”
The Bills made big plays repeatedly against a Texans defense that rarely gave up such plays last season. The Texans yielded a 21-yard touchdown run by Josh Allen, a 43-yard scoring grab by DJ Moore and several other chunk plays in a first half where they allowed 24 points.
“We gave up I think it was 11 or 12 explosive plays,” Ryans said. “You give up that many explosive plays and you’re going to give up points, so we’ve got to do a much better job.”
Ryans is also stressing the need to win the turnover battle after his team lost the ball twice Sunday while forcing no turnovers. Houston’s defense missed several opportunities to force turnovers in the opener, including when Kamari Lassiter got his hands on the ball in the end zone late in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t come down with the ball.
Allen threw the game-winning touchdown pass on the next play.
“When you maximize your opportunity to make plays, most of the time you’re on the winning side of things,” Ryans said. “We had guys in position to make plays ... they made the plays and we didn’t. Some of those plays we didn’t make could have been game-changing plays.”
The defensive struggles ruined a strong game by the offense. C.J. Stroud threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns. He spread the ball around well, completing passes to 11 different players, which ties a franchise record.
“C.J. did a good job,” Ryans said. “We threw the ball well. We had our way offensively the way those guys moved the ball up and down the field.”
Along with all the other problems on defense Sunday, the Texans didn’t have a consistent pass rush. They got just two sacks after taking down Allen a career-high eight times in a 23-19 win last season.
RB David Montgomery had two rushing touchdowns and a scoring reception to become the first Texan to score three touchdowns in his debut after an offseason trade from Detroit. Montgomery joined the team after Houston struggled to run the ball last season with Joe Mixon missing all season with a foot injury.
“It was a very impressive game by him finding a way to get in the end zone, the offensive line blocked it really well, just really encouraged with what he brings and what he provides our offense,” Ryans said.
Sunday’s performance gave Montgomery 61 rushing touchdowns, making him the fourth player since 2019 to have at least 60 rushing scores.
Lassiter, who made the Pro Bowl last season, had perhaps the worst game of his three-year career Sunday. Along with that drop, he was one of the players defending Joshua Palmer on the go-ahead score. He also had a pass interference penalty for 46 yards in the first half that gave the Bills the ball on the 1-yard line, leading to a touchdown.
Ryans said LB Henry To’oTo’o has a significant shoulder injury that will definitely keep him out for some time and could land him on the injured reserve. … LB Jake Hummel has a groin injury.
WR Nico Collins had 75 yards receiving with a touchdown to give him at least 50 yards receiving in 10 consecutive regular-season games, which is the longest active streak in the NFL.
The Texans must fix their mistakes quickly with another difficult test coming up Sunday when Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals visit. The Bengals scored 33 points and piled up 351 yards in a win over Tampa Bay in the opener.
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