Man, what a gut punch for the Texans in Week 1! They dropped a nail-biter 36-31, and it’s even worse when you look at how it all ended. They drove it all the way down to the nine-yard line, ready to punch in a go-ahead score, but then pass protection just totally broke down on two straight plays, and that was it. Game over. You just hate to see it.
The Play That Changes Everything (Almost)
Honestly, the final score hardly tells the whole story of how close this thing was. Who would have predicted 67 total points scored in that game? Not a chance, right? But here’s the kicker: Kamari Lassiter dropped a sure interception in the end zone that looked more like a wounded duck from Josh Allen than a real throw. If he snags that ball, the Texans just kneel it out and win 31-30. Think about that for a second. One play. It shows you just how thin the margin is in this league. The Texans actually had the statistical edge across the board if you take away the turnover battle, where they had two to the Bills’ zero. They had 381 total yards to the Bills’ 409, 124 rushing yards to 86, and 257 passing yards to 323. They even controlled the clock for a massive 36:17 compared to Buffalo’s 23:43. It really makes you wonder.
Montgomery and the Ball Control Offense Are Here
Even with that crushing loss, there are some serious positives to hang your hat on. David Montgomery was an absolute force, running for “only” 60 yards but churning out a ton of tough ones and scoring three of the four offensive touchdowns. The guy added three catches for 19 yards, with one of those also going for a score. That’s 79 yards from scrimmage and four TDs! Woody Marks also chipped in 42 yards on nine carries, looking exactly like the guy they envisioned last season. If this team can average 124 rushing yards every week, they’re going to be so much better on offense. Seriously, their ball control offense, holding it for 35+ minutes and putting up 31 points, usually wins nine times out of ten. That’s a foundation they can build on.
Defense Needs a Serious Look
Alright, now for the bad. There were way too many things on defense that just didn’t click. Only getting to Josh Allen twice for sacks is a real disappointment. And the secondary? They probably played their worst game in well over a season. Allen absolutely carved up that Texans defense. They gave up 323 passing yards and 409 total yards to the Bills. You can’t let top-tier quarterbacks just pick you apart like that, especially when the offense is doing everything it can to control the ball and put up points.
This stings, no doubt about it. Losing like that on a breakdown and a dropped pick is tough to swallow. But the ball control and Montgomery’s electric performance give you something to be fired up about. They’ve got to clean up the secondary and find a way to get pressure, because those are the kinds of early trends that can define a season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Battle Red Blog.
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