Josh Allen accounted for four touchdowns and tossed the decisive 34-yard scoring pass to Joshua Palmer with 1:36 remaining as the Buffalo Bills won in Houston for the first time in 20 years with a wild 36-31 victory over the Texans in the season opener for both teams on Sunday afternoon.
Allen completed 20 of 29 passes for 334 yards and two touchdowns and added two rushing scores while winning in Houston for the first time in five career attempts, including the postseason. The touchdown throw to Palmer capped a seven-play, 96-yard drive.
Houston had one last chance at overcoming the deficit and reached the Buffalo 9-yard line. But on third-and-goal from the 18, Greg Rousseau sacked Houston’s CJ Stroud and forced a fumble that teammate Terrel Bernard recovered at the Bills’ 24 with nine seconds left to seal it.
Dalton Kincaid had five receptions for 130 yards and DJ Moore had five catches for 100 yards and one touchdown in his Buffalo debut. Tyler Bass kicked three field goals and Rousseau had two sacks as the Bills won in Joe Brady’s first game as head coach.
David Montgomery rushed for two touchdowns and caught another in his Texans debut, while Stroud completed 26 of 38 passes for 274 yards and two touchdowns, including one to Nico Collins.
Buffalo’s winning excursion began at its own 4-yard line with 3:13 remaining. Allen’s 35-yard pass to Kincaid moved the ball to the Houston 33 with 1:53 left. Three plays later, Allen connected with Palmer on a deep post with 1:36 remaining. A two-point pass failed.
The Bills snapped a six-game losing streak in Houston. Buffalo hadn’t won there since 2006 when J.P. Losman was the quarterback.
Houston took a 28-27 lead when Stroud connected with Montgomery on a 7-yard scoring pass with 13:34 remaining in the game.
The Bills regained the lead on Bass’ 33-yard field goal with 10:31 left, but the Texans countered with Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 58-yard field goal with 6:44 remaining.
Allen rushed for two scores and passed for one as the Bills built a 24-21 halftime lead.
After Bass opened the scoring with a 46-yard field goal midway through the first quarter, Montgomery scored from the 1 with 32 seconds left in the period.
Allen avoided the rush and scampered 21 yards for a touchdown to give the Bills a 10-7 lead with 12:46 remaining in the second quarter. This time, Montgomery raced 18 yards to put Houston back ahead with 4:48 left.
Allen scored from the 1 to give Buffalo a 17-14 lead with 3:59 remaining. After forcing a punt, the Bills went 96 yards on three plays as Allen hit Kincaid for 38 yards and Moore for 15 before tossing a 43-yard touchdown pass to Moore for a 10-point advantage with 1:29 left.
The Texans responded with Stroud’s 12-yard scoring strike to Collins with 26 seconds remaining.
Buffalo increased its lead to 27-21 on Bass’ 34-yard field goal with 4:24 left in the third quarter.
