Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen produced a standout performance in a 36-31 win over the Houston Texans, helping new head coach Joe Brady secure victory in his NFL coaching debut. The result carries wider significance for Buffalo, signalling they remain Super Bowl contenders after last season ended in a painful playoff defeat to the Denver Broncos, a loss that contributed to former head coach Sean McDermott's dismissal and left Allen visibly distraught.

Allen passed for 334 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for two more, accounting for all four of Buffalo's touchdowns. This came against a Houston defence that was the league's best against the pass last season and second only to the Super Bowl-winning Seattle Seahawks in points allowed, having previously held Allen to just 196 passing yards per game across five meetings and won four of them. The 36 points conceded were the most by that Texans defence since 2023, and Allen's performance also included his 26th game-winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime since 2018, the most of any player in that span.