The Buffalo Bills returned home to Ralph Wilson Stadium for the first time in a month and treated the crowd to a 30-21 victory over the Houston Texans to remain players in the AFC playoff race with four games remaining in the season.
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“A little bit”, Watt said. “I’ll have to go back and watch the film to decipher how big it really was”.
“He was great – he’s always got that poise”, running back Boobie Dixon said of Taylor. Rex Ryan’s exotic blitzes put the pressure on Hoyer while keeping a spry running game in check. “For us, we just need to do a better job at finding a way to win”.
The Texans’ defense sagged as a whole in managing to sack the scrambling Taylor just once.
During the four-game winning streak, the Texans’ run defense has been excellent, allowing 70 yards a game.
“We had too many penalties”, the head coach said. “It starts with me. We still have a chance, so we’ve got to turn the page”.
Bills fans have had a three-game reprieve from the CBS duo as CBS’ Jim Nantz and Phil Simms worked the Thursday Night game against the Jets, ESPN’s Mike Tirico and Jon Gruden worked the Monday Night Football game against New England and CBS’ Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon worked the loss in Kansas City. After LeSean McCoy popped a 20-yard run on second and 8, Taylor found Charles Clay wide open down the middle of the field and hit Clay with a 40-yard touchdown pass to snap the tie and give the Bills the win.
In a clever play designed by offensive coordinator Greg Roman, he lined up two Bills tight ends to the right in a running formation, on a running down (2nd-and-7) at the Houston 40.
“His work ethic is second to none”, Clay said.
“Obviously, it’s a frustrating feeling, knowing how important every game is”, linebacker Brian Cushing said. “We didn’t get it done today”. At 6-6 the Bills still are on the outside looking in as far as the playoff chase is concerned, but their chances of securing a wildcard berth improved dramatically with the win.
Rodgers finished the game with 26 of 36 for 289 yards and two touchdowns, compared to Matthew Stafford’s 23 of 35 for 220 yards and two touchdowns. He threw four consecutive incompletions on the Texans’ drive after Clay’s touchdown. He missed an extra point for the second week in a row, as well as a 50-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter. LeSean McCoy led in rushing with 70 yards in 19 carries. Following last week’s six-catch, 158-yard and two touchdown performance in the Bills’ 30-22 loss to the Chiefs, Watkins is proving that he can be as much a matchup nightmare as anyone in the league-when he’s on, of course.
A team source quoted in the Buffalo News this week said Taylor’s practice Thursday was the best he had ever seen from any quarterback.
Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins caught five passes for 88 yards and set a franchise record with his 10th touchdown reception of the season.
Chris Polk got Houston in a strong field possession as their offense came back onto the field, before Brian Hoyer tossed the ball to tight end Ryan Griffin in the corner of the endzone. Martin was traded to the Patriots back in Week 3, while Johnson was released by the Texans after training camp and was signed by the Patriots last week.
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Best Stat: Before the game, Dedes told a nationwide audience that it was the first time in 116 years there had been no snow in Buffalo by December 7.
