The Houston Texans got back into the win column by edging the Jacksonville Jaguars last weekend. Capped by CJ Stroud’s late pass, the Texans earned the third victory to further strengthen their hold on the AFC South. They will face a tough test this Sunday as Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills come to town to try to steal one at NRG Stadium.
There are a few storylines currently generating buzz, the most popular of which involves Stefon Diggs. All eyes are on the wide receiver as he faces his former team for the first time after being traded. There is also the CJ Stroud versus Josh Allen duel. Two top-tier quarterbacks, Stroud and Allen, should put on quite a show for spectators with their abilities. It wouldn’t be surprising if die-hard fans also made strong statements that Sunday could be a foreshadowing of this season’s AFC title game. While these aggressive stances can be debated just because of the existence of the Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs and even the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Texans and Bills are powers in their own right and should not not be dismissed when the topic of who could win the conference comes up.
But coming back to the next clash, it is definitely the highlight match of this weekend. As for what could possibly happen during the game itself, this article will address that – from the Texans’ perspective, of course. Without further ado, here are some bold Week 5 predictions for Houston.
Texans limit Buffalo’s passing game
Listen, Josh Allen is Josh Allen. Any football fan who doesn’t live under a rock knows what he’s capable of. However, his pass catchers were depleted on Sunday. Wide receiver Khalil Shakir, who injured his ankle in the Bills’ Week 4 game, is out of the game. Shakir stepped into Buffalo’s WR1 role following the trade that sent Diggs to Houston. Without Shakir on the field, tight end Dalton Kincaid and rookie Keon Coleman will be Allen’s primary targets — a scenario that arguably gives the Texans secondary the edge.
So far, the Texans have the fourth-best pass defense this season. They are allowing just 161 yards through the air per game, and that is largely attributed to Derek Stingley, who is considered one of the best cornerbacks in the league. Stingley keeping Coleman is an absolute mismatch and it remains to be seen what the Bills will do to remedy this situation.
It also doesn’t help the Bills’ O-line struggles in Week 4, allowing rushers to sack Allen three times as the QB was pressured on 15 of his 34 dropbacksaccording to Nate Tice of Yahoo Sports. On Sunday, they’ll face a Houston passing group led by Will Anderson Jr., who already has 2.5 sacks to his name after four outings. On the other side of Anderson is Danielle Hunter, who has also made her presence felt this season (2 sacks so far). If the Bills’ O-line – especially their tackles – doesn’t bounce back, then things could get really ugly for them again.
The Texans will force the Bills to rely mostly on the run, making the latter a one-dimensional team in the outing.
Nico Collins totals over 100 yards and two touchdowns as Houston receivers overwhelm Bills
Four games in and it’s clear that Nico Collins is the Texans’ best pass catcher. The wideout already has 489 receiving yards, leading the entire NFL in that category. With the absence of Joe Mixon, Houston will heavily utilize Collins and their very talented receiving corps as their primary point of attack. And that’s exactly why Collins is sure to have another brilliant outing.
The Bills will put one of their dynamic cornerbacks, Rasual Douglas or Christian Benford, over Collins. Still, whoever faces Collins will have their hands full on an island as they won’t get much quality help near the end zone. Safety Taylor Rapp (concussion) is out Sunday, adding more problems to a Bills secondary that lists Taron Johnson as questionable for the game.
Buffalo also can’t focus too much on Collins, seeing as the Texans have arguably the best trio of receivers in the league. Stefon Diggs seems more than hungry to show off against his former team. Although Diggs is now a second option and more of a possession receiver for Buffalo, he is still Stefon Diggs. Oh, and Buffalo also has to deal with the return of Tank Dell. Putting Dell as the WR3 gives Stroud another weapon both on the outside and (if he’s lined up in the slot) over the middle with tight end Dalton Schultz. And judging by the struggles of Buffalo’s middle defenders (Baylon Spector, Dorian Williams, Cam Lewis) in Week 4, the Texans’ fortunes favor this one.
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The Bills could try to disrupt the passing game with their rushers, but they will have to work harder than usual with Von Miller serving a four-game suspension.
Texans claim fourth victory
The Texans will win their fourth victory on Sunday. CJ Stroud and his targets are just too much for a depleted Bills secondary. Josh Allen and James Cook will battle on the field, but that won’t be enough to compensate for a defensive unit that has too many holes in its armor. The Stroud-Collins connection will lead the way and Stefon Diggs will finish the game with a big smile on his face.
