### **3\. Getting ready for the best defense in the NFL**
In Week 11, Buffalo fell back on its pass game to win as Tampa Bay clogged up the run game. Though Josh Allen and the Bills proved it can win with the run game, pass game, or combination of the two, Thursday is going to put both to the test.
Houston is third in rushing yards allowed per game (87.1) and fourth in yards allowed per rush (3.9). With running back James Cook III, Buffalo leads the NFL in rushing yards per game with 147.6 and is fifth in yards per rush with 4.9.
Buffalo faced a middle-of-the-pack defense in Week 11 against Tampa Bay, but couldn't stabilize the run game early on – something offensive coordinator Joe Brady emphasized throughout the season as a priority. Thursday will be even tougher for the Bills to get Cook cooking.
The Bills' pass game took a step forward to win on Sunday. It ranks third and pass yards per attempt (8.4) and eighth in pass yards per game (239.8). On Thursday, it will face a defense that's second in pass yards per attempt (6.1) and third in pass yards per game (171).
Allen threw for 317 yards in Week 12, getting wide receivers Tyrell Shavers and Gabe Davis heated up while throwing Cook in there when the run game faltered. With tight end Dalton Kincaid's status unsure with a hamstring injury, the wide receiver room has more responsibility to take on. Successful big-time plays, like ones from Sunday's game, can be a difference maker in a defensive contest against Houston.
The Texans also have the No. 1 defense in points allowed per game (16.3) and total yards allowed per game (258.1).
"They're really good at everything," Brady said of the Texans. "… I was waiting for them to say what they're not good at, but I think the biggest thing is it's an opportunity for us."
Buffalo accumulated 30 or more points in six of seven of its wins so far in 2025. The only win they didn't reach that mark was its 28-21 win against the Chiefs in Week 9. The Bills are tied for fourth in total points per game (29.2) and rank second for total yards per game (387.4).
In its three losses, the Bills had 20 or less points. They lost 23-20 against the Patriots, 24-14 against the Falcons and 30-13 against the Dolphins.
However, this also means that the Texans' offense with an unknown quarterback situation will need to put up good enough numbers against a revived Buffalo defense if the Bills' offense runs into inconsistency.
Providing more hope for Buffalo is its red zone efficiency. Its offense is tied for fifth in the NFL with a 66.7 percent rating. In this area, Houston doesn't match up with the rest of its dominant defense. The Texans have a 65.2 red zone efficiency percentage as a defense, ranking near the bottom of the league at 28th.