Lance Lysowski: Josh Allen got beaten up, and the Bills' offense has more problems to solve
Four days removed from their best performance this season, the Bills’ offense got pummeled. Allen had multiple injury scares, and his final throw got intercepted as the Texans held on for a 23-19 win.
Josh Allen rolled left.
Out of room at the sideline in NRG Stadium, Allen tried to scramble back to his right.
A wall of Houston Texans defenders cut off his path and sacked the Buffalo Bills quarterback for an 18-yard loss to end the first drive of the second half Thursday night.
The NFL’s top-ranked defense frustrated and beat up the reigning MVP by knifing through his offensive line and covering his receivers. Allen couldn’t scan the field to move through his progressions. He had to throw the ball quicker than he wanted. One of Allen’s best throws of the night, a third-and-3 bullet, got fumbled by Khalil Shakir.
Four days removed from their best performance this season, the Bills’ offense got pummeled. Allen had multiple injury scares. Somehow, they still had a chance to leave Houston with a win. A successful lateral on fourth-and-27 gave Allen a chance to complete the comeback, but his final throw got intercepted as the Texans held on for a 23-19 win.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen is hit from behind by Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. during the first quarter Thursday at NRG Stadium in Houston.
Joshua Bessex, Buffalo News
"They wanted it today," Allen said. "We had a chance to win it there at the end and have to find a way."
The loss dropped Buffalo to 7-4, another severe blow in its quest for a sixth straight division title, and Houston stayed in the hunt by improving to 6-5.
Winless in four career games in Houston, Allen completed 24 of 34 passes for 253 yards. He threw two interceptions, his eighth and ninth this season, and the Bills have turned the ball over nine times over their last three games. This is the first time they've had three or more turnovers in three consecutive games since 2006.
James Cook led the way with 116 rushing yards, including a 45-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, and he surpassed 1,000 rushing yards for a third consecutive season. The offense couldn't take advantage in the second half when the Bills' defense got enough stops to give Buffalo a chance to complete a comeback.
The Texans’ defense is exceptional. Their offense is to blame for their mediocre record because most of their opponents have struggled to move the ball at all. But if the Bills are going to play in February, they need to get past elite defenses like the one they faced on short rest.
The Texans had eight sacks – Allen has been sacked at least three times in five games this season – and they hit him 12 times. His right knee was bloodied. The Bills' starting tackle, Spencer Brown, got pulled from the game for the final drive because he couldn't play through a shoulder injury any longer. An equipment staffer had to help Brown pull a shirt over his head after the game, and he had his right arm in a sling while answering reporters' questions.
"I feel like we should have won the game," said Brown. "There were a lot of negative plays that happened for us on offense, but on the last drive, we had 20 seconds left and we were on the 20-yard line. That’s a good position to be in and we just didn’t execute."
Allen didn’t have one of his top pass-catchers, tight end Dalton Kincaid, and second-year wide receiver Keon Coleman watched from the sideline as a healthy scratch for a second consecutive week. Their absences weren't the issue, though. The offensive line, especially the tackles, struggled. Brown and left tackle Dion Dawkins couldn't handle Texans edge rusher Will Anderson Jr., who had 2½ sacks. The play-calling was repetitive and confounding. Brady kept using five-protections, even though his five offensive linemen were struggling to block the Texans' four rushers.
Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady doesn’t mind when his quarterback gets hit. Allen is a bulldozer when he runs the ball. Each time, though, Brady waits on bated breath to make sure Allen is OK. Brady must have been a nervous wreck in the coaches' box Thursday night.
On a third-and-6 play in the first quarter, Allen took two steps forward. He scanned the field to try to find an open receiver. Once an option emerged, he patted the ball and prepared to throw. Allen didn’t see the hit coming.
Anderson Jr., a 250-pound edge rusher, chased Allen from behind and fell on top of him. Allen's left shoulder went numb. He rolled onto his back and kicked his legs.
"It's a tough night," said Dawkins. "Probably won’t be able to sleep. When I see the kid get hit and he rolls around on the ground, it’s a tough day for the boys."
The Bills’ Super Bowl hopes could have gone poof into the night. But Allen popped up, returned to the bench and grabbed a tablet to prepare for the next drive. He had a brief chat with athletic trainers. After his defense forced a punt, Allen joined his offense on the field.
On the first play of the next drive, Allen zipped a perfectly timed pass to Gabe Davis on a comeback route to the left sideline for a 20-yard gain. Facing second-and-13, Allen found Joshua Palmer over the middle for 10 yards. And, down to fourth-and-2, Brady chose a play to beat the Texans’ man coverage.
Ty Johnson, the Bills’ third-down back, ran past Texans rookie safety Jayden Reed and caught a pass to gain 23 yards. Two plays stalled the drive. Johnson got tackled by former Bills defensive tackle Tim Settle for a 2-yard loss, then Anderson beat Dawkins to sack Allen for a 5-yard loss. Buffalo eventually settled for a 44-yard field goal.
"For us, up front, I feel like we could have communicated better, knowing who we had and things like that," said right guard O'Cyrus Torrence. "Being on the same page more often. It held us back a little up front in the run game and pass game."
Allen’s next throw ranks as one of his worst this season. Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair dropped into coverage, directly in front of Bills receiver Elijah Moore, and Allen tried to rifle the ball over the defender in his way.
Al-Shaair tipped the ball in the air, and Bullock made the interception. For the rest of the game, anytime the Bills seemed to gain traction on offense, they suffered a setback that forced them to punt or settle for a field goal.
On the first drive of the second half, Allen completed an 18-yard pass to rookie tight end Jackson Hawes, but they eventually punted because Allen took the 18-yard sack. Later in the third quarter, Allen made a perfect throw to Shakir on third-and-3, but the wide receiver fumbled. The Texans scored six points off the Bills’ two turnovers.
Give the Bills' defense credit. Though they were awful on the final drive of the second quarter, the group forced Houston to punt four times in the second half.
The offense was too inconsistent, though. Offensive linemen weren't winning one-on-one matchups. Brady adjusted to beat the Texans' occasional blitzes, but Allen was under duress throughout the game. It's a miracle he escaped relatively unscathed. Which version of the Bills' offense should we expect when they face the Steelers on Sun., Nov. 30? There's so much focus on the receivers, but there are more problems at play than a lack of downfield passes.
The Bills can't expect Allen to be Superman every Sunday. He's getting pummeled, especially on third down, because receivers aren't getting open and Brady isn't calling enough plays to protect the face of the franchise from the blitz. Buffalo's sack rate allowed on third down (16%) is by far the highest of Allen's career. This team has invested too much in its offensive line for Allen to get sacked 28 times, already twice as many as last season.
Most of their future opponents don't have Houston's talent. But this latest lost was a reminder that the supporting cast, including the play-caller, must be better if the Bills are going to make the playoffs, let alone make the Super Bowl.
"We just have to be better and help out the defense," said Davis. "We’re just not putting up the points this offense can put up."