EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsHOUSTON -- Josh Allen still was sweating when he got to the microphone and uttered something that would have been inconceivable just a year ago: "We do like Reliant Stadium!"For good reason.In a house of Bills horrors -- they hadn't won here since 2006 -- against a team that battered him last season, Allen uncorked a whopper of an offensive performance as Buffalo outlasted the Houston Texans 36-31 on Sunday, giving Joe Brady his first victory as coach.The Bills ran just 52 plays but totaled 409 yards of offense, an average of 7.9 yards per play. Twice they started drives at their own 4-yard line and finished with touchdowns. A big part of the efficiency was a more downfield passing attack. Allen completed 11 of 15 throws that traveled at least 10 yards in the air for 286 yards and two touchdowns, including a 34-yarder that he rifled down the deep middle of the field to Joshua Palmer for the game-winning score.Asked how he felt about all the chunk plays, Allen was succinct."Hell, yeah," he said. "We love chunk plays. That's how you score 36 points. You give yourself opportunities to score in four, five plays in a drive instead of long, methodical, 13, 14, 15 plays. That's also a way to win football games."Allen, who also rushed for two touchdowns, now has a career 303 TDs, making him the first player in NFL history to reach 300 in his first nine seasons. He also is now 20th on the all-time rushing touchdowns list, tied with Frank Gore and Ottis Anderson and one behind Corey Dillon.It was Allen's ninth career game with two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns, five more than any other player in NFL history. Steve Young had four. Since he entered the league in 2018, Allen has had 18 games in which he has rushed for two or more TDs.Aside from the sheer volume of yards per play, the most glaring difference for Allen and the Bills was that Allen was upright. Last November, the Texans sacked Allen an astounding eight times. This time, he was sacked just twice and was barely pressured in the first half.The Bills committed to chipping the Texans, and they used three tight ends on 40.4% of their plays. The result: Allen had plenty of time in the pocket, completing passes to seven different pass catchers. Both D.J. Moore (5 catches, 100 yards, 1 touchdown) and Dalton Kincaid (5 catches, 130 yards) eclipsed the 100-yard mark, the first time the Bills had multiple players have at least 100 yards receiving in a game since Week 5 of the 2023 season."We were trying to limit their D-line from wrecking this game," Allen said. "When you're able to sit back in the pocket against a team like this, with two edges like this, you feel pretty good when your guys can hold up and we did tonight.""Sometimes all you need is another half-second."Kincaid said doubting Allen is "odd," and certainly there is no doubt among the Bills, who were jubilant in the locker room."When we're at full strength, it's hard to beat us," Kincaid said.Allen said throughout the game, it never seemed like it was Brady's first as a head coach. At the end, as the Bills were driving for what would be the winning score, Brady was fully in his element. He was elevated from offensive coordinator to replace Sean McDermott because the Bills needed someone to get them over the hump and win a Super Bowl.The margin for what will be considered a success is slim for Brady. Game one was a good start, though."I live for those moments," he said. "I coach for those critical moments. I expect our guys to be at their best. I have to be at my best. Seeing Josh, 'Hey, look, I'm taking a shot.' Josh Palmer, trusted. That's who we have to be. Making sure they have to play us and not the other way around."Next up are the Detroit Lions on Thursday night as the Bills open their new stadium.New stadium, new season, same Josh Allen.
