The Bills lose a close game as Josh Allen gets sacked eight times and picks up a late interception
TL;DR
Josh Allen, the Buffalo quarterback, was hit hard (sacked eight times) and threw a pick in the final seconds, thus losing 23-19 to Houston. Coaches and players alike cited the protection and the opportunities missed as the causes of the loss.
On Thursday night at NRG Stadium, the Buffalo Bills lost to the Houston Texans 23 to 19. The Houston defensive line constantly pressured Bills quarterback Josh Allen and brought him down eight times. Moreover, Allen threw the game-ending interception during the final seconds. Buffalo is now 7-4 and the question of the offensive line's performance as well as the execution of the game in the final moments has been raised again.
Allen's final throw was picked off by the Texans safety Calen Bullock at the Houston 9 with 24 seconds left on the clock. The turnover sealing the chaotic final sequence in which the Bills went up from a fourth and 27 by a 44-yard catch and lateral and then were forced to do a fourth and 6 due to a false start.
"We had the opportunity to take the lead in the closing moments," Allen told the media during his conference. "We continued to fight and our defense really supported us a few times. We need to find a way, and we haven't."
It was a hard time for Allen to succeed with the Houston defensive line, which kept on dominating and pressing throughout the game. The Bills assert that Allen was hit 12 times overall with 8 of those being for a sack which was a career high for the quarterback. Contrary to his six touchdowns performance last weekend against Tampa Bay, the quarterback went for 253 yards, 2 interceptions, and no touchdown.
Sean McDermott, their head coach, was not delighted with the way Josh was handled on the field and he voiced his concern about the punishment Allen took.
"I don't like it when they hit the guy who throws the ball 12 times," McDermott said to the press. "It is not the way to play which is good for the player's health, and it is not a good way to keep him healthy for the rest of the season. We need to raise our level of play."
Following a sack in the first half, Allen who was awkwardly landing on his left shoulder appeared to be somewhat off balance. He explained to the media that his shoulder "went a little numb" but he was still okay. Besides, he admitted that he could have gotten fewer hits if he had thrown the ball away earlier."
"Nothing is fun," Allen said. "I also hit myself a few times. I have to be better at throwing the ball away. Too many times I was going backward,"
Will Anderson Jr. a rookie defensive end out of the Houston Texans, had two and a half sacks and led the team in that category. Most significant was his happening immediately after the third quarter when he followed Allen off the field and brought him down for an 18-yard loss thus, stopping Buffalo's drive.
Keon Coleman did not show up in the game against Buffalo for two consecutive times. Following the incident where Coleman was reprimanded for his tardiness to a team meeting, he was omitted from the lineup as a healthy scratch. McDermott said that Coleman was getting better every day during the week and the coaches decided "the players that give us the best chance".
Buffalo focused their throws mostly on Khalil Shakir who caught eight passes for 110 yards. Meanwhile, James Cook went beyond just scoring the touchdown as he also carried the ball for 116 yards. The great performances of these individuals were not enough to save the Bills at the pivotal moments of the game.
"At the core of it we are the ones who have to execute the plan," Allen said. "Anyway, wherever we might be, we are supposed to find a way, and we didn't."
FAQs
- Why was Keon Coleman not playing?
Coleman was a healthy scratch as a result of the recent team discipline for tardiness. - Was Allen hurt?
Allen said that after a hard landing he felt numbness in his shoulder but he was still okay.