It seems like Josh Allen has picked up right where he left off in his MVP-winning 2024 season. From six total touchdowns last week to 2,456 passing yards with a 105.6 QBR this season, Allen’s dominance has kept the 7-3 Buffalo Bills firmly in the postseason race… as they have been in recent years.
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But for all the MVP noise, former head coach Jon Gruden believes tonight’s game in Houston won’t hinge on Allen.
In his weekly game-analysis YouTube video, Gruden went straight to Buffalo’s defense and made it clear that the two players who’ll decide the Bills-Texans game will be Joey Bosa and Greg Rousseau.
“If I was Buffalo? I’d get Bosa, I’d get my man Rousseau, I’d sit right next to those guys on the plane, and I’d say, ‘What do you guys want to eat? Let’s freakin’ go,’” Gruden joked, but the point underneath his humor remained sharp.
Both edge rushers have become the heartbeat of a Bills unit that has quietly stabilized after last year’s defensive injuries and inconsistencies. Gruden also highlighted how the team’s secondary has cleaned up many of the leaks that hurt them in 2024. A lot of that improvement, Gruden says, comes from Bosa and Rousseau dictating the line of scrimmage.
So, the Houston Texans, with an offensive line essentially rebuilt from scratch, could have a tough time thriving against a defense firing on all cylinders. “Houston got rid of their whole offensive line except for Titus Howard,” Gruden said.
Last season, that Bills group allowed 54 sacks and produced the worst pressure rate in football (37.9%). They’ve improved to 32% this season, thanks to new coaching and new talent, but Thursday represents a far bigger test than Tennessee’s front, which they faced last Sunday.
This is where Rousseau’s length and Bosa’s burst come in. Against Davis Mills, who’s filling in again for CJ Stroud, Buffalo’s edge rush becomes the game’s biggest swing factor.
Mills’ last start against the Bills ended in a brutal 40-0 loss with four interceptions, and even in recent outings, Houston’s offense has been relying heavily on late-game scrambles and fourth-quarter comebacks. So, Jon Gruden believes this version of Buffalo’s pass rush can make sure those chances never arrive.
That said, while he fully acknowledged the matchup between “the MVP Josh Allen” and the NFL’s No. 1 defense, his final pick stayed blue: “Bills 20, Texans 16… Let’s go Buffalo. Woo!” he screamed right after.
All that said, the Bills enter the matchup with a dominating record, winning three of their last four, while the Texans sit at 5-5 with only a 30% playoff probability that drops to 21% with a loss. Will this be enough of an incentive for the Texans to bring their A-game tonight? Not to forget, the Texans have dominated this fixture head-to-head at home, winning five straight in Houston.
Well, Gruden remains clear that the Texans’ dominance over the Bills at their home ends Thursday.
