Stefon Diggs, Houston Texans outlast Buffalo Bills 23-20

HOUSTON — Stefon Diggs mentioned the win towards his former crew “meant rather a lot,” because the Texans defeated the Buffalo Payments 23-20 to maneuver to 4-1.

This was the primary matchup between the Texans and Payments since Diggs was traded to Houston within the offseason for a 2025 second-round decide. Following the victory, coaches and gamers made clear they wished to win for the star receiver.

All through the week with the anticipated matchup approaching, Diggs mentioned he held “it in all week power smart” and did not carry up the magnitude of the sport an excessive amount of to his teammates. However the former All-Professional was overjoyed that his crew rallied round him for the victory.

“We obtained a dub this week. We 1-0. Clearly, enjoying my previous crew, I am not going to take a seat right here and act prefer it was simply common,” Diggs mentioned. “It meant rather a lot to me, and it was reassuring that the fellows round me knew that it meant rather a lot to me, even when I did not say it. I attempt to simply preserve it poised and deal with each week prefer it’s the identical. However I would be mendacity if I mentioned it did not imply rather a lot to me.”

The Texans jumped out to a 14-3 lead within the first quarter capped by wideout Nico Collins’ 67-yard landing reception. Collins, who’s main the NFL in receiving yards (567), suffered a hamstring harm on that scoring play and did not return.

However that did not stop quarterback C.J. Stroud from totaling 331 passing yards with a passer ranking of 97. Stroud leaned on Diggs to resist Collins’ harm as Diggs completed with a game-high 82 receiving yards.

“It was enormous. I do know right this moment Diggs was a bit emotional. He simply wished to play properly towards his former crew,” Stroud mentioned. “He did a great job by simply letting his feelings have an effect on his play, and he performed nice. Simply glad that he is pleased with this dub.”

Stroud had a few second-half turnovers (a misplaced fumble and an interception) that helped the Payments overcome an early 20-3 result in tie it with three minutes remaining. However the second-year signal-caller led the Texans into subject aim vary with two seconds left, and kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn nailed the successful 59-yarder.

What helped propel the Texans to this win was coach DeMeco Ryans’ sport plan on Payments star quarterback Josh Allen, who went 9-of-30 for a season-low 131 yards with one landing and a passer ranking of 56.

Ryans’ protection pressured Allen to file the bottom completion proportion (30.0%) in a sport with at the least 30 go makes an attempt up to now 30 seasons, in response to ESPN Analysis.

“Actually glad for Diggs,” Ryans mentioned. “I knew how essential this win was for him. Knew how essential this week was for him. … We needed to get this one for Diggs.”

What precipitated Allen’s completion proportion to plummet was the Texans’ go rush together with their protection on the Payments’ playmakers.

No Payments receiver completed with greater than 50 receiving yards, and Allen was pressured on a season-high 45% of his drop backs. When he was pressured, he accomplished just one go for twenty-four yards on 14 makes an attempt.

“Limiting Josh, man he is a good participant. He is a tricky out for us, nevertheless it took a valiant effort from everyone. It was a collective effort,” Ryans mentioned. “We knew we weren’t going to get many sacks towards him as a result of he is so elusive within the pocket. We simply needed to preserve dashing and preserve the stress on him. In order that they did an ideal job of maintaining the stress on him and our backhand guys, the way in which they lined, that was the rationale why.”

The Texans will journey to face the New England Patriots in Week 6 however could be with out Collins. In keeping with sources, Collins felt some tightness in one among his hamstrings following that landing reception and determined to not power it.

Ryans mentioned Collins is “day-to-day.”