Bills Defeat Texans 36-31 In Season Opener - DJ Moore Excels With 100 Yards And

Bills Open Season With Thrilling 36-31 Win Over Texans

HOUSTON — Josh Allen threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Joshua Palmer with 1:36 remaining to lift Buffalo to a 36-31 win over the Houston Texans in a back-and-forth season opener. The victory marked the first head coaching win for Joe Brady, who was promoted from offensive coordinator following Sean McDermott's firing after nine seasons.

Moore's Historic Debut

Newly-acquired wide receiver DJ Moore made an immediate impact in his first game as a Bill. Moore had five catches for 100 yards and a touchdown in his Buffalo debut after a trade from Chicago. His highlight moment came when he grabbed a ball in front of a diving Reed Blankenship and dashed 43 yards to the end zone late in the second quarter to push the lead to 24-14.

The performance put Moore in franchise history. By recording 100 yards, Moore became just the second Bills player to record triple-digit receiving yards during his debut, joining John Brown, who had 123 yards and a touchdown in 2019. Combined with tight end Dalton Kincaid's big day, it marked just the second game in franchise history where a tight end and a receiver both had 100 yards receiving — the first coming when Andre Reed and Pete Metzelaars did so in Week 2 of the 1992 season.

Head coach Joe Brady praised his new receiver after the game: "He opens it up for everybody. He opens it up for Dalton Kincaid, for the run game and James Cook. He opens it up for Keon Coleman... and Josh Palmer. And then on big-play opportunities, he made them. We're so much better with him."

Game Flow

The Bills offense got going in the second quarter, with Allen finding WR Khalil Shakir twice for 35 yards before scrambling for a 21-yard rushing touchdown.

A 12-yard touchdown reception by Nico Collins cut the lead to three at halftime.

The Texans briefly grabbed the lead in the fourth quarter before Buffalo's offense answered. Facing a 31-30 deficit with 3:13 left and backed up at their own four-yard line, Kincaid delivered a 35-yard reception before Allen found Palmer for the go-ahead 34-yard touchdown — Palmer's lone catch of the day.

Buffalo's defense sealed the win on the ensuing possession. Greg Rousseau's second strip sack ended C.J. Stroud's final drive.

Houston allowed its most points since a 36-22 loss to Cleveland in December 2023, and Texans defensive end Will Anderson acknowledged the defense's shortcomings, saying "We've got to do a better job, especially closing out the game. It just wasn't our standard. That's not who we are. That's not who we want to be as a defense."

The Bills will look to carry momentum into their home opener against the Detroit Lions on Thursday night.