It’s Thursday night, and you know what that means: Thursday Night Football.
The Houston Texans have fought from the bottom of the heap to return to .500 in an attempt to make it back to the postseason. For the Buffalo Bills at 7-3, it’s about preparing for those very same playoffs and if Josh Allen’s group can finally make it to the Super Bowl in February.
Here are the three storylines to keep an eye out for tonight.
Can Davis Mills keep it going for Houston?
Mills is an expert backup at this point in his career. Whereas other backups are thrown into the moment, Mills is a professional who steps in when asked and does what is needed for his franchise to succeed. While it isn’t fair to ask him to outduel reigning MVP Allen, he is intelligent enough and knows his limitations to let his elite defense have a chance at winning the game.
Which is worse: Buffalo’s defense or Houston’s offense?
Surrounding the Mills inclusion, it’s genuinely a question of which weaker side of the ball can hold up better on Thursday. Even with C.J. Stroud under center, it’s not like the Texans’ offense was anything but mediocre. And when you look at the Bills’ defense, although not putrid, it is still exploitable and has given up unnecessary points to substandard offenses. If the Houston defensive line can get to Allen and not allow him to have time to go through the air, there’s an opportunity for the Texans to sneak out a win against a superior opponent on paper.
Who wins: Josh Allen vs. Danielle Hunter & Will Anderson Jr.?
After talking about weakness against weakness, the battle between one of the best quarterbacks in the league versus arguably the strongest defensive rush duo in the league is the other side of the coin.
Allen is known for escaping pressure and making magic happen, but can he pull his Houdini act, facing Hunter and Anderson Jr.? Per Pro Football Focus, Hunter is the 7th-ranked EDGE in 2025, while his partner in crime, Anderson Jr., is 3rd. Their terrifying tandem is one of the key reasons the Texans have been able to get back to a respectable record, even with a depleted offense and Mills filling in at quarterback.
If Josh can solve the two-headed monster from Houston, not only will the Bills win, but the chances of a repeat as MVP will rise significantly.
