The Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills will face off against each other in the first game of 2020. This wildcard matchup will be the second game the two have played against each other since Buffalo drafted Josh Allen. Both quarterbacks have had solid seasons this year. They will have to play at their best to beat the other in this game. The Texans have the home field, but Buffalo has played well on the road this season. Buffalo also has a good traveling fanbase. These teams will need to draw on their strengths and perfect their weaknesses if they expect to advance to the divisional round if the playoffs.
Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills Wildcard Preview
Battle at the Line Of Scrimmage
The Texans are getting their three-time defensive play of the year back in J.J. Watt and he will be looking to impress his little brother T.J Watt on Saturday against the Bills offensive line. If the Bills can hold back Watt and his linemates, they can give Josh Allen the time he needs to limit his mistakes and make plays. The Bills’ defensive line will have to attack the Texan’s offensive line early and often if they want to disrupt Deshaun Watson and the Texans offense. Watson will need to feel the pressure quickly if the Bills hope to force a mistake from the third-year quarterback. The winning side of the line will more than likely be the winner of each play and, overall, the game.
Battle of Two Young Quarterbacks
Both the Texans and the Bills have a young quarterback at the helm of their offense. The Texans have Deshaun Watson and Josh Allen for Buffalo. Watson had an impressive season this year with 3,852 yards and 33 total touchdowns in 15 games played. Allen also had a solid season with 3,089 yards and 29 total touchdowns in 15 games played. Both quarterbacks rushed for at least 400 yards and seven touchdowns this season. This will add an interesting element to the game with both quarterbacks having above-average mobility along with strong arms. Turnovers will be something to watch carefully during this game as Watson had 18 total turnovers and Allen had 16.
Both quarterbacks did a good job protecting the ball through the air. However, they put the ball on the ground a few times each this season. If either quarterback begins to feel the pressure of the opposing defensive line, they may give the other team an opportunity to gain possession or even score a touchdown.
Strong Performance From the Secondary
The Bills defense has been their strong point this season. Their defense will be the deciding factor between them and the Texans on wildcard weekend. The Bills secondary has many strong players within it including Tre’Davious White, Micah Hyde, and Jordan Poyer. The Texans’ secondary hasn’t been as strong as the Bills secondary this season. However, Gareon Conley and Justin Reid have been strong members of the Texans secondary this season. If the Texans secondary allows John Brown and Cole Beasley to get a rhythm going with Josh Allen, the Texans may be in for a long afternoon. The Bills secondary will more than likely keep the Texans passing attack in check and force DeAndre Hopkins to make multiple big plays.
Victory Scenarios
The Bills and Texans are both teams that have had a strong performance this season and they each have a strong side of the ball and a weaker side. The Texans strive in offense while the Bills strive on defense. When these two teams clash, their weaker side of the ball will be crucial in deciding which team advances to the divisional round of the playoffs. The Bills offense seems to be picking up some steam late in the season. They had a few big-time wins against the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers as well as a close loss against the New England Patriots to end the year.
The Bills offense should be able to handle the Texans less than stellar defense. They should be able to score enough points to let their defense win them the game with a strong performance. However, if the Bills offensive line gives in to the Texans pass rush and the defense allows Deshaun Watson to make enough plays on offense, the Texans will defeat the Bills.
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