The NFL is still in Week 11 because of Monday Night Football. But it's never too early to look ahead to Thursday Night Football. Buffalo and Houston will square off in an AFC showdown later this week that could have huge ramifications for both teams.
Houston is attempting to turn around their season, improving to 5-5 despite C.J. Stroud being injured. Meanwhile, the Bills still look like one of the AFC's elite teams after thumping the Buccaneers.
There's no question that Houston will be the underdogs in this one. But that doesn't mean the outcome of this game is already decided.
Can the Texans pull off an upset win against the Bills in Week 12? And if so, which players will need to have a big game to make it happen?
Below we will explore some bold predictions for Bills vs. Texans on Thursday Night Football.
*Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)*
Josh Allen continues MVP season with dominant game vs. Texans defense
Josh Allen is playing some special football during the 2025 season.
The reigning NFL MVP is making a case to win back-to-back awards with his dominant play over the past few months.
Allen stayed hot in Week 11, racking up 357 total yards and six touchdowns. That makes him the only player in NFL history to record three or more passing and rushing touchdowns in multiple games.
Allen has played well against some of the best teams in the NFL. But he will face a truly unique test against the Texans in Week 12.
Many statistics suggest that Houston has the best defense in the entire league. They have only allowed 258.1 yards per game this season, which is best in the NFL. Houston has also allowed the fewest points per game (16.3) in the NFL through 10 games.
Their resume is not equally strong against the run and the pass, but the Texans are good at both.
This game will be a real acid test for Buffalo's elite offense. If they can move the ball at ease against Houston, they should be completely fine in the playoffs.
Personally, I think the Bills are in the middle of a special season. So of course I'm picking them to rise to the challenge here.
I'm predicting Allen to have another incredible game, scoring at least three touchdowns and passing for over 300 yards.
C.J. Stroud does not play, Davis Mills has worst game of season
There is still uncertainty about Stroud availability ahead of Week 12.
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans gave an injury update on Monday. He noted that both Stroud and CB Jalen Pitre are both still in concussion protocol, leaving their status uncertain ahead of Thursday Night Football.
Stroud has not played in the last two games after taking a vicious hit on a controversial play against Denver in Week 9.
“We’ll see how the week goes,” Ryans added.
Backup Davis Mills has been filling in for Stroud with middling results. Don't get me wrong, the Texans have won both games with Mills under center, but they have not been pretty victories.
There is nothing more an NFL team can ask of their backup QB than continuing to stack wins. So I'm sure the Texans themselves are not complaining about their situation.
Unfortunately, I think their winning streak is about to come to an end.
Buffalo's defense is capable of playing some elite football this season. Look no further than their convincing victory over Kansas City as evidence of their incredible defense.
Credit where it is due to Mills, but I don't see him creating any magic against that unit.
I'm predicting that Mills will have his worst game of the season against Buffalo.
To get specific, I see Mills having under 250 passing yards, at least two interceptions, and a completion percentage below 60%.
Texans defense force multiple turnovers, but Bills still win big
Remember all of those impressive stats about Houston's defense? Well, there's more.
The Texans have already forced 10 interceptions in 10 games, which is one of the highest rates in the league. They can generate a ton of pressure with their elite pass rush, and it's resulting in a ton of turnovers.
Houston needs to cook up an incredible game plan, and force at least two turnovers, if they want to compete with the Bills. Personally, I believe that they'll be up to the challenge of forcing mistakes from the Bills. I can see Josh Allen being baited into at least one ugly interception.
But while I see the Texans putting up a great fight, I just can't imagine them beating the Bills. Unless Buffalo just doesn't show up for this one.
I'm predicting that Buffalo will win by at least 10 points despite losing the turnover battle.
