Bills Central

Birthday boy keeps Bills close vs. Texans with 97-yard kickoff return

Ray Davis briefly gave the Buffalo Bills a second-quarter lead in Houston with a dazzling kickoff return punctuated by a front flip into the end zone.
Richie Whitt|
Ray Davis
Ray Davis | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

In this story:

Buffalo Bills | News, Scores, Schedules & Standings

Happy Birthday indeed, Ray Davis.

The Buffalo Bills' running back and kick returner kept his team in the game in the first half against the Houston Texans with a dazzling 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Davis' score gave Buffalo a 16-13 lead, but the defense allowed a late touchdown as the Bills trail, 20-16, at halftime on Thursday Night Football.

MORE: 3 Bills' offensive stars leave field with injuries early vs. Texans

Davis, who turns 26, took the kickoff on one bounce and headed up the middle on his return. He awkwardly bounced off his own blocker around the 30-yard line, which clearly disrupted the rhythm of the play. Two Texans' defenses collided, and he was off the races.

MORE: Bills' benched WR getting advice from team minority owner Tracy McGrady?

According to NextGen Stats, Davis covered a total of 113 yards and punctuated his return with a sweet front flip into the end zone.

MORE: Bills Mafia finally gets shot at new Highmark Stadium after being on 2-year waitlist

Davis' return is the Bills first kickoff for a touchdown since Nyheim Hines' 101-yard return vs. the New England Patriots in 2023 and the team's first on the road since C.J. Spiller's 95-yard return at New England in 2010.

Josh Allen
Josh Allen | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

— Sign up for OnSI’s Free Buffalo Bills Newsletter —

More Buffalo Bills News:



Published
Richie Whitt
RICHIE WHITT

Richie Whitt has been a sports media fixture in Dallas-Fort Worth since graduating from UT-Arlington in 1986. His career is highlighted by successful stints in print (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), TV (NBC5) and radio (105.3 The Fan). During his almost 40-year tenure, he's blabbed and blogged on events ranging from Super Bowls to NBA Finals to World Series to Stanley Cups to Olympics to Wimbledons to World Cups. Whitt has been covering the NFL since 1989, and in 1993 authored The 'Boys Are Back, a book chronicling the Dallas Cowboys' run to Super Bowl XXVII.

Share on XFollow richiewhitt