Texans Brace for Steep Challenge Trying to Contain Josh Allen, Bills

There's no need to overindulge in the specifics of just how tough it is to successfully navigate the pitfalls of working the short week ahead of Thursday Night Football.

Of course, knuckling down to the task is one thing head coach DeMeco Ryans knows will just have to be done, especially if the now 5-5 Houston Texans are going to stay in playoff contention.

“What the short week is, for me, what I've learned most is don't talk about how much of a short week it is. Everybody goes in, it's a short week, we get it," Ryans said on Monday

"Let's wrap it up and let's go. Everybody has the same amount of time. Let's do what we have to do to go out and have ourselves physically and mentally prepared to go play.”

DeMeco Ryans Talks Preparation for Josh Allen

Nov 2, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans during the second half against the Denver Broncos at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sean Thomas-Imagn Images | Sean Thomas-Imagn Images

Ryans staying resolutely upbeat and honest is par for the course, but it could be said that with reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen next up, vital preparation time is scant enough already for the crucial matchup against the Buffalo Bills.

Lamenting over how the scheduling cards have been dealt is pretty darn futile; however, the more immediate priority for Ryans is to face up to the brutal reality Allen brings every time the ball is snapped.

"Josh can move around and make those plays. You have to cover him twice for sure, with his scramble ability," Ryans said. "He's done a good job of mixing up some QB run game as well. He does a good job of that, escaping the pocket and making plays."

"We have to do a much better job defensively of controlling that because we've let a few players get out on us when we allowed the quarterback to scramble, so it'll be a really big challenge for us defensively."

Oct 6, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) runs with the ball during the first quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

It's a surefire bet that Ryans will be filling his coaching whiteboard full of diagrams which script in simple terms how the Texans pass rushers must remain stout in the run game against the super mobile Allen. Nobody really needs much reminding about how Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix broke late game containment to stick a dagger in the Texans only a few weeks ago.

Even armed with perhaps the game's premier pass rushing duo in Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr., the fact remains: Allen is proven grade-A kryptonite for guys who get too far up the field.

“When you're playing against Josh Allen, everybody just has to remain disciplined, especially as we're rushing our rush lanes," Ryans said. "Everybody has to rush with integrity."

"This quarterback can escape the pocket anywhere. So, you have to have awareness and remain disciplined for four quarters. If you get out of a gap, if you fall asleep on a play you're not playing with awareness, that's when he can gut you. So, you just have to play with awareness for four quarters. You can never let up.”

Texans Can't Lean on One Score Games Forever

Winning the narrow ones has been a nice little habit the Texans have developed over the last two weeks under the plucky leadership of backup quarterback Davis Mills

That being said, Allen and Buffalo will likely push the scoring envelope more than the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans just did.

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Without wanting to burst anyone's bubble, Ryans just sounds far too grounded in inescapable analytics and brutal coaching reality to admit another thing other than winning the squeakers can't be sustained forever.

“Well, when you have wins like that, you would like to hope that it would continue to spark some confidence in our guys and continue to help us to push forward," Ryans said.

"But as I know, I’m just a realist, each game is its own game. You got to go out and do the things necessary that it takes to win those games. There isn't any magical elixir that comes out like, ‘Oh, you guys finished because this certain thing happened.’ No, you just got to go finish games, you got to execute the right way and you got to make big plays in those critical moments.”

All told, it's a fairly safe bet that the lights will remain on in the Texans facility this week, especially as Ryans and Co. desperately attempt to work on a game plan that somehow, someway can slow up the Bills and the MVP talent of Allen.

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