Bills Defense Too Much for the Texans to Overcome?
The Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans both secured a playoff spot thanks to a 10-6 record but they did it in very different ways. Buffalo’s record earned them a Wildcard spot while the Texans 10 win season won them the AFC South for the second consecutive season.
The Bills relied heavily on a dominant defense that finished 3rd in yards allowed per game (298) and 2nd in points per game (16) yet as Bills Maven Shannon Shepherd pointed out, sent only one defender to the Pro Bowl in cornerback Tre’Davious White.
Houston’s Offense averaged 23 points per game this season and 362 yards per game and will send three Offensive players to the Pro Bowl with quarterback DeShaun Watson, wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil all being recognized as elite players in 2019.
Buffalo’s quarterback Josh Allen is set to make his first career postseason start while Watson will make his second. According to the NFL “Watson became the first quarterback to have at least 25 touchdown passes and five rushing touchdowns in consecutive seasons in NFL history” and “Allen became the second-fastest quarterback to reach 15 career rushing touchdowns (22 games) in league annals.”
Buffalo clinched a playoff berth for the second time in the past three seasons.
Houston captured the AFC South division title for a second consecutive season, and the fourth time in the past five years. For the fourth time in franchise history (2002-19), Houston won at least 10 games.
Houston head coach BILL O’BRIEN joined ANDY REID, MIKE TOMLIN and JOHN HARBAUGH as the only active head coaches with five winning seasons over their first six years. O’Brien has guided the Texans to four AFC South titles in those six years.
Buffalo head coach SEAN MCDERMOTT, in his third season as a head coach, has led the Bills to the playoffs for a second time.
Bills quarterback JOSH ALLEN (nine) and Texans quarterback DESHAUN WATSON (seven) ranked first and tied for second, respectively, in rushing touchdowns among QBs in 2019. Allen, in his second NFL season, threw for 3,089 yards and 20 touchdowns. Watson joined Pro Football Hall of Famer STEVE YOUNG as the only quarterbacks ever with 25-or-more touchdown passes and five-plus rushing touchdowns in multiple seasons.
Houston wide receiver DEANDRE HOPKINS tied for the AFC lead this season with 104 receptions.
Buffalo CB TRE’DAVIOUS WHITE tied for the NFL lead with six interceptions.
FullTime Fantasy’s Playoff Fantasy Football Contests