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Bills vs Texans: 5 keys to victory in NFL Week 5

Here are five keys to victory in the Buffalo Bills' Week 5 matchup with the Houston Texans.

Greg Vorse

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The Buffalo Bills sit at 3-1 on the year, good enough for first place in the AFC East as they enter their Week 5 matchup with the AFC South-leading Houston Texans. Buffalo is coming off its first loss of the year in primetime against the Baltimore Ravens; now they go back to the 1:00 p.m. time slot versus Stefon Diggs and the Houston Texans. Here are five keys to victory for the Bills down in the Lone Star State.

Contain Collins

Nico Collins
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All eyes will be on Diggs as he plays his first game against the Bills after having the best four years of his career with Buffalo and leaving Orchard Park unceremoniously. However, the key to the Texans' offense this season has been another wide receiver in Nico Collins. The Michigan product is averaging a league-best 122.3 yards per game, with 30 receptions and two touchdowns. Conversely, the Bills are allowing just 165.3 passing yards per game, which is the sixth-best in the NFL. Keeping Collins in check and not getting too hyped up for the showdown with Diggs would play in Buffalo's favor.

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Fast Start

Josh Allen
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Before the loss in Baltimore, where Buffalo only scored three first-half points, it had dominated the Dolphins and Jaguars, scoring 24 and 34 in the first two quarters, respectively. Getting back to jumping out to an early lead will not only help the Bills with confidence but also play against the Texans, who only average 8.5 second-half points this year. That number is 24th in the NFL.

Front Seven

Greg Rousseau
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The Texans have one of the best wideout trios in the NFL in Collins, Diggs, and what is trending toward a healthy Tank Dell. Those three catching passes from second-year signal caller CJ Stroud have led Houston to 257.8 passing yards per game, the third most in the NFL. The Texans' one loss this year was a destruction at the hands of Minnesota, 34-7. A key for the Vikings was getting pressure from their front seven, specifically the linebackers. In that game, Jonathan Greenard (3.79), Jihad Ward (3.99), and Patrick Jones (4.58) were all under the league average for defensive pass rush separation from the quarterback, per NextGenStats. Getting creative to get Stroud off his mark would be beneficial.

Take the Free Yards

Demeco Ryans
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Houston is one of the worst teams in the league at taking penalties. It gives away 81.5 free yards per game, which is third worst. Be smart, don't retaliate, and let the officials be the star of the show.

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Limit Explosives

Buffalo Bills defense
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DUH! I'll explain. The Bills entered their game with Baltimore having allowed just seven plays of 25 yards or more and two plays over 25 yards. In the Ravens game alone, Buffalo gave up six plays over 20 yards and four of 25 or more. This is a bend, but don't break defense, but when it does break, it is catastrophic. The Texans have big-play weapons in the previously mentioned wideouts. Keeping them in front of the secondary and tackling will be a key to success.

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Greg Vorse
GREG VORSE

Greg Vorse joined SI to cover the Bills in July of 2024. Greg has spent two decades covering Buffalo football, first as a sports reporter for WJET (ABC) in Erie, Pennsylvania, from 2004 to 2007, then, starting in the summer of 2007, for Time Warner/Spectrum News. He was an award-winning broadcaster during his time on television for stories on the high school, college, and professional ranks. Greg has also covered the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers during his broadcasting and journalism careers. Aside from a love of athletic competition, Greg, his wife, and their two children enjoy vacationing and changing the stereotypes of pit bull terriers.

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