Prediction Panel suggests Bills will suffer rare fate on road vs. Texans

The Buffalo Bills will look to avoid a second straight loss when they visit the Houston Texans on October 6, but the MMQB panel is skeptical.

Ralph Ventre | 1 Hour Ago

Sep 29, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) scrambles from Baltimore Ravens safety Eddie Jackson (39) at M&T Bank Stadium / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

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The Buffalo Bills don't lose back-to-back games often, but there's a thought it could happen this week.

After a primetime thumping from the Baltimore Ravens, the Bills visit the Houston Texans in a battle of two 3-1 teams on October 6. It's the second of three consecutive road games for Buffalo, who will visit the New York Jets for a Monday Night Football affair in Week 6.

First, the Bills must face former star wide receiver Stefon Diggs and the reigning AFC South champion Texans, who posted a 24-20 home win over the Jacksonville Jaguars last time out.

Sports Illustrated's six-member expert panel is siding with Houston in a majority decision. Four of the six panelists picked the Texans to win with Albert Breer and Mitch Goldich being the two dissenters. All weekly game selections are straight up. Visit SI Betting for picks against the spread and much more gambling content.

Buffalo enters the game looking like the walking wounded on defense. The Bills were without Matt Milano, Terrel Bernard and Taron Johnson in the Week 4 loss to the Ravens. While Bernard and Johnson are both questionable to return against Houston, the Bills have already ruled out defensive tackles Ed Oliver and Austin Johnson.

In addition, Buffalo edge rusher Von Miller was handed down a four-game suspension from the NFL earlier this week.

The Bills will catch a small break with Texans' starting running back Joe Mixon on the shelf, but they'll have to keep a dynamic receiving corps, led by Nico Collins, at bay.

"Mixon is a heckuva football player," said Bills' head coach Sean McDermott.

Buffalo was vulnerable against the run in Baltimore. Derrick Henry ran wild for 199 yards, including a tone-setting 87-yard touchdown rush.

Prior to the lop-sided defeat in Week 4, the Bills had gone 43 consecutive regular season games without losing by more than one score. As for back-to-back losses, Buffalo suffered that fate once in 2023. After a 24-18 setback to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Bills lost on a last-second field goal, 24-22, to the Denver Broncos.

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs (14) can't make the catch on this deep throw by Josh Allen. / Jamie Germano/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

MMQB Prediction Panel (Bills at Texans)

Albert Breer, senior NFL reporter
Pick: Bills

Conor Orr, senior writer
Pick: Texans

Gilberto Manzano, staff writer
Pick: Texans

Matt Verderame, staff writer
Pick: Texans

John Pluym, managing editor
Pick: Texans

Mitch Goldich, senior editor
Pick: Bills