The Houston Texans sent a powerful message to the rest of the AFC on Thursday Night Football, dismantling the Buffalo Bills 23-19 behind a suffocating defensive performance that left quarterback Josh Allen battered and bewildered at NRG Stadium.

Just one week after Allen torched the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for six touchdowns, the Texans defense brought him crashing back to earth. Houston's pass rush recorded eight sacks on the night, the most Allen has absorbed in his seven-year NFL career, while also hitting him four additional times. The relentless pressure resulted in -70 yards lost and two costly interceptions that ultimately sealed Buffalo's fate.

Safety Calen Bullock emerged as the defensive star of the evening, recording two interceptions and forcing a fumble in what was arguably the best game of his young career. His second interception came at the most critical moment, ending any hope of a Bills comeback and sending the Houston faithful into a frenzy.

Will Anderson Jr. continued his remarkable season with 2.5 sacks, extending his streak of recording at least one sack to six consecutive games and tying a franchise record. Danielle Hunter added two sacks of his own, as the Texans' pass-rushing duo proved virtually unstoppable against Buffalo's offensive line.

On offense, backup quarterback Davis Mills delivered a steady if unspectacular performance, completing passes for 153 yards and connecting on two first-half touchdown throws. More importantly, Mills avoided the mistakes that have plagued Houston at times this season, taking no sacks and committing no turnovers while leading the team to crucial points when it mattered most.

The Bills did not go quietly into the night. Running back James Cook burst onto the scene early, racking up 75 rushing yards on his first seven carries, including a spectacular 45-yard touchdown run that gave Buffalo an early advantage. Ray Davis provided another highlight-reel moment, returning a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown, bouncing off defenders and spinning away from the crowd before flipping into the end zone to put Buffalo up 16-13.

Allen, despite playing through what appeared to be an early shoulder injury, refused to surrender. He led the Bills on a desperate final drive that included a miraculous fourth-and-27 conversion, bringing his team to the doorstep of the end zone with a chance to steal the victory. But Houston's defense, which had dominated all night, stood tall one final time, denying Buffalo and preserving the hard-fought win.

The victory improves Houston to 6-5 on the season and marks their third consecutive win, a crucial stretch that has reinvigorated their playoff hopes in a competitive AFC South. Perhaps more impressive is the Texans' newfound ability to close out tight contests, going 3-for-3 in one-score games during this winning streak after struggling with such situations earlier in the year.

For Buffalo, the loss drops them in the AFC standings and raises questions about their offensive line's ability to protect Allen against elite pass rushes. The Bills will need to regroup quickly as the season enters its crucial final stretch.

Thursday night belonged to Houston, and more specifically, to a Texans defense that announced itself as one of the most fearsome units in the league.