Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans knows the difficult task at hand Thursday night against the Buffalo Bills: Slow MVP Josh Allen.
Allen is coming off a six-touchdown performance on Sunday, becoming the only player in NFL history to record three passing TDs and three rushing TDs in a single game twice in his career.
"We understand Josh is one of the most dynamic quarterbacks when it comes to buying time and being able to escape the rush," Ryans said Tuesday when asked about slowing Allen. "He's a big, physical guy. He can ward off defenders and he can throw the ball as far as he needs to throw it. He has such an awesome arm talent, smart player, knows how to buy time."
The last time the reigning MVP came off a 6-TD game was Week 15, 2024, against Detroit. The Bills QB had two passing TDs, two rushing TDs and zero turnovers in a 48-42 road win over the Lions, whose defense was tied for second in scoring entering the game.
The only player in NFL history to record 10-plus offensive TDs in a five-day span was Peyton Manning in November 2004 on his way to repeating as NFL MVP -- four pass TDs on Sunday of Week 11, six pass TDs five days later on Thanksgiving. Ben Roethlisberger holds the NFL record for offensive touchdowns in a two-game span (12 in 2014).
Ryans' defense enters the game ranked first in scoring defense (16.3), first in total yards per game (258.1), first in three-and-out percentage (33.0), and tied for first in TD-INT ratio (10-10) and defensive touchdowns (2).
The Texans coach knows that slowing Allen isn't just about taking away his initial read; it's continuing to stick with receivers once the QB goes into ad-lib mode.
"It's not just him buying time, I think schematically they've done a good job of their receivers being tied into when he scrambles where they're going," he said. "It's not just backyard ball. It's very coordinated in what they do and where they are. So, defensively, for our guys, you have to keep rushing, you have to keep covering. However long it takes, you got to keep going. We know it's going to be extended plays, he's going to buy time no matter what you do. You just have to be able to close it out by the defensive line. If not, then if he puts the ball up, we expect our secondary guys to close it out and go up and make a play."
Allen is generating a career-high 69.6 completion percentage through 10 games to go along with 245.6 pass YPG, 18 pass TDs, seven INTs, a 105.6 passer rating, 35.1 rush YPG and 10 rush TDs in 2025. He's on pace to average more pass YPG, rush YPG, pass yards per attempt (8.4) and a higher completion percentage and passer rating than he did in his 2024 MVP campaign. Allen already has more fourth-quarter comebacks (2) and game-winning drives (3) in 2025 than last year.
Last season, Ryans' Texans defense smothered Allen, holding the QB to a career-low 30 percent completion rate (9 of 30 passing) in a Week 5 23-20 victory over Buffalo. Allen went 1-of-11 passing versus man coverage in that game (a 49-yard TD pass) and was 1-of-14 when pressured (45.7 percent pressure rate was the highest he's faced in the past two seasons), per Next Gen Stats.
Houston (5-5) will need a similar performance Thursday night to move over .500 for the first time this season.
