HOUSTON — The Houston Texans are at home again today for a showdown with the Buffalo Bills.
The Texans look to improve to 4-1 on the season in a matchup featuring Houston receiver Stefon Diggs going up against his former team. You can catch the game LIVE on KHOU 11 at noon. And stay with KHOU 11+ after the final whistle as we'll carry the Texans postgame news conference live.
Houston is coming off a thrilling 24-20 win over Jacksonville last weekend. Buffalo is 3-1, with their only blemish coming last week, a 35-10 blowout loss to the Ravens.
As far as injuries go, the Texans will be without running back Joe Mixon for the third straight week. Mixon is still out with an ankle injury suffered in week two against the Bears, the result of an illegal hip drop tackle. Running back Dameon Pierce is questionable. The team should get Tank Dell back, though. More injury updates are below in this article.
Texans debut new jerseys
Houston will have a different look today, breaking out their H Town unis that they previewed before the season. It was one of multiple new uniforms the team has this year.
Bills player to watch
DE A.J. Epenesa. With Von Miller to miss the next four games serving an NFL suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, the focus falls on the fifth-year player. Epenesa has one sack in four starts and will have an even more expanded role minus the 35-year-old Miller, who was used mostly in passing situations. Miller is the NFL’s active leader in sacks with 126 1/2, including three this season.
Texans player to watch
WR Nico Collins. The fourth-year pro had a career-high 12 catches for 151 yards and a touchdown against the Jaguars last week. He leads the NFL with 489 yards receiving and is the first player in franchise history with more than 450 yards receiving though the first four games. Sunday was the eighth career 100-yard game for Collins and his third this season.
Key matchup
Houston WR Stefon Diggs will face his former team for the first time since a blockbuster trade brought him to the Texans. The four-time Pro Bowler is second on the team with 25 receptions for 233 yards. He has two receiving touchdowns and had the first rushing score of his career against the Jaguars. He spent the past four seasons in Buffalo where he had more than 1,100 yards receiving each year, highlighted by an NFL-leading and career-high 1,535 yards in 2020.
Key injuries
Bills starting LB Terrel Bernard has resumed practicing and has a chance to return after missing two games with a pectoral injury. … CB Taron Johnson is nearing his return, but is questionable to play since breaking his right forearm in Week 1. … Starting S Taylor Rapp’s status is uncertain after being placed in the concussion protocol. … WR Khalil Shakir’s status is being monitoring after he hurt his right ankle on Sunday night. Same for starting left tackle Dion Dawkins, who is nursing a hamstring injury. … Houston WR Tank Dell is expected to return after sitting out last week with hand and chest injuries. … RB Joe Mixon missed practice this week with an ankle injury and is out for a third consecutive game. … LT Laremy Tunsil injured his ankle last week and could miss the game after sitting out of practice. Tytus Howard is questionable.
Series notes
The Bills won the most recent game in the series but Houston took the previous two games, including an overtime victory in a wild-card playoff game in the 2019 season. … These teams first met in Houston’s inaugural season in 2002 when Buffalo got a 31-24 win. … Houston’s first win in the series came in a 12-10 victory in 2003.
